I know if you win the bowl game everybody assumes national championship next year, but seriously, Nevis, Peterson, and Shepherd are gone. Offense wasn't that good last year. Jefferson looked good in the bowl game, but we've seen that before. We have no idea what ZM is going to be like. Have no idea who our offensive coordinator is going to be. We have a very tough schedule again next year, probably even tougher than this year. I know we have a bunch on young talent, but on defense especially, we have to replace REALLY good players. My question is, why are we more optimistic this year than we were last year at this time?? At this time last year, we had better and more proven players on defense.
I wouldn't be worried about the defense. The depth is out of control on defense, we won't miss Peterson or Nevis, maybe Sheppard a little because of what he brings in leadership and mentally. Offense was purged. We are loaded at running back, returning most of our offensive line, have a senior quarterback, and ZM waiting. Special Teams in my opinion is the area that is a big ?
Because of having played some 19+ freshman throughout the season, who all got significant playing time, and a good amount proved that they are All SEC caliber players. Plus we have 16 starters returning. Also, Zack M. and the fact that Crowton is gone. All point to the positives. We have just as good of a chance as anyone out there coming into next season. Add to that, our schedule plays in our favor, although brutal. We have some of our toughest SEC games at home, and we play a really tough schedule starting off with Oregon. If we go 11-1, win the SEC, we will be in the BCSNCG. If we make it to Championship game the fact that it is in NOLA and the fact that Miles doesn't lose OOC games, all adds up to us possibly winning the MNC in 2012. Pretty positive set up gives a pretty positive outlook.:geauxtige :LSU231: :geaux:
If ZM is that good, then maybe so, but IMO the only way it happens is with ZM as our QB. JJ has shown nothing that leads me to believe he can lead a team to a national championship.
Well, the speculation is that ZM will take over as QB, but even if he doesn't with a new OC one would think JJ could become improved.
:geaux: CLM has definitely proven he's tough in OOC games with a 28-1 record. But I've got a feeling that the game against WVU in Morgantown is going to be a tough one. I'll feel pretty good about the team if we can get by that test. Only bad thing is we'll have to put up with those scum bag WVU posters again! :rolleye33: :LSU231:
I don't know, JJ has shown me that he can be effective if he has a running game, and time to throw the ball. Jefferson would be all conference if he was a starter in the Big 12.
Biggest factor for me is CGC going to Maryland. He may have been the architect of the best offense in LSU history but he was also the architect of some very bad ones. And a lot of the problems we have seen over the past 3 years started when he got here in 2007, we were just able to overcome it that year.
Both WVU and Ore are going to be tough, which is one of the reasons we are looked at so favorably for next season. We make it through our normal SEC schedule and have wins against OOC opponents like that, a 1 loss SEC Champ is almost guaranteed to get to the MNC game. Yeh, they may have been pita's but at least they came by to support their team. We didn't have that many rival posters this season, so it was nice to see at least one team show up.
I don't know if I believe that Crowton was the problem. I don't know how much more JJ can improve. JJ had 5 TD passes this season. 5???? In the modern age, that seems almost impossibly bad. Bad offensive coordinators can get their QB's to throw for more that 5 TDs. High school QBs would be embarrassed by that number. ZM needs to be the QB.
