ESPN's really preseason top 25 for next year. Auburn #4, Alabama #20 and the Tigers no where to be found. http://espn.go.com/ncf/s/2003/0107/1488663.html And this is about what we all expected going into year 4.....yeah right!!!
After a little thought, I guess i can't blame them. Tigers lost 4 of last 6......not much momentun going into '03. tubby better get ready the expecations are getting ready to go through the roof on the plains. notice.....no Florida or Nebraska.....probably 20 years since either one has not been in a preseason poll.
What else would you expect??? First of all, it does not matter at all. LSU finished very weakly in 2002, why would we expect a single thing as far as pre-season props go? At least this way, I won't spend so much time on message board living on all the pre-season hype LSU won't be getting, like I did this year. Just once, i would like LSU to be hyped big time in the pre-season and actually have them live up to the billing. As good as Auburn was against us, there is no way they will live up to the hype. And Bama, well, without Fran, they will be also-rans, but at the end of the year, they'll beat Bama, and LSU will go back to Atlanta because of it. I for one really like LSU's prospects for next year. I'd like it better if the media was mad about LSU, too - but LSU never, ever lives up to pre-season hype. I'll just enjoy next year when it gets here.
I sort of like that to be honest. I think LSU plays best as the underdog. So far LSU has had a tough go being the hunted (See this year), but in 2001 no one expected us to do anything, then when they won the west, they were 11 point dogs to UT. You know the rest of the story. They were dogs to Florida this year. But I can understand, we have a HUGE ? at QB.. And at LB and DB. I am positive Saban and the boys will have LSU back in the top 15 by years end next year if not top 10. I think Auburn is being a bit overhyped. But I am a bit bias. they do seem like they are the team now everyone will be putting on the pedestal.
Couldn't agree more. although, www.dandydon.com posted his projected depth chart for spring practice today. ignoring who he has as starters and looking at just who is available it doesn't look much different than this year......only 1 or 2 glaring holes (LB, RB). overcome that and Mauck and/or Randall figure out how to throw the ball consistently could turn out to be a pretty good year. My opinion on positions going into next year: QB - Better b/c of experience although i don't think MM or MR are the answer RB - Worse need someone to replace Toe and DD WR - Same to better OL - Same to better backups played plenty DL - Same backups played plenty LBs - Worse - huge problem DBs - Same ST - Worse only b/c of new kicker and returners coming in.
Hub you make some good points. Allow me to retort. QB - This I think is a much bigger factor. If Rumor is true Mauck may be done. Then we got some issues, I believe Randall (As everyone knows) is a big liability. I am sure he is a great kid with a great heart, but when he gets rattled he loses games. The Cotton Bowl and all the missed passes when the heat was turned up proved that to me (among Auburn, Alabama, Kentucky, etc etc). I would concede Saban pick who has the most upside from the new guys (Lane, Flynn, etc etc) and lets us fight through it with him. The reason is next year is not going to be a huge year for LSU we will win but not like 2001, 2004 and beyond is when our boys will shine, lets try to get a Freshman in there and get 3-4 solid QB years. Maybe Marcus will Suprise me, if he starts then I will trust Saban that he is the best we got. RB - I think we will be much better then people think. Double D will be missed, but Addia will be pretty good, and I think Saban will get some of the new guys in there. Lets face it LSU has 3 of the top 15 RB's in the nation coming in (If you count vincent) WR - Better assuming a QB can get them the ball Defense - I think we will miss Bradie's leadership. No question. I think Spears and Hill will be much better. LSU always finds a diamond in the LB crew. I believe Saban will find another. What worries me is Saftey. Hunt to me showed little but a ton of heart. Which is great but he always seem to be a few seconds late to everything. He made some playes, but when LSu lost James you saw a very noticable diffrence back there. Maybe with some training, and some time he will be great. I will trust Saban on that. He was sort of tossed to the dogs much like Randall was. Both of them jumped in right in the heart of the schedule. They never had a practice game. Everything else will be same or better Except ST - Double D will be missed, and so will Corbello.
This is ESPN. The AP poll may be different. We went to VT with a top ten ranking and got spanked and finished with 5 losses. Who gets ranked with 5 losses? Lets see how the polls are next October. I disagree that we will be worse next year. We have a lot of talent returning including many starters. Rumor is that Harrison is starting to come around at QB and nobody seems to remember him or Ricard or the other redshirts that will be contenders next year. Mauck isn't finished yet either, not until he says so. Nick has control of this team and seems to be piling on another top-5 recruting season. I feel damn good about the 2003 Tigers. Alabama will be feeling the effects of scholarship restrictions over the next few years. We will replace them in the top 20. Auburn will be tough next year, but they will not be unbeatable.
Better polls for LSU These polls have the Tigers ranked at 17 and 20. More realistic IMHO. http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/inside_game/stewart_mandel/news/2003/01/05/season_that_was/ http://www.nationalchamps.net/2003/preseason/index.htm
