You do realize that Cam is good ol LEM's home boy from the way back right? They both have that Schembecler blood all in em and stuff. I wouldn't get too excited just yet. I know we have been through a gang of O coord over the last handful of years and ironically, the effing offense still looks the damn same so not a lot to lead me to believe this will be any different.
I hear what you are saying, and for the record, I like the hire. BUT... I know those two are tied from many moons ago and old habits die hard. Anyone who has watch LSU for the last 5 or 6 years knows it is groundhog day anytime we have the damn ball and it is time for it to change. Doesn't mean it will, just that it is time. I honestly don't know what he did with the ravens. I didn't watch much of them this year. As a rule I watch LSU football and whatever other games I have action on. This year that happened only once in the NFL and ironically I think it was actually the ravens. I think they were playing like their 4th game in 17 days or something like that and they were laying points on the road. I knew that dog didn't have any fleas and made me some easy money.
The hire was for a change. You should visit what Cam has been doing over the years, I have. See how he uses all backs, WR's and TE's in his offense. Look at what Ray Rice did last year.....Second in receptions only to the Saints Darren Sproles. http://pickingpros.com/nfl/running-back-receiving-leaders.php I've looked at what Cam has done with his offense, the number of players used. If just a fraction of this is used at LSU next year, this would be a major change. On Cams offense, a few things to look at, Ray Rice averaged around 70 catches per season. Cams scheme mixes zone-rushing and vertical passing game, everyone gets involved. Remember Joe Flacco isn't a running threat, kind of like Mett now. Two of the TE's hes had this year Dennis Pitta and Ed Dickson finished with a total of 82 receptions, at LSU we'd like to see a TE get 82 yds. in receptions for the season. His 2 TE's finished with almost 900 yds. this season. In his scheme both TE's are sent out like WR's, this gives a little more flexibility, it also makes a defense see them as receiving threats and creates a mismatch problems. In 2010, the Ravens drafted two TE's and moved them into the Cam scheme quickly. LSU's Dickson, Smith, Gordon and Stokes have to be thinking about this. More and more teams are using TE's for more than just blocking, look at the Saints with Graham. Talking with an NFL Draft guy the other day, he was saying how the so few touches by Chase Clement, didn't give Pro teams a good look at what he can do. The Draft guy, like you, also likes the hire by Les. I'm just ready for a Spring game at LSU. As for Former LSU players, Brett Bech signed another contract with the Dallas Cowboys, congrats to him...don't know if many know this..... http://www.dallascowboys.com/team/coaches/brett-bech/0c52580d-620e-4d18-a836-cc89fc8dc8ad
Teams with high ranked offenses all have one thing in common: they all face mediocre defenses for most of their seasons. <sarcasm>Lucky for us that the SEC is filled with those kinds of defenses!</sarcasm> If you tie your expectations or team valuations to offensive or defensive rankings, you're only setting yourself up for misery. But, hey, some people seem to be addicted to that kind of angst.
Saylookhere, are you saying Cameron uses two tight end sets? I think that is better than what we have been using. The defense just follows the fullback and meets the RB at the hole. Our tight ends, or tight end I should say, have had brick hands and can only block and the same goes for Copeland, although he did catch one notable pass during the past season that I remember. Someone earlier mentioned our "talented" (and I use that term sarcastically) receivers, but any one of them can be covered one on one by any corner in the SEC(and apparently the ACC), and if they do happen to get open they can't catch the ball (most notably BECKHAM!!!). The result is what we've seen the past couple of years, and the 13-0 regular season was mostly our defense and special teams, not the offense. Anyway, where was I? Tight ends. This is what I would like to see. Drop the fullback and go to the two tight end set. Step up the tight end recruiting. Try to recruit two tight ends every year, one that is mostly a blocker but can catch the ball and one that is mostly a receiver but can block too. Actually I think we did that this year, with Stokes as mostly a blocker but with pretty good hands and Smith as mostly a receiver but can block, hopefully. The TEs can be blockers or receivers and the defense never knows which until it's too late. Along with that two wide receivers that can take the cornerbacks deep and make the safeties help out. So, the result is what? A defense that can't cheat. They have to stand on both legs and not have momentum one way or the other, giving our blockers help. The safeties can't play up, or the receivers will burn them. The linebackers can't cheat up or the TEs will burn them over the middle and our offensive line's assignment won't be able to have a step on them before the ball is even snapped. So what do I think about Cameron. I don't really know, but I think Bo Schembechler may have now really moved to BR.
Those top ranked O's also are very pass happy. We'll never be like them putting the ball up 50 or so times a game. But we should be in the top 30 range I believe as our run game should improve with a more diverse offense. And of course improved QB play. 55-60% running plays and average about 250 on the ground and 225-250 in the air.
You are not going to see LSU stop using the fullback, you are going to see an offense built like both of the Super Bowl teams. Except of course without the running qb.
