Not intent to be arguementative, just pointing it out some interesting facts that maybe, since time has passed, you didn't realize: '08 Charles Scott averaged more yards per carry (5.4) than Ridley (5.1) is currently. '08 Charles Scott had 18 rushing TD's. Ridley currently has 4. In '07, Hester had a TD run of 87 yards and had 1118 total yards and only lost 15 for a net of 1103 on 225 carries. Ridley has a better per carry average (5.1) than Hester (4.9), but Hester only lost 15 yards the ENTIRE season. Ridley has already lost 18 yards on 100 fewer carries than Hester.
I agree. I'm not trying to totally diss Scott ... but a thing that figures in, IMO, is that Scott didn't have to compete with a running QB half the time, and Lee was a hell of bigger pass threat than JJ, thus opening up more room for the run. I think we'd see Ridley's average go up if Lee was a full time QB, thus a) opening up the run because of the pass threat, and b), Ridley would get more opportunity. Just a thought.
Actually...a lot of people think this way, but it's not correct. On the season, Ridley gets substantially more ypc with JJ in than with Lee in. JJ is a threat to run the ball and gives something else for the LB's and DL to key on, stretching them out and forcing them to hesitate for a fraction of a second while they determine who ACTUALLY has the ball. When Lee is in, they tee up on Ridley while the defenses are trusting the DBs to take care of the receivers. That's partly why JL is having so much success through the air. Our receivers are just as dangerous at their positions as Ridley is at his, so they are getting open for him with straight up man coverage.
Well .. it's hard to say anyting about the season, because Lee as only been in for two games. But .. for the Florida Game: .. the stats. With Jefferson in .. Ridley carried the ball 14 times for 38 yards, 2.71/carry With Lee in .. Ridley carried the ball 14 times for 46 yards, 3.28/carry. We can't make a true comparison on the season, because that factors in a lot more carries from the first 4 games, and it factors in the strengths of the defenses of Vandy, NC, Miss State, and WVU. I haven't broke down the stats for the TN game, but basing the comparison on the Florida game, the stats support my position.
I don't buy this, brother. Lee gives LSU a legitimate passing threat. So the defenses have to play percentages based on down and distance, etc, and not take risk. When JJ is in, they can risk because they know he's not a passing threat. So they can ignore down and distance to an extent and go after him and the football. The only thing JJ buys the offense is another running threat. If he starts connecting reliably from the pocket, then that's a different story.
As of now with really only 2 games to take from where JJ and Lee have both played for extended periods, the above is correct. Saturday Night Slant - LSU Sports and Recruiting
Look .. I don't hide my biases .. I don't like running QBs. Yes .. a running QB splits the attention of the defense, but it is lateral. They can stack the box and shut down running attempts from either the RB or the QB. In contrast, a passing QB makes the linebackers have to worry about covering the pass. They have to hesitate deciding whether to go lateral or drop back into the middle zone to cover a TE, or cover a screen from an RB. This by default in my mind opens up the run. No consequence, the longest runs in the FL game were when Lee was in. Why is that .. because, IMO, the LBs have to be worried about the pass as opposed to just moving lateral to cover a run.
