This article has as much value as dingleberry on a goat's ass. I've seen nothing that makes me feel like LSU has a snowball's chance in hell to win 10 games much less compete for the SEC West.
The early, early Vegas line has LSU favorites in every game except Bama. Florida will be tough at the Swamp and Auburn is rated higher than I thought they would be but we get them in Death Valley. I can easily see 10 wins and 9 worst case scenario. Despite the losses of Adams, White, Riley and Neal I look for Aranda to put a very good defense on the field. Don't take the crappy offense in the spring game get you down. It will be better than in the past if only because Les Miles isn't here to fuck it Up. He'll, Spongebob Squarepants could coach a better offense than Elmer Fudd and Canada isn't being paid a million and a half to channel his inner Bo Schembechler.
I feel like depth will be the key issue for LSU this year. If they can remain healthy, 10 or 11 wins is doable. If not, especially with Guice, 8 will be a struggle.
Here's my issues. We have no passing game, still, no big surprise there. The offensive line doesn't give me warm fuzzies, in fact the only 2 things the offense has going for them are Guice and Chark. Defense I'm not too terribly worried about, the only issue I see is depth on the D line and no true 3-4 nose tackle.
Well, I guess we have to wait and see yet again. I know most of us are numb to the old faithful "Our passing game is getting better" routine from Les. Who knows. Truly a box of chocolates this year right?
There are a few lines I've not seen published, one of those being every game for LSU this season. I've seen "expected to be favored in every game except one" on more than one occasion. I don't know if LSU will be favored going into Gainesville. A win over Michigan to start the season will give them a better resume. I'm thinking that all comes down to how much people are believing in Florida.
I'm not going to say we have no passing game until I see what happens in a real game. I'm not expecting the air to be full of footballs 40-50 times a game but I think that under Canada's tutelage Etling can become an adequate game manager with a decent completion percentage on 30-35 passes a game. O line should be OK but not great. I've never been impressed by KJ Malone and the left tackle spot is where you need a beast. Still they should be able tobasing my predictions open holes long enough for the super talented Guice to find running room. Other than Chark the new crop of young receivers has been touted as very talented and hopefully at least one or more should step up and make the defense pay for double teaming Chark. I'm basing my predictions not on LSU being a great team but a team that is at least superior to the opponent in most of the games. Other than the gumps only Florida and Auburn are close to LSU in talent and experience. Moo U has fallen back to their traditional also ran status. Ole Miss won't be nearly as good as they have been the last few years. Not only do they have to find a replacement for Kelly, they could be hard hit by the NCAA. We should handle R Kansas and aTm OK and Butch Jones has never put a Tennessee team together that lived up to the hype. Of course all predictions fly out the window if anything happens to Guice, Arden Key or even Danny Etling.
That's the thing though, the bar has been set so damn low that 150 a game with 2 TD's and 1 interception is Montanaesque to us.
