2nd half offensive effort against Alabama was a fluke

4 TDs in 5 RZ possessions is pretty good. The yardage total is misleading due to turnovers and returns.

 

That is the only important stat people should worry about.

This game was nothing more than a extra long practice.....

 

Good point. Special teams play should never be discounted.

 

Been hitting the hard stuff?:hihi:

 

Errr... Miles has been pretty lucky. He's put himself in a position to capitalize on his luck (for the most part), but he's been pretty damn lucky. Off hand... Pitt beat W Virginia and UT had 13 men on the field.

The fourth down calls are a different matter - Miles gets much respect from me regarding his success on fourth down.

I'll even agree he is doing a good job with a lackluster offense, my problem is that he is ultimately responsible for this offense, especially considering we are in year three of no offense and no big changes were made at the end of last year. Like I said before, Jamarcus Russell had some big comebacks, but a lot of those were only possible because he put us in a hole to start with. Same with Miles.

 

Miles has proven that he doesn't need much of an offense to win big games, but we don't have to be happy with the poor offensive showing. I could probably understand if this was the first year, but this isn't even the second year of offensive distress. Miles had a chance to do something about it and didn't.

I can enjoy the season, but it isn't unreasonable to imagine how strong this team would be with a working offense. We could have beat Auburn and won most games going away. Within reasonable expectations we could be aiming for Atlanta. Now our best hope is Auburn getting busted for fig newton.

 

We all agree ....

.... that the O's performance is below our early expectations. TT, RR, RS looked like they'll play on Sundays. Ridley, Blue, Ford, Murphy, Ware all promising.

But now I must accept that my expectations are no longer realistic (for a mix of reasons that are proffered & so passionately attacked & defended, the life-blood of this forum). DoctorDave's cleverly provocative post (generating 4 days of discussion if I post after midnight) was right on the money. If I expect the O from the ALA game to show up vs. OleM or ARK, there is a high PROBABILITY that I'll be disappointed. If I expect the D to excel .... unlikely to be disappointed. (The AU game was a fluke for the D).

So, I can and do HOPE for a scintillating offence, and I can FEAR a D meltdown, and that's what'll make the game worth watching. Then I can come here afterwards for the theraputic or exhilarating comments from the TECHNICALLY informed posters; the ones who know all the coaches names & pedigrees, or who predict the LSU path to the NC, in which Nevada vs. Fresno Sate is characterized as "This one is HUGE"; truly informative.

Not being to resist commenting on the ULM game .... the idea that the D didn't leave enuf yardage for the O to post better stats is not credible. Absent big D plays, the score would have been 6-0 at HT, reflecting 0 for 8 on 3rd downs, and drives of 5 for 14, and 6 for 19 for the FGs. We got the same O that showed up for the McNeese game; we scored points & yards & 3rd downs in the 2H, when the out-manned opposition got tired.

Maybe the O will play "down to the level" of ARK; that would be close to O that played ALA.

 

It doesn't seem like Chavis adjusted properly, but Cam Newton is not an easily stopped opponent. He brings a lot to the table. A swift 250 pounder that can throw like Jamarcus Russell and burst past Patrick Peterson is tough.

I blame the offense for that loss more than the defense (I think with a good offense we could have won with the defensive effort put forth). Also, we held Auburn to one of their lowest point totals this season, and this with Auburn's offense playing lights out.

 

Chavis adjusted fine. The players did not execute his plan and were constantly out of position.

 

Err...every championship coach is lucky. Which coach was it that said, "I'd rather be lucky than good"?

However, those who dislike Miles attribute all of his success to luck and all of our struggles to Miles' weaknesses as a coach.

Those of us who support Miles would just like the man to get the credit for the things he does right. He's the second coming of Charlie Mac at LSU. Many praise Mac now that he's dead, but they sported "Help Mac Pack" bumper stickers back in the day.