Do LSU fans really understand what "elite" status means?

With all the back and forth lately about whether Les Miles is going to be a good coach at LSU, the prevailing concern for many is that Miles won't keep the LSU program at the level to which people think Saban got it. The skins Saban put on the wall indicate that this level can accurately be described as "elite" - 2 SEC titles, 1 MNC, 4 consecutive NYD bowls. And don't misunderstand me, folks. I'm in that same camp. I want Miles to maintain the same level of success at LSU that we've seen in the Saban era. I buy season tix every year expecting it.

But what level did Saban really get LSU to? The vibe I seem to be getting from the "wait-and-see" crowd is that anything less than 10 wins a year, and the SECCG every year, is "mediocrity."

I think we can all agree that Saban got LSU up there with "the big boys." The storied programs that are successful every year. USC. Texas. OU. Michigan. Ohio State. And of course, the upper tier of the SEC. But what does that mean, really?

Since 2001, LSU went (per this year's Phil Steele guide, w/o bowls):

9-3, 8-4, 12-1, 9-2, 10-1

How about LSU's contemporaries in the rarified air of college football's elite?

USC went 6-5, 10-2, 11-1, 12-0, 11-0 in that same span, but as we all know their conference stinks, and the only have to "get up" for about 3 games per year, max.

Texas has gone 10-2, 10-2, 10-2, 10-1, 11-0, and OU's gone 10-2, 11-2, 12-1, 12-0, 7-4. But again - weak conference other than each other. The SECCG final score will NEVER be 70-3.

So how about the Big 10, a far more analogous conference to the SEC? (I'm skipping the ACC because it's only recently been as good as the B10/SEC) Only Michigan and Ohio State have consistently dominated it over the Saban era. 8-3, 9-3, 10-2, 9-2, 7-4 for the Blue, and 7-4, 13-0, 10-2, 7-4, 9-2 for the Red. For comparison' sake, let's include Iowa and their Saban-esque coach Kirk Ferentz. 6-5, 11-1, 9-3, 9-2, 7-4.

Take note, skeptics. Only 4 years out of 15 at 10 wins or better, but with 3 B10 titles and 1 MNC.

Now to the SEC. Apples to apples. The Eastern Big Three?

UGA: 8-3, 12-1, 10-3, 9-2, 9-2. 3 trips to the SECCG. Won 2 of them.

TN: 10-2, 8-4, 10-2, 9-3, 5-6

UF: 9-2, 8-4, 8-4, 7-4, 8-3 (but factor in Zook as their coach).

And for the West, I'll omit Bama because they've had 7 coaches during the Saban era, and had killer probation. So it's really just Auburn we're competing with:

AU: 7-4, 8-4, 7-5, 12-0, 9-2

Let's establish what these numbers do NOT tell us. They don't show process, or how you got there. Auburn's 9-2 in 2005 looks the same as anyone else's, but they really had it rolling by the end of the year. And UF's 7-4 last year looks bad enough, but it's worse than most 7-4's because it included a loss to Miss St. So you can't argue that LSU's 10-2 in 2005 was an unqualified success based simply on the number of wins.

But what this DOES tell us is that being an elite program isn't nearly as elite as some people on this board would have you believe. For the schools in real conferences (this means you, USC, TX, and OU), elite means that before the bowls, you're 9-2 pretty regularly, you're 8-3 if you come out flat one time too many, and you're 10-1 or better, gunning for it all 2 or 3 times every 10 years. LSU will play on NYD a lot if that's what happens.

Obviously, we all want LSU to win every game. I've never walked to my seat in SU 14 thinking that it's OK if LSU loses a particular game, since they can spare 2 every year. And in much the same way that it should be the goal of every employee of IBM to be CEO one day, it should be the goal of Miles and his staff to win every game 70-3. And he should recruit, hire coaches, structure practices and manage gameday with exactly that goal in mind without fail. I won't argue that with even the most vehement Miles-hater. This post is about what someone who expects an "elite" LSU should really be expecting.

If 9 wins a year, and an SECCG every 3.333333 years with a MNC run every 8-10 years or so is where Les Miles keeps LSU, he will absolutely have maintained the ELITE status to which Saban got them. Miles DOES NOT have to win 10 games, with an SEC schedule, every year to keep from squandering what Saban built. And anyone who thinks otherwise is, quite frankly, not paying much attention to the realities of college football.

 

Nicely put....:geauxtige

 

Quit using logic, it will never work.

 

I think all of those elite programs that you mentioned have one thing in common, they know how to recruit. Year after year those programs are able to pick up the best football players in their region no matter what their record was.

I think Saban did a great job with recruiting and LSU is now having some great recruiting classes year in and year out. If you keep getting championship caliber players, sooner or later they'll start producing on the field and you're going to have great seasons.

 

Dammit man. Your posts are a pleasure to read.
:thumb:

edit*
Now I know where that "you must spread some reputation" stuff comes from. eheh

 

Do LSU fans really understand what "elite" status means?

Yes, I think Joe "Average LSU Fan" understands what legacy Saban left LSU.

Top 5 Program ... that's elite ...

one that competes and has a shot at the NC every year ...

one that locks down & recruits the best athletes of Louisiana and raids other states

one that exhibits a vaunted defense

ONE THAT WINS GD CHAMPIONSHIPS WHEN THEY GET THERE ... NOT LET SOME LOUSY FUGGIN TEAM STOMP A MUDHOLE IN YOUR ASS IN A CHAMPIONSHIP GAME ... Yeah, we understand elite ... in the postseason ... This Miles bitch is just another John Brady ... a mediocre coach

A Dallas trip with skip to whine for a Cotton Bowl bid BEFORE the SECCG ...

I WANT THIS ****ER'S HEAD ON A PLATTER

 

Very well put Martin.

It's easy for people to forget that Saban lost atleast 3 games a season his entire tenure here except one season, which happened to have a couple close calls.

 

GREAT POST!:thumb:

You put it into prospective very well! Loved reading it!

 

Martin --
I normally would not read a post as long as yours. But your research, logic and effort come together to prove a point we forget sometimes on this board.

LSU is an elite program.

Great post.