Oregon loses: WR DJ Davis (#2 WR) WR Jeff Maehl (#1 WR) LT Bo Thran RT C.E. Kaiser C Jordan Holmes C Max Forer (backup) DE Kenny Rowe DT Brandon Bair DT Zac Clark LB Spencer Paysinger LB Casey Matthews CB Talmadge Jackson LSU loses: RB Richard Murphy RB Stevan Ridley (#1 RB) WR Terrence Toliver (#1 WR) LT Joe Barksdale DT Pep Levingston DT Drake Nevis LB Kelvin Sheperd CB Patrick Peterson S Jai Eugene I can't speak to how much Oregon rotates this players, but we all know that LSU does quite heavily and especially this year with so many freshmen. What was unusual about this year though was not only how well they performed, but that the playing time came not against the rent-a-wins, but versus Bama, Arkansas, Auburn, A&M, etc. and they performed well. Defensively, I am not so naive to think that we will not miss Kelvin Sheperd, Patrick Peterson, Drake Nevis, etc. but I sure do feel pretty damn good about their replacements stepping up to an acceptable level. Offensively, I think all of the replacements could actually be a step up.
I think this is the key game for us next year. If we can get by the Ducks I think that we will have a great chance to go undefeated. If we lose and Oregon and say Ohio State go undefeated it will be difficult for a one loss team, even one from the SEC, to jump them.:helmet:
I think I am worried about read option QB & RB hurting us in the first game. After all the time off will our defense be up to game speed or a step slow. This year with AU we played them after we had some games under our belt and they still made us look like we were wearing cement boots. Those kind of gapping runs scare me because they keep them in the game and eat clock. Not a good thing if it is close in scoring. I hope you guys are right about our d stepping up. I will have to see how I feel after the spring game. Our new O might light it up and give me cause to relax.:thumb:
It's going to be a tough game. But, I think our D will be up to the challenge. If we can establish a solid running game, I think we'll be alright. Keep their offense off the field. That's my main concern. It hard to score points if you are sitting on the sidelines.
We should have the advantage in the trenches. If our D-Line can disrupt their O-Line, they won't have time to "read option"...the linemen and backers will be in their facemasks. Yes, we will miss Nevis, but mark it down that another lineman will stand and be counted. This is LSU, after all. The same goes for the other side of the ball. Our experienced and talented (La'El Collins) O-Line should be able to open lanes for our backs and eat the clock. And if Darren Thomas had started in the place of Cam Newton, and a drunk monkey had called the offense instead of Crowton :hihi:, do you think Auburn would have still beaten us? The question for me will be in special teams. Who know WHAT we'll have to work with next season...
Controlling the game by the run is the key to the game. Keeping Oregon's O on the bench and beating down their D in first half will bring a V to Tiger Town.
My keys to the game: 1. Hit James every play, whether he has the ball or not. He's the guy that sets up everything else. If we can slow down his running, our secondary should be pretty effective against their passing. The key to this will be successfully replacing KS at MLB. 2. Don't get freaked out by their offensive tempo by believing we have to play just as fast. Both teams get the same number of possessions; what matters is how many points you get on them. I would love to see us grind out some 8 minute possessions on them, taking away the fatigue advantage they want to establish against our defense. 3. Make their defense play the entire field. Too often in the last four years defenses could successfully guess our plays based on packages and formations. Krags should change that. If we can get an effective running game and use it to play-action pass, we should be able to set up some mismatches on the edges to exploit with Randle. GEAUX TIGERS
But I think if we had played AU earlier in the year, we probably could have beaten them. Defenses are usually ahead of offenses in the beginning of the year, so that may play to our advantage. As far as our losses on D, I think there will be some drop off at the positions vacated by the big 3, but I think we will be better at every other position. Overall, I wouldn't be at all surprised for our defense to be better from top to bottom. Plus, it's another year in Chief's system.
I totally expect us to come out flat, fall behind, and just about the time the forum explodes with "I wish he would have gone to Michigan" and "I miss Crowton" threads, the team will wake up and kick some serious ass. Same as it ever was.
There are a lot of things at play, here. The biggest issue is, obviously, the LSU defense. Auburn gave the rest of the country the blueprint to slowing down that kind of system. You simply have to disrupt the backfield and force them to be one-dimensional. Fairely was invading the backfield so fast and so frequently that they never had time to do all of those read-options and misdirection plays. This also gave the linebackers time to get in position. Lamichael James was a complete non-factor in that game. Now, with Oregon's #1 receiver gone, we could really limit their explosiveness if we take away their running game. Another key on defense is technique. What I noticed Auburn and Oregon doing to the QB was taking him down low. The tendency is for the defenders to hit them high, which is understandable. But, with the elusiveness of a mobile and athletic QB, you can't get away with that. They'll head-fake you into next week. Both defenses were diving straight for the QB's feet, which is exactly what you need to do. You can't fake a defender out with your feet. Auburn had a huge advantage over us in that game because their defense goes up against that exact same offense in practice everyday. That is one element about the spread-option that makes it so tough to defend. Even if you have a scout team that learns that system inside and out, it's not the same as facing the type of elite athletes that you'll see come game time. This game scares me because the spread-option is Chavis' kryptonite. Now, there aren't many defenses that defend it particularly well, but he seems to have more trouble than most for some reason. He tends to take away the aggressiveness and tries to make the play come to the defense. That does not work and must change if we're to beat the Ducks. You may get burned a couple of times, but overall, it will work to your advantage. Being aggressive disrupts the timing of the plays, which is perhaps the most crucial component of the spread-option. My only hope is that Chavis has now seen the spread-option enough times to figure out what's going wrong. I hope he DVR'd the NCG. Should be a good game. I just hope the Chief unleashes our freakshow on defense. I can't stand to see them just sit there and wait for the play to come to them. Such an ineffective waste.
