Of course we have a bowl game to play. After that, we get to look forward to landing a top 5 recruiting class. We're losing some very valuable seniors next season, but here's the way I'm seeing next year. Please let me know what ya'll think: Our schedule is favorable in that we have our 4 toughest SEC games at home: Georgia, Florida, Auburn and Arkansas. Alabama is losing some very good seniors, and may lose their coach as well. Here's the starting seniors we're losing. I'm putting them in what I believe their value to the team is, relative to our position of strength and weakness: 1. Bradie James 2. Dominick Davis 3. Norman LeJeune 4. Ken Allen 5. Demetrious Hookfin 6. John Corbello 7. Rob Sale 8. Jerel Myers 9. Solomon Lee Offensively, I think we'll be: Better at QB: Marcus Randall has proved he can play in this league and lead this team effectively. We'll hopefully have Matt Mauck mended, and we'll also have redshirt freshman Lester Ricard, and either true freshmen Robert Lane or Matt Flynn (or both if Lane decides to play football instead of pro baseball). Better at RB: Labrandon Toefield will be back, Addai had a great first year, and LSU has more talent on the sidelines in Ryan Gilbert, and then Justin Vincent coming in. Shyrone Carey's back too, and if he can stay healthy (he's very small for a SEC player), perhaps he can be used on kickoff and punt return situations. Fullback is a position of need. Kevin Steltz played well this year in blocking situations, and so did Brandon Jurley yesterday. Better at WR & TE: Michael Clayton, Devery Henderson, Skyler Green, and perhaps a top flight freshman (LSU is recruiting about 5 top HS WR prospects nationally) return. Losing Jerel Myers and Reggie Robinson will be tough, but WR is a position LSU is strong at. Eric Edwards is back at TE, and he had one of his better games yesterday. Better at OL: The only loss is Rob Sale. His potential replacement, Rudy Niswanger, played a lot yesterday. LSU has depth at this position waiting in the wings. Garrett Wibel will be a stud someday. The OL should be excellent next year. Defensively I say we'll be: Better at DL: even with the loss of Ken Allen and Byron Dawson, LSU will have experienced and healthy lineman coming back in Marcus Spears, Chad Lavalais and Marquise Hill. Melvin Oliver, Torran Williams, Bryce Wyatt will be back. Kyle Williams will be all SEC someday. There's even more talent waiting in the wings. Brandon Washington, Doug Planchard, Nate Livings (depending on where he's used, OL or DL). The Same or Worse at LB: Losing Bradie James will be tough, but when we lost Trev Faulk, Lionel Turner stepped up and played well. Cameron Vaughn is all-SEC in the making, and he played great yesterday. There's Ryan Willis, Jason Ledoux, Jarvus Ryes too. There's an opportunity for a freshman to get playing time, like Alonzo Manuel (depending on if he's used at LB or DE) or Willie Demps. The Same at DB: Norman LeJeune is a big loss because he could tackle and had the size needed at safety. Maybe Jason Spadoni is that player. Adrian Mayes could be but he's had trouble understanding the defense. LSU has enough candidates to fill Hookfin's shoes at DB, but even Hook's tackling will be missed. Maybe there's a chance a redshirt freshman, or even the right true freshman, could win a job at either CB or Safety, like Jessie Daniels or Jonathan Zenon or Laron Landry (if LSU can land Landry. He's been a strong LSU lean, but after what happened yesterday, Landry would have to like his chances to start at LSU next year; he's the # 1 prospect in Louisiana according to 2 services I've seen, and one of the best HS players in the country. He's a must-commit for Saban) On special teams: Donnie Jones is back, and true freshman recruit Chris Jackson will replace Corbello - big shoes to fill. I think the talent we lost last year exceeded what we're losing this year, when we lost: Josh Reed, Rohan Davey, Trev Faulk, Jarvis Green, Dwayne Pierce, Jason Baggett, Robert Royal, Ryan Clark, Howard Green, and Kyle Kipps. And yet look how the team responded. 34 seconds away from Atlanta. Saban was able to mold a 8-4 team after losing some of the best players we've ever had in Reed, Davey and Faulk. I know I've left out names that will definitely contribute next year, but overall the Tigers have a ton of talent returning next year, and we will knock on Atlanta's door again for sure. GEAUX TIGERS
There is no way that the LBs will be as good as this year's bunch. Losing our 3 starters, including the best LB in the country, is impossible to replace. Maybe in a year or two they can be as good, but just not next year.
Agreed MikeD. The linebackers will be okay, but we have to expect a drop in performance at that position considering the void Bradie James will leave. Defensive line will be our strength next season. I look for Chad Lavalais and either Bryce Wyatt or Kyle Williams to fill in nicely at the tackles, and Hill and Spears will only get better. Secondary is a question mark to, but we have got some good young ones coming back, and Hunt and Gay can be leaders.
I'm excited about next season already. Our recruiting class looks great...on paper. We will have much more experience at QB...Randall and Mauck look and work pretty much the same out there, so that's a plus. We can build an offense for that type of QB. We should have a herd of hungry RBs behind Toefield. The OL can improve and the commits look good. I'd say LBs are my biggest worry. Bradie James is the heart and soul of the defense, but I think someone will step up...maybe not a LB. We'll just have to see. Come on September 2003!!!!
God I hate talking about next season...This season went by way too fast. Sucks not being able to see a game in TS for a year.
Well the problems at RB is who is going to play Alley Broussard of Acadiana HS is one of the Top RB in the Country. I dont know this for a fact but I was told he had 230 yards at halftime the other night. Justin Vincent from Barb one of the top RB in the Country last yr coming in January. James Johnson all I hear about this guy is he is the secret commit and he has all the tools to play on Sunday. Put all this Talent and a hopefully solid offensive Line and I could play QB at LSU and win. WOW imagine a Cotton Bowl win against Texas and then wait till next Year.
Saying that the LB's will be the same or worse is ridiculous, and a man in my position can't afford to be made to look ridiculous(godfather) There will be a vast drop off next year at LB, although I agree with everything else. Any one want to guess on where the tiger seniors will be drafted? I got James - late 1st, early 2nd Davis - late 3rd Corbello - 7th I'm not sure about Lejune, Allen, Sale, or Hookfin.
alley did have 230 yards at half and 4 tds. His problem right now is though he runs straight up. Hopefully saban will change this because in the sec you can't just run over people like in high school. I look for vincent to be used a lot in passing situations either out of the backfield or even in the slot because he has amazing hands and blazing speed. at wr hopefully brazil can get to playing better. i also would be suprised if carey were used a wide out some either. At lb's i don't think we will drop to much. Vaughen will be a superstar one day and (think) turner is back. A&M fired slocum today so that might help us in the houston area and in east-south texas. I hate a&m but i hate to see them fire him because he was a stand up guy. hopefully though it helps us. and when the hell are we going to put them back on the schedule?
