The guy just cost us a shot at the national championship. That will be his legacy at LSU. How can you possibly defend him right now?
Pretty easily. LSU is still third in the nation in total defense. HE, did not cost us a shot at anything. If the offense had been able to do anything at all in the first half possesions when the defense was pitching three and outs, the game would have been won in regulation. You win as a team and you lose as a team.
He may be all that but from about mid season about half the big plays made by the opponent you will see number 44 in the picture not making the play.
I agree. No point in calling him out. If so, Doucet should have been called out for the several drops in the game, including the critical illegal formation penalty that costed us a TD that could have easily changed the outcome. The flat offense in the first half WAS significant. The team has got to take responsibility. It would seem logical to rethink McCray's assignment to utilise his strengths better.
I think McCray is just misused. He is a very good run stopper and blitzer. That is the role he should be used in. If we are in a man coverage scheme McCray shouldnt be covering a good WR one on one. Its not his strength. Bring in Jones or another CB. Again, it comes down to the schemes and adjusments by our coaching staff. Also, if we would get some pressure on the QB McCray would probably be doing a hell of a lot better.
The obvious question everyone is missing is why we are using safeties, McCray and Jones, in our nickel and dime package instead of CBs. Safeties are not as good in coverage as CBs, or at least they shouldn't be. Even Steltz would struggle in McCray's role in nickel or dime coverage. It's not what safeties do best. If McCray and Jones are better coverage guys than our backup CBs, we're in serious trouble at CB next year.
McCray is a safety & Pelini runs his scheme with the dime back that needs to be a CB. That's the problem. They are playing him out of position because we don't have a CB that would be better. The last few games teams have really been exposing this. I don't know how to fix it because McCray just doesn't have the physical traits to be a CB.
Fact is that everyone saw how poor a defensive coordinator Pelini was way back in the 05 UT game... and we can see it now... I pray that he goes to Nebraska...
