Our standard for wins per year is what we establish. If fans are happy with 2-3 losses a year then that is the standard. Should we want to be an elite program, then our standard has to be 0-1 losses a year. Given the talent we have in Louisiana, and the ability to recruit in Texas and other talent rich states, then we should be an elite program. Can we compete at the elite level (0-1 losses per year) with Les Miles consistently? I doubt it. Is he an elite recruiter? No. Over the past 3 years he has let some of the best talent in the state slip away...mainly to Alabama. Is he an elite coach when it comes to game preparation? No. A 21-0 ass-whipping in the BCS is all I need to say. Is he an elite game coach? No. We just need to look at the losses he caused because of poor decision-making at the end of a half or game. Is he a good coach? Yes, but he certainly is not in the top 5. I hate to say it, but Les is another Bob Stoops. He was good for a while, but each year he slips a little more and he will level off at 9-3 or 10-2 in his best years and 8-4 most years. Losing 2-3 games a year at LSU is underachieving given our potential. It just takes the right coach to get the job done.
Ok, so he's not an elite recruiter? Name the coach who has not lost great recruits from their state recently. Is he the best recruiter, no. One other coach in the country is out recruiting every other coach. The next ten best recruiters are bunched tightly and Miles is one of them. Basing an opinion of coaching prowess on one game isn't a good idea, no matter who the coach is and on what level they are coaching. Every coach has gotten punked in big games in their careers, most multiple times. I agree that we have under achieved what I want us to achieve, however I guess I do believe we aren't going to lose 0-1 game every year no matter who the coach is and I also don't see any coaches out there that are going to bring us to that level playing in the sec. Can you?
Can you name a single school or coach in the history of college football who averages 1 loss a year? Elite schools are those that spend most of their time in the top-10 and go to a championship game every few years. LSU under Miles is one of them.
Just reading this thread. Usually, not that interested in these prediction ones. We just need to win our bowl game and your prediction 2 weeks ago will be wrong. TigerTap has been right on throughout this thread; very sound reasoning, observations and expectations.
I love to be wrong in predicting losses. I wasn't alone in being shocked by the a&m outcome and I was worried about being right while watching Arkansas - impressed with Jennings though I'm trying to withhold judgement as his body of work is still kinda small.
The problem is what you expect. The season is negative b/c you expected too much. If your expectations were more reasonable, then the season would not seem so negative, or if you approached it more rationally. We lost 9 players, most of which were only here for 2 years, which means those replacing them are even less experienced or less talented. There will be a drop off. You can't just "coach it up". Most people expected 3-4 losses this year. Ole Miss was the one "unexpected" even though many predicted it, b/c of how many players they had banged up. That one sucked, and CLM did not do a good enough job in that game. I personally thought we would lose to UGA then run the table, but clearly underestimated how poor our defense would be this year. That's was my personal expectation, but I am not suddenly pissed at CLM or Chavis for not meeting my expectations. I was simply wrong about that, and hopefully we will be much better next year. It's a game. Also, it tells recruits that they have a chance to come in and make an immediate impact, if they are as good as they think they are.
It is sad I have to explain this. Let me ask you, how high do you set your goals? Do you set easy attainable limits for your ability? Or do you push yourself? No need to answer it doesn't really matter, but I have these values for the things that I love. I want LSU to win every game. Obviously I know that is next to impossible.
