2000 Starters POS ## OFFENSE SE 3 Jerel Myers LT 60 Rodney Reed LG 73 Sale, Rob C 70 Louis Williams RG 78 Dwayne Pierce RT 74 Brad Smalling TE 86 Robert Royal FL 4 Reggie Robinson QB 14 Josh Booty FL 25 Josh Reed TB 22 L. Toefield POS ## DEFENSE LE 54 Kenderick Allen LT 91 M. Barnes RT 93 Chad Lavalais RE 59 Jarvis Green SLB 56 Jeremy Lawrence MLB 7 Treverance Faulk WLB 11 Bradie James LCB 1 Fred Booker RCB 9 Robert Davis SS 28 Lionel Thomas FS 2 Ryan Clark 2000 Team, Five Years Later: Offense - 3 NFL Backups: J. Reed (BUF), L. Toefield (JAX), R. Royal (WAS); 0 NFL Starters Defense - 3 NFL Backups: K. Allen (NYG), J. Green (NWE), T. Faulk (STL); 3 NFL Starters: C. Lavalais (ATL), B. James (DAL), R. Clark (WAS) 2005 Starters POS ## OFFENSE WR 5 Skyler Green WR 3 Craig Davis LT 76 Andrew Whitworth LG 68 Terrell McGill C 64 Rudy Niswanger RG 71 Nate Livings RT 75 Brian Johnson TE 89 Keith Zinger QB 4 JaMarcus Russell TB 10 Joseph Addai WR 81 Dwayne Bowe POS ## DEFENSE LE 90 Melvin Oliver DT 98 Claude Wroten DT 95 Kyle Williams RE 94 Chase Pittman LB 56 Kenneth Hollis LB 46 Cameron Vaughn LB 7 Ali Highsmith CB 8 Ronnie Prude SS 31 Jessie Daniels FS 30 LaRon Landry CB 21 Chevis Jackson 2005 Team, Five Years Later: Just looking at the starters, as we did for the 2000 team, I think we can safely assume that there will be more than three offensive players playing in the NFL in some capacity. If I had to predict I'd say in 2010 we'll have 4 NFL starters and 5 NFL backups off the 2005 LSU offense. On defense we have 6 guys from 2000 playing; I think five years from now the number will be 7 or 9 from the 2005 defense. Conclusion We have a lot more talent on offense now than in 2000; that should surprise no one. Our 2000 defense actually had some good talent, and I think our 2005 defense has a little more. Miles inherited more talent than Saban did, by a large margin on offense and by a smaller margin on defense. With this much talent he should be competing for an SEC Championship and a spot in the top 3 nationally, rather than going to the Peach Bowl as in 2000. And competing for the SEC Championship and top 3 nationally is exactly what we're doing. :geauxtige
And that shows what? Aside from absolutely nothing. If you're trying to say that Saban did better with less talent than it's totallly invalid unless Saban played the exact same competion that Miles did which, of course, is impossible. Are you trying to say that Miles 8-1 record means nothing since the talent was assembled by Saban? What did Saban do last year with, arguably, more talent? Basically what you're doing is being a complete a$$h0le in an effort to somehow denigrate Coach Miles because, although he wins, it's not done in a fashion so as to please all of the idiots who think they are LSU fans.
O.K. I didn't say Saban accomplished more with less talent. When people start praising Miles for having a better record his first year, they're not being objective. Saban improved a BAD team, Miles has a GREAT team in the position they're supposed to be in. As for last year, I'm not sure you could say he had more talent. Last year team had new starters at both WR positions, a new Qb, the anchor of the D-line was gone, and Jack Hunt, who was like the QB of that defense. Now these new guys have more experience, and Miles has them right where they need to be.
Can we please let this go? Yes Miles inherited lots of talent, perhaps even more than Saban inherited. But, you cannot just line up in the SEC and win on talent alone. It has to be coached. Miles is not perfect, but given what happened to the state a few months ago, I think it is remarkable that we only have 1 loss, and we are in control of the SEC west race (just like we were supposed to be). I think the person who desreves the most credit for this succes, and keeping the team from falling apart after the storms is Les Miles. Don't forget, if LSU handles its business and we get a little help, this coach that a lot of you hate will have our Tigers in the National Championship game. I think it is a little unrealistic to demand anything more. On another note, I think I may be the only person who does'nt care that we do not score 50 points a game. I just want wins.
I'm not sure, but I don't think anyone ever said that Saban had just as much talent as Miles. But some people like to pretend that Saban walked into a horrible program with all 0 star recruits & turned it into a winner. The truth is, Saban walked into a program ripe for greatness with some talent that was not being realized under Dinardo. He made that talent + some great recruits he got in into winners. But we didn't rule the SEC & weren't consistently chasing national championships under him as some here remember it. Miles can only do what his circumstances allow. He came into a program that has had success & expected more. We had a relatively young, but very talented team & wanted to compete for the SECCG & national title. So far, Miles has kept us in contention for the SECCG & has us ranked in the top 5 of the country. On top of that, he's assembled a da*n fine coaching staff & has a top 5 recruiting class! Now, people's perceptions about the talent he walked into is what's debatable. They had lots of recruiting stars & have lots of potential - no doubt. Had they yet produced (under Saban no less)? No. Our WRs were talented, but hadn't done anything impressive & yet people believed that we had the best WR corp in the country. Why? Because some internet article said it? Even though people said they were worried about the QB position before Miles came, eventually people started assuming that JaMarcus was some kind of All-American that Miles is "limiting". Newsflash - he's a redshirt sophmore who's having his first year as the true starter. I have no doubt that these guys will develop into fine players & go onto the NFL, and I have no doubt that Miles will be the man to get them there. Sincerely, -Mr. Prozac
Robert Royal started for the Skins this season but got injured. He didn't play for like 2 weeks but is back playing now.
I'm not real sure why everyone automatically thinks anyone giving Saban credit for being successful is worshiping him, and anyone not praisng Miles is bashing him. You cannot compare these two coaches. They are not the same. Expectations were different for these two guys, and talent levels were differnet. Let Miles coach a few years here before deciding if he is better or worse than Saban. (translation: I'm not worshipping Saban or slamming Miles)
Taking a quick peek at the individual stats from 2000, I see that some MAJOR contributers were left off of the list. Namely: Domanick Davis, Devery Henderson, Rohan Davey, Norman LeJeune, and Howard Green. All of these guys had/have pro careers. Also, is Donnie Jones still punting in the pros? Does it matter more if they are still playing in the NFL or does it matter more that they played some at all? That is an arbitrary choice and would skew the numbers. That is yet another reason why this is a pathetic waste of time and tell us nothing. Come back in 2012 and then we can compare...
If the over/under is 9 on NFL players in *2010* either starting or backing up from the starting roster this year, I would bet big on the under. NFL careers are short ones. No way we have 9 in 2010.
