After I watched the spring game, it was clear to me that we did not have a passing game that would lead us to the SECCG. The QB position is too important in college football. So, I look back at a 10-2 season and ask "how did we do?". The wins over FL and Bama were huge. They kept this program heading in the right direction. The Ole Miss game was also a very nice win, as the offense stepped up. The loss to AU was not a bad loss. We had the ball in the 4th quarter in a tie game at AU. Who knew AU would pick up such a great QB in free agency? (Kind of like the Yankees!$!$!) Yes, the loss to Arky hurt. It cost us a BCS bowl. Giving up TD's of 50, 80, and 85 yards will cost you the game against any SEC team. So, as I look back, it was a good year. The team did better than most people expected. To me 10-2 was a best case scenario. So, now I look ahead: Miles is 61-17 and he is and will continue to be our coach. You may as well like him or quit watching LSU and go pull for the Saints. (Personally I am sick of hearing these people whining, they sound like a bunch of Bama fans who think NC's are owed to them because of the past! How are the great coaches of TX, Fl, Bama and USC doing with all their talent?) We have lots of talent returning. Others in the SECW are losing most of their talent (AU and Arky). Recruiting continues to be great. We are a great QB away from being a championship team! The future for LSU football is bright, but the competition is the best in the nation. That sums it up. Thanks everyone for the great conversation this year. May God Bless you and your families this holiday season. Geaux Tigers!
Plus Florida's program is in shambles this morning. To think they'll be back to the level they've been previously, by next year, would be a reach imo so I'm going to give us the "W" in that one in my pre-season tally. Bama will be breaking in a new QB. Maybe Auburn too...Count 'em. :hihi: True but winning so many close ones gives us a much better bowl game had we not found ways to pull out "victory" so all things considered, it's been a great year for us. I think our defense will continue to be the best in the SEC.
Good points. I think it is extremely important to beat the teams you are "supposed to" beat. One reason that LSU football is so much better now then in the 80's and 90's is that we are a come from behind team. Only 2 losses, by a TD, to teams that will finish in the top ten is nothing to be embarassed about.
I was talking to my buddy last night and explained to him this... Their can only be one Champion.... I stated early in the year that we had a Championship defense... To think that we went 10-2, with one of the toughest schedules in the country, is to be commended. We were fooling ourselves if we thought we had Championship caliber play at the QB position. We were competitive in every game, and dished out more than our fair share of heart ache and pain throughout the country this year. You cant be ready to jump ship because your team lost two games, in the most competitive sport/ league there is (being NCAA Football). We will lose two seniors on offense..(Barksdale and Toliver) and two on defense (Sheppard and Nevis).. If we can get a decent QB, and a better O-coordinator next year will be something special... To all the negative Nancies... Please understand that we went 10-2, in the SEC, losing to two of the Best QB's in the country.... While on the flip side, our QB threw twice as many INT's as he did TD's... The mere fact that we pulled out a 10-2 season with Beavis and Butthead under center is something to be commended. You gotta be able to take what you dish out. And our Tigers sent millions of loyal opponents home in pain this year... The Arkansas game is what it is... Deal with the reality and move on.... The sky is not falling in Baton Rouge... Geaux Tigers... P.S. Zach Mettenberger...... I beg of you....
Just wanted to say... +1. I agree with you on these accounts. While it's always bitter sweet to lose the last game of the season, I'd say most level headed fans agree with you. 10-2 for the season and the body of work (not looking at a bone headed play versus a good one on a micro level) is above expectations, and what you look for is constant improvement. 10-2 is not only better than 9-3, with a pretty young team, but remember the schedule. Next season the schedule gets easier in our home line up vs road, and as has been said, you look for junior/senior leadership on those truly great teams. So, good job Les Miles, staff and players on a good season. I think it's fair now to hope that the stars align and the kids get a good bowl destination... it's all about kids that committed to play for the P&G, develop as men and players and get a good education. I hope to see improvement in the bowl game, a win, another 11 win season, and continued improvement by our young players. :geauxtige:geauxtige:geauxtige Now, let's all get fired up about basketball! :lol:
A couple of months ago the persistent threads were 1. Miles had rode Saban's recruits to a NC and everything since then was a slide to oblivion. The Larry Coker syndrome is the favorite label. We needed to fire Les now before it’s too late. 2. LSU would never compete with Bama and the Gaturds because Nick and Urbane would consistently out recruit and outcoach Miles. 3. Miles was a stubborn fool to stick with JJ when everyone knew the teams only hope was JL (full disclosure - I'm guilty of this one) 4. Miles was a stubborn fool to stick with the two QB system 5. All this talent is here because Nick made it so that everyone wants to play for LSU. Miles is grazing off of Nicks field. Now we know the answers to these posts 1. 10-2. LSU improved over the last 2 years; in record and as a team. Florida finished 7-5, the same record we had after our NC year. WOW, does that mean Miles is as stupid as Urbane? Meyer the Anointed looked very average as a coach this year. BAMA goes to 9-3, and what's a worse coaching loss; the brain fart at the end of last year’s Old Piss game, OR this year’s Gump melt down in the Iron Bowl, OR Utah 31 Bama 17 in the Sugar Bowl (Thanks BAMA, nobody has done more to empower the Non AQ argument)? 2. Miles Won at the Swamp, and in the victory over Bama Miles became somewhat of a cult hero with the grass thing. I actually heard several announcers say "Miles outcoached Saban". 3. I love Lee for his grit but JJ has more upside than Lee on the field because of his running ability. Without JJ we don't beat Bama or Old Piss. 4. Whatever growth, and granted it was meager and inconsistent, happened at QB happened after the two QB rotating system was implemented. I don't understand it, but it happened. 5. This one was always crazy (kindest word I can use) to me. Other than Bowe who did LSU ever pickup during the Saban era from the east coast states to match Kevin Sheppard, Patrick Peterson, Sam Montgomery, Ryan Baker, Kadre Boone, or Spencer Ware. This is Les Miles team top to bottom. Every player and every coach are his. While he gets the blame for the offensive woes, he gets credit for the defense and special team superlatives. He gets credit for a 10-2 record, but he deserves credit for more than that. He compares well in other important areas. Compare the off the field issues of LSU to Georgia, Florida, Mississippi, and so many more across the country. We don’t have to worry about vacating wins or having the program smacked down into the lower echelons by the NCAA like the South Cali Latexes. These are not small things. The future is bright; there was a lot of young talent on the field this year and the recruiting class already looks great. We will be in the mix for conference and BCS championships. Good Job TIGERS – it was another fun year.
Would agree with all but the quarterback take and we will never know. Given as much playing time as JJ, Lee could have been better. Given even more playing time, JJ could have been better. Only thing for sure is that we know how it has been... and I think most will agree it has not been good enough. hwr
Slightly disagree...I think Jefferson has reached his plateau. He will never "see" the field the way he should. Could Lee be better? He certainly looked good at times but beyond a casual redemption he was no better than Jefferson. I'm glad he got the chance to exorcise those 2008 demons but I don't see him as becoming a serviceable starter. I will say this for both guys that the possibility of someone coming along and "teaching" them the game may make them better exponentially. I think that is the underlying problem for both guys. Lack of quality teaching.
Well, I'll tell you what, SugarLSU, Tiger'nhornland, and KLuke, you have all made fantastic points about our team, where we have been, and our future potential. I concur with all of your posts. I am particularly glad for CLM that his efforts really paid off in our record this year b/c he is such a morally grounded man who runs a program the right way. People may disagree with calls here or there, question the clock management, etc, but one thing is for certain, the character of this team is reflective of their coach. They are gritty, and play with great effort, but have a certain class about them. Kudos to our team, but also to our coach for a great year!
