HOF LSU Coach Charlie McClendon: disappointment or not?

The one glaring thing this thread has pointed out to me is that you can't even compare the LSU fans expectation under CNS to CLM. When CNS got here and for much of his tenure our hopes and expectations were to just get back to a top 25 program. Under CLM our expectations are to compete for a MNC or be a top 5-10 team every year. An expectation level we have never had, and the reason everyone is so tough on CLM.

 

Red, I was there and saw Lyons play numerous times. He was short, semi-quick, and couldn't pass effectively downfield. He could run Coach Pevey's little down-the-line option play pretty well. It's always good to have a prepared backup QB ready to go, as we see this year, but he made Bert Jones a co-starter for Pete's sake! Mac just never got over losing Pat Screen, and Butch Duhe's tragic death a couple of years later didn't help. The saying goes, if you have two QBs, you don't have any. Not true in the Jones-Lyons case. Paul should have been carrying the clipboard and mopping up in big wins. But after all it was commonly believed that Lyons was McKiethen's nephew and Big John was almost as big a presence over LSU as was Huey Long. History Lesson for the young ones.

 

And Red, Cholly Mac didn't just have Lyons ready as a backup, giving him a couple of series a game. Paul Lyons and Bert Jones actually alternated possessions during every game. I would have been pissed too!ldskule:

 

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Bert was taught his skills by a QB by the name of Otto Graham. One of the problems Bert had was his receivers couldn't catch his passes. 5 TD passes were dropped in one game. He was also forced to play early in his soph. year due to the death of the first string QB. Forget his name. Mac ran a college O and Bert was suited for the Pro game. Remember the walking I? It was suppose to be the O of the future.

Mac was a good man and a good coach. He was also faithful to his staff. If he would have fired a few of them, he may have coached a few more years. He didn't understand the passing game and he said he learned something after playing Stanford when Walsh was coaching them, but didn't apply it. Around 1972, he wasn't able to keep the LA recruits to come to LSU. The "Help Mac Pack" started about that time and I think it really started the recruiting woes at LSU.

Yep, he did lose QBs as he had them roll to throw or run. Nelson Stokley and Pat Screen come to mind.

 

This whole thread is really sad. Cholly Mac in many ways is almost exactly like Les Miles. 2 guys from different places, one from Ohio, one from Arkansas, one went to Michigan, one to Kentucky, one Coached at Oklahoma State before coming to LSU, one at Vandy before coming to LSU. Both men, love (loved rest in peace) LSU, its tradition, its fans, this state. Are (were) either of them perfect? No, do (did) each of these men pour their heart and soul into LSU? Yes. Thats why you will never hear me call for the head of Les Miles. Which is what this thread is about. Its about calling out these non existent Tiger Fans who apparently want Miles gone, and throwing Cholly Mac's legacy and history under the bus in the process. I don't know when i joined here, but since, i have only seen 1 thread that says Miles needs to leave, and that person was roasted to hell and back by virtually every member here, even non LSU fans. Maybe you meant this poll for that other forum, i don't know, but the only time disappointment should be in the same sentence is disappointment that Cholly Mac isn't around anymore to cheer for HIS LSU Tigers. This fanbase, the majority is behind Coach Miles 100%, so don't go stepping on legends to prove a non existent point.

Oh by the way, just because i am critical of people affiliated with the LSU football does not mean i want them gone. I don't like the way my sister lives her personal life, doesn't mean i don't want her to be my sister.

 

For every game of the Stoval era my daid wore a t-shirt that had a drawing of Stoval driving a moving truck. The shirt read "U-Haul Stovall. BRING BACK MAC."

My dad was disgusted with the way Cholly Mac was sent off. He has never been more than lukewarm to LSU football since then, and he was a big fan.