The guy Flynn threw to on the botched fake FG was NOT his only option. In fact, I don't even think he WAS the option. David Jones was wide open five yards in front of any receivers. He was open, and he was the man Saban wanted Flynn to throw it to.
Atleast somebody else was watching the play. Apparenty FightinTiger went to get a hotdog during that play.
Poor coaching maybe from both sidelines. With 3 min. or so left TSU was on the LSU 7 with a 4th and 2. Had TSU gone for the 1st down and gotten it, they could really run the clock and still have a chip shot field goal but leaving very little time for the Tigers. If they failed the 4th down, they leave LSU on their own 7 and LSU has to try to pass. The Tigers had already done all they could to help TSU out. I would have let them try again. Bad night but I would rather be answering to LSU fans right now and not Gator fans if I were coaching college football.......
The proof was on the field...career highs in passing yardage (300+), and also a 65% completion percentage. Sure was crazy the way we dinked the ball down the field in the first half. We didn't punt a single time...If we didn't turn the ball over, we scored on every possession otherwise. When you turn the ball over on a short field, you are going to run the risk of giving up points. When you give it up inside the 10 twice, you're going to probably give up 7 points both times. We did. Again...running the old Green Bay Toss/Sweep isn't not being called because Randall can't execute it. The sprint out isn't not being called because Randall can't execute it. The rollout isn't not being called because Randall can't execute it. The bootleg isn't not being called because Randall can't execute it. The option sure as HELL isn't being not called because Randall can't execute it. Hell, we had MAUCK running rollouts and the option last year, and he was two-three steps slower than Randall was/is! There is something going on with Jimbo. He is calling absolutely horrible games. Overall, he is reminding me lately of the "Idiot Savant". The kid who is basically retarded in every walk of life, until you put them in front of a piano, when they act like a Mozart... He calls like he's in a fog or a drug induced stupor. Plays that even simple fans with rudimentary knowledge of football like my father & I can play. Predictability is the death knell to offensive success. Then, he suddenly smells the Florida Water and the smelling salts and comes back to earth and calls expertly thought out and well timed plays...We cannot afford inconsistency in our playcalling...Because we already are suffering from inconsistency along the line, at running back, and at quarterback... We have to use our speed with runs to the outside and to get to the corner...We have to run the option to put Marcus Randall into comfortable offensive situations where he is not only comfortable, but he can EXCEL...We have to run to the edge (we are allegedly a fast from a team speed standpoint)...We have to roll out the pocket and move the pocket since our offensive line can't protect... These are the first chinks in the armor that I've ever seen a member of the staff exhibit. Fisher has had his ridiculous games calling on offense...UAB and Arkansas in '00...Ole Miss in '01...UF in '03...and now OSU in '04....Auburn in '04....and Troy in '04.... The good news is that in my view, he has never called two bad games in a row...He usually comes back with virtuoso performances...But, this is cause for alarm. Our playcalling was totally inept, and we exhibited a total lack of even basic fundamental issues regarding blocking and offensive philosophy last night. YOU MUST RUN ROUTES VERTICALLY TO AT LEAST THREATEN A DEFENSE. EVEN SUNBELT TEAMS WILL COME TO RUN SUPPORT AND DISRESPECT YOUR WIDEOUTS AND YOUR PASSING GAMES UNLESS YOU AT LEAST THREATEN WITH A ROUTE TO THE DEEP PORTION OF THE FIELD.
And, in your world, that's really the only thing that matters, isn't it? Getting you excited. Do you armchair quarterbacks realize how ridiculous you sound trying to act like you have all the answers to what ails LSU? You're nothings, nobodies, insignificant peons in the scheme of LSU football. Just give your damn opinion and quit acting like the coaches are stupid while you, in your glory, have all the answers.
Randall is not as bad as you say. They don't have to refute that. Randall completed 65% of his passes...and whatever you say, you cannot deny that in the 1st half, this offense played beautifully, and save for turnovers (created by himself & Broussard), were playing absolutely brilliantly. We didn't run in the 1st half because we didn't have to. You'll find absolutely no complaints out of me in terms of offensive execution in the 1st half, save for poor protection. They didn't let the air out of the ball from the spread in the 2nd half because Randall wasn't executing...I don't know why they did it. That is my main point. They didn't protect-at all. They stopped running from anything other than the spread. No multiple formations at all. They lost the ability to give multiple looks. Saban has preached being multiple offense since his first press conference. You have talked about his lack of accuracy, but 65% of his passes were completed, and at least FOUR drops I can count where the ball was in the hands or breadbasket, and this kid hit 78.4% of his passes last night. 80% completion, and you claim this kid is inaccurate. You talk about him not being able to throw the deep ball, but what was the game winning pass? What kind of accuracy was that one thrown with? The term you'd want to use here, FT, is PERFECT. The kid played his @ss off, he just turned the ball over with two ill-advised passes and one that's on Davis back after it popped him right in the hands. It wasn't a rifle from Russell like the one Doucet had glance off against AU. It was a soft pass that he put his mitts on, and should have hauled in. It cost us, and that's not Marcus' fault. He threw two picks, and he threw the game winning touchdown pass. He was totally responsible for 24 points for us, and he threw the picks that cost us 10 points. They scored 20...7 of which was courtesy of Broussard, and 3 courtesy of their own initiative. Randall played well. The playcalling, offensive line production, and the turnovers were what kept this game close. I cannot possibly imagine that you'd claim a lack of accuracy when this kid was hitting at a 65% clip, and drops cost him 80% completion percentage... Bottom line, you are off base with your attacks on him. He is a good football player, but he cannot do it alone. Perhaps Rohan Davey might have. Perhaps JaMarcus Russell may be able to-one day. But Randall is not that caliber. He is good, but not great. He can lead this team to great things. Therein lies the difference between he & Russell. It's obvious to Saban that Randall works hard to correct his mistakes, and that Russell does not. Why else would Russell not see a sniff of PT? I have detailed elsewhere on what play Saban allowed Russell to make his own decision (The 2nd pick against UF, look elsewhere for my info), the one that I believe sealed his fate. Russell will not get another opportunity without dedicating himself in preparation, in team meetings, in workouts, and most importantly, in PRACTICE. He isn't Rohan Davey. He's better. But, he isn't going to get the keys turned over to him without paying the price. Randall will pay that price, and he is getting the opportunity, for that reason, and to show Russell what kind of effort is necessary to get the opportunity. Rethink your outlook on LSU football, because you are letting off-base opinions cloud your better judgement. For explanation, re-read this post.
