Going into the year, there were many question marks on this team... 1. Would Matt Mauck pick up where he left off before his injury? 2. Would Jack Hunt be able to step in to become the next Damien James, ie-The quarterback of the defense? 3. Would Marcus Spears and Marquise Hill finally become the dominant defensive line tandem that they were imagined to be upon their arrival on the Baton Rouge campus? 4. Would Joseph Addai and the ground game pick up where it left off in 2002 with Domanick Davis and Toefield bolting? 5. Would we suffer from the departure of "steady-eddy" John Corbello (for Heisman)? 6. Would we have the depth in the secondary to be able to overcome the top teams on our schedule? Can anyone not say that any of these questions weren't answered, but that the answers were so total and unequivocal in their nature that most started staring slack-jawed at the answers, and totally forgot about the questions that created them? This team is mesmerizing. This is a team that is dominant. This is a team that dominates for 60 minutes. This is the first team that has truly bought into the focus aspect of Nick Saban's system. This is also Nick Saban's fourth year as head coach. His first recruiting class is graduating. This means that a lion's share of the success of this team has to do with Saban recruits. Mauck to any of the wideouts. Mauck to any of the running backs. The running backs through any of the holes on the offensive line. The defense stuffing any run, pass, or play. All of those plays, combinations, or performances are due to Nick Saban recruits. We all know that he's doing nothing but bringing in better players as he goes along. Everyone also knows that his first year was a thin one, low on overall quality, from some people's analysis at the time. Which means that from here on out, the players, and the system, begin to get better. Is anyone else...I don't know...almost scared of the thought of a team that can be BETTER than this one?
I would say that the only real surprise is the emergence of the freshman running backs ... our running game hasbeen elevated to a new level. A level that no one, I think, predicted b4 the season began. I'll give credit to the O-line following the Fla. game as at least being partially responsible for this "pleasant" surprise.
Man...I have to say....After watching our defense regress with Hunt in the lineup after James flunked that last Mary Jane test last year, I was worried that we would again suffer this year. Most of these worries (which were very vocal) were on another site, so I can't reference them, but they were very much heard. I was also critical of Spears and Hill, and they all stepped up, as well as Landry at safety, to answer our questions... It's just how they answered them...It almost makes me forget the questions...
Hell, we were all predicting a 9-3 season and were excited about it! Nick and his team have exceeded all expectations. Next year, both of Nicks #1-ranked recruiting classes will be out of their redshirts and playing. Mauck, Clayton, Spears, Green, Webster, and Vincent return (hopefully). We only lose six starters and there is talented depth at all positions to step up. Only Lavalais will be irreplaceable. And the kickers won't be freshmen anymore. I've got a boner at the thought that this team could be better than last year! Of course, from here on out expectations will be high for Nick and his team, possibly unrealistic. We have to learn from Auburn and not turn on our team if they don't win the NC next year. We especially have to learn from Florida and not expect 10 wins a year, every year and an NC every three. If Nick can keep us a perennial top-10 team with a legitimate shot for a SEC championship, I'll be more than happy. Of course, LSU fired Charley Mac for achieving just that . . because he couldn't beat the Bear.
One thing is certain: if LSU wants to make another run at a title, they absolutely will have to go undefeated. The 2004 schedule is even worse, in my opinion, than this years; hell, we even get Vandy next season, so the conference sched. is softer, though those tough road game won't be a treat.
Everyone's got a big bullseye on our collective crotches... That offensive line for jawja is actually going to get good in the offseason. Their tailbacks will get better. If Greene comes back, so will he. The only question on their offense is at wideout. I don't know that they have answers on the edges. On defense, they will get better. They are the only question mark. Bama's going nowhere. They lose Shaud Williams, and a LOT of seniors this year. Auburn is going to bring in a new QB...And the turmoil, the loss of Caddy, Dansby, Crittenden, McNeil, Torbor, and Ronnie Brown is too much to survive. Arkansucks...They lose Bua and Andrews, Cobbs, and you know about 3 of them will be arrested between now and then, and at least half a dozen others will be in bootcamp and unable to attend spring ball to get better. Ole Miss-New QB, new wideouts, and a lot of lost seniors from this team. MSU-Do we even have to worry? In the East...South Carolina is gone...and Vandy returns! Yahoo! We also have to go TO Florida, which is no cupcake... I'm looking at 9-3 to be acceptable, but 10-2 or 11-1 not out of the question. Undefeated...Well, I think our quarterback situation needs to gel a little more before I answer that question definitively. Right now, it's more than a little liquid...
Yeah I agree with the quarterback situation causing some anguish for trying to predict an 11-1 or 12-0 season. If Mauck comes back, which I hope he does not......(pause).....since that would have meant we won the NC this year, then I would say no worse than 11-1 next year. The only loss being one of the 3 consecutive tough SEC road games LSU is forced to play next year. If Mauck leaves, I still think LSU will go 10-2. I just can't see this much telent losing 3 games. In the upcoming years, this team will be of the quality that the 2003 team possesses, just DEEPER. This team will have a backup at every position who is just as capable as the starter within a couple of years (and to a great extent, this upcoming year).
islstl...You really think that Matt Mauck wouldn't want to come back if he won a NC? I think that Clayton returns...and everyone else does, too... Songy said the other day that Webster has told him 3 times he's returning...why would he lie? I'm telling you, man...Unless the coaches don't woo him (which they might not be inclined to with the freshmen on the bench rearing to go) heavily, I think he returns...You come back with a guy like Russell or Flynn having 3 years at the controls... Russell and Flynn can't, or should I say they wouldn't want to, transfer after two years into the program (at least I don't think), and I think that guarantees us getting THREE FULL YEARS out of Russell...Coming in as a first year starter as a sophomore as a redshirt-he WOULD be able to go pro, but who would take a chance after the last few QB-heavy drafts and teams cutting all their third stringers, making the market at the next level QB heavy? I think that it's a good bet Mauck comes back...for the FUTURE to be brighter at QB for LSU... You could have Russell leave as RS sophomore (in a best case scenario). If he waits one more year, he has an Eli Manning type of road in front of him... Am I blowing smoke here?
