I think this is a key game for Les Miles to prove that he is legit. We lost our one tough game this season, and though the refs screwed us and the players made some mistakes, a good part of the blame belongs to Miles and his coaching staff. Our running game was ineffective and left yards out on the field. Our passing game probably could have been utilized more. And what's the deal with the disappearance of our return game? Do we have a db back there because he is experienced and the coaches have faith he will make good decisions and not turn the ball over, or is he back there because he is "fast?" The guy is not a threat, at all, to gain over 15 yards on a return, regardless of how fast he is. I don't have a problem putting him back there if he is the most consistent returner, but even in that case it is obvious that we are sacrificing field position for sure-handedness. The point of this thread is the importance of Miles getting a win against Florida. Playing your heart out is good, but if you can't regularly come away with wins in those instances your moral victories will get old. My attitude last season was that we didn't look good enough in most of our wins to feel like we were an upper echelon team. I was critical of Miles. We look much better this season and are in a better position right now than we were, but if Miles drops the game to Florida I will be disappointed no matter how good we look. We looked good in a lot of Dinardo's losses in his second to last season. I won't be calling for Miles' head or anything, but I do believe the hint of doubt that existed in my heart last season will begin to return. I believe that Miles will have us ready to go and we will impress the country. I expect us to be considered the best one-loss team in the country, not the best two-loss team. If we are going to be a championship caliber team we need to get this W.
Very important game for Miles. If he wins, tiger fans are happy because he one against one top 5 team and maybe should have won against another if some calls had gone his way. If he loses, I predict tiger nation turns on him pretty quickly.
1. It's a very important game, not for Miles but for the entire team. 2. Using Dumbardo's name and Miles is the same context is not fair or a good analogy. Let Miles start losing games we are supposed to win, have his players rule the roost and have many kids out lo wedlock and then you can start comparing the two. 3. We lose apporox. 6 yards on punt return compared to last year, we gain appox. .5 per PR compared to 2004. I'll take surehands right now if the coaches don't trust the other guys, who I am sure they see in practice everyday. One fumbled punt can be more of a loss of field position than all of the other punt returns put together. 4. Losing to UF in Florida would not be a total failure in my opinion, especially if we play a very good game, although I would be disappointed, not in the coaching, just that we lost a game we could have won. If we come out an lay an egg than I would be disappointed in the coaching and the players.
It's very important game for the rest of the season. we can knock off these cupcakes all we want but until we win a huge game, like this one, we won't be respected for winning big games. Also, our BCS hopes would be paper thin if we go 4-2 after Saturday. LSU won't let that happen though.
Funny how we forget some of those ugly losses and close wins under Saban. I guess winning a MNC will do that to fans. Winning that MNC was the best and worst thing to happen at LSU. Expectations are now crazy and out of control. We're playing the #5 team on the road and we expect to dominate them. Some fans will be upset and pissed at the coach should we lose to a top ranked SEC team on the road. Spoiled doesn't even come close to describing some of you guys...
All solid points. I don't consider Dinardo in the same league as Miles, but Dinardo's teams played some good games the year before he quit. Unfortunately we lost most of them. I only meant to point out that losing games in which you played well in is acceptable only to a point. Sure hands are very important on returns, and if that is the reason then I much prefer it to risking turning the ball over. I just hope this doesn't signal the end of a potent return game by not using the best players to return kicks. That has been a strong suit of ours for a while and not having that takes away one of our advantages. If the guy we have now returning kicks is back there because he is "fast," I would question that philosophy because the proof is in the pudding. The pudding isn't lumpy, but it isn't fine dining either. Losing to Florida in a hard fought game wouldn't be the end of the world, but it would begin to introduce worries that Miles can't get it done in big game situations. I am really nitpicking here, our team has played damn near perfection so far. I'm really anticipating an excellent performance and proving to the nation that we are legit; I believe that Miles is legit, and even moreso that Russell is legit. Alot of Florida people are laughing at our schedule, but I really don't think they will be doubting what all the tiger fans are buzzing about after Saturday. I even expect a better performance from our running game; not dominant, but more effective with the ability to pick up a few yards when they are available. I liked what I saw from Broussard at the end of the Mississippi St game.
Man, I haven't forgotten Saban's imperfections. I was there picking him apart when I thought he should have done this or that. I am actually coming around and believe Miles might be a better fit at LSU than Saban was. Still, Saban was one of a kind and awesome. If he was still here I don't think I'd be shooing him out the door. I wouldn't give him a free pass either, though. Miles had plenty of ugly wins last season, and I was very concerned up to the Peach Bowl. Afterwards I felt the season had been redeemed, especially considering the hurricanes, but to say I felt totally assured Miles was up to snuff would be untrue. I feel a million times better right now than I did at this point last season. Losing will allow doubts to begin creeping in again, but I do realize that Florida is a top notch opponent. I think we have the better talent and losing to Florida will be less acceptable than losing to Auburn - if we do lose to Florida we will have to wait until November before we face another tough challenge. Kentucky and Fresno St won't roll over, but I think we are just too strong for those two teams.
Think you meant ugly wins. Again, if you go back and read Miles comments I think you'll see that Jackson is back there for his hands. He is fast, just not a quick, darting type runner with great balance ala Skyler. But it won't be real easy finding another Skyler. That's why we averaged 7.7 yards a return in 2004 when Skyler was playing injured.
Yeah, I meant wins... oops. Oh, and I thought that was why he was back there, but I have't read alot of Miles' press releases.
