Very well said. I too am very grateful for what Miles has done for LSU. I hope he rights the ship, I like him as a man. I just feel right now the swag is missing like you mentioned. He is too conservative. Most of all it appears LSU is going into the game defeated.
This what I've seen since that '11 NCG. I haven't wanted to voice it because Miles' critics are vocal enough without me piling on. But, fundamentally, something is wrong. For instance, all teams lose juniors to the draft, but holy hell, we've lost way too many. That has hurt us, certainly. And that's only one thing. We are absolutely too predictable on offense. Our defense gives up big plays way too often, even in wins allowing teams to score at will on us late in games, etc. We have some serious issues.
The ratings are out and so is LSU... Auburn is rated 2 - 2 in the two polls while MS is rated 3 - 6. Normally, LSU's 4 win / 2 loss record would have a team in the top 25 given the caliber of the two teams we have lost to (Stanford and Clemson with a 3/2 record made it in the current rankings). Like most of us, I can't help but to pull for the Tigers, but this last game really hurt --- Even worse than the NCG which the defense at least kept us in. I was not sold on Miles at first, but his record spoke louder than his blunders and I was won over by the reality of that record. Now, my doubts are back.
I really do like and appreciate Miles. I do not like piling on to him but I noticed a difference after '07, but as mentioned more so since '11. I appreciate you admiting that you notice it. I try to be reasonable in my criticism. I admit some it is reactionary and emotional. As I've said many times, I can accept losing. It is the fact that the team is showing no signs of preparation. LSU, under Saban and then Miles was always a team that you could visibly see improvement week to week and within players over time. That culture does not appear to be here anymore. I also can not accept the time management issues. I could see it once in a while but not nearly every game.
Sure it hurt. But give Auburn some credit. They exposed our youth, weak spots both on and off the field, and questionable strategy on both sides of the ball.
Auburn deserves a lot of credit. It's LSU's questionable strategy on both sides of the ball that hurts me so much...!!!
AU definitely punched us in the mouth, and I suppose I shouldn't have been surprised because MSU kicked us in the balls (literally and figuratively), too. I wasn't even really nervous about the game. I didn't harbor any expectations, but thought that we might shock some people and beat them. That seems really stupid now, but I didn't expect to become AU's prison bitch.
