WE will be UP for the Gumps when they enter Death Valley in November--but we had better have a serious honest-to-God vertical passing threat or McCarron is gonna captain an air show in order to have our D running rabid & getting winded--all the while, their running game will be there, churning out its thing, as it always does. How much better for us if Mett is given these early weeks to hone some surgical flight skills--we will need 'em, we will want 'em and having a passing attack may finally silence the clowns in the ESPN booth who were always crying that we didn't have 'the complete package.'
He'll be more experienced by November. I am not a fan, mind you, but how great would it be to max out our game--or would we rather debate 'what went wrong' after the fact? After the stomping the Gumps brought to Michigan, the pundits are already calling Bama 'the team to beat.' Heck, we've always known that--we live with it in the SEC West. With an aerial attack, WE are 'the team to beat.'
I agree Tap and have been saying this for quite a while. While I have had my issues with Les ( as everyone has), he still has the best record ever as a head coach here coaching the amount of games he has. Les is a great recruiter and a throwback coach from the 60's and 70's. Les was an OL, and knows that is where it all starts. You build a team from inside out. Without an OL it doesn't matter what talent you have in the backfield or at wideout. My generation remembers when an invitation to the Sugar Bowl was termed a great season while a trip to the Sun Bowl was considered successful. No Miles is not a skilled speaker (neither was Cholly Mac), but he knows how to win.
Not a lot said of our new OC from the great northwest. People rightfully speak about talent, but the passing game is getting a lot of good coaching. White, Bell, Norwood, Cooper and company denotes speed and precision the likes of which has not been seen since Saban's arrival. AJ is striding into his junior campaign with a focus and leadership needed to get our offense on the explosive side for a dramatic change. Coach Nuss has been great for AJ and our vertical passing game. His play calling never allowed the blue and maze to get remotely comfortable. After the 31 to 7 halftime score, it was back to the pound and ground. Against r-kansas, I look forward to breaking out our new toy again. I look forward to seeing 4 quarters of taking what the defense gives and a good chunk of what we want, just because. With our dominate O-line play, why do anything less? Anyone see our I-formation with Fowler at fullback? Where have I seen that before?
Good start for you guys but I think UM was over rated. I think Bama deserves the #1 ranking until they are knocked off. I've always felt that's how it should be. Pre-season polls are loaded with speculation and bias.
No ..I havent' been at the same position for 8 years. In fact, I've been a genuine CLM homer. ... until last night. I was giving the benefit of the doubt that the conserative passing of last year was because of the QBs .. but now .. I"m not so sure. But .. to your post .. yes McCarron completed 11 passes for 199 yards. Mett completed 19 passes for 192 yards. 11 vs 19 ... for the same yardage. Point is ... you don't get those big yards on Bubble Screens. And you don't loosen up a defense with them either. I think Lasalle has it right. Ever since the pick 6 fiasco .. I think CLM is scared to pass the ball. He's afraid to put the confidence in his QB that is needed to establish a solid .. note ..I didn't say stellar, just a solid pass game. McCarron is not stellar ..but he is solid. Great QBs throw ints .. it happens. At LSU .. it seems ints are off limits. If you throw an int .. you're toast. If you throw an int .. CLM won't have confidence in your abilities .. and will just run run run. I'm not trying to be downer .. I hold out hope that CLM will take a little risk in the passing game. Maybe next game. But last night ... I saw a better QB throwing the same shit plays as Lee and JJ last year. ... and they worked about as well as they did last year.
You may have to say that about the big ten in general. Michigan State barely survived a depleted Boise St. and I mean survive. Wisconsin looked somewhat less than special. Meyers should dominate with their T-bow like QB at Ohio State. No wonder he was willing to hitchhike to Columbus for that job. We're all looking for lesson's learned after week one. Here's one: Not being a Mayweather fan, I'm a firm believer it takes courage to be great and that pretty much leaves "money" out of the mix, so it was good to see him take a monetary butt-whipping on the Tide. That's the Crimson Tide -14 points, y'all.
TUSKtimes: I see, and I observe. That's the rationale behind my posts on this thread. LSU has enjoyed outstanding success--but I see Bama getting stronger--directly proportional to the "McCarron years"--which began last year and is getting great experience with each game)! LSU, then, cannot just firm up its running game in the face of a multidimensional, incoming Tide--I'm just saying that we need to harden up, expand the playbook--and take to the air -- or we will have our hands very, very full--the decided advantage of a "Saturday Night in Death Valley"notwithstanding. Modern warfare requires an Air Force, SEC football IS warfare, and I'll debate that with anyone.
Don't blame you. Each defensive team is more then capable of taking at least one thing from the other. Bama will be building walls to stop the rushing attack against running teams. LSU will get a feel for what we do best and scheme to stop it. The more multidimensional one becomes, the better prepared we are for the great team on the biggest stage.
