Something that was severely lacking last season is strongly needed this season. I cannot recall any captains appointed on both sides of the ball last season. This year the Tigers will be stronger and more focused but from the starting crews, who can we count on for leadership? Offense returns 6 starters from last season and the position for center is still up for grabs. Defense, not so much with 4 starters and Coleman changing position. Who looks to be leading candidates for a "C" on the jersey? :tigereye:
Not sure who the Captains will be, but I can tell you one thing- this team is LOADED with Seniors in all the key places: WR Brandon Lafell LT Ciron Black RG Lyle Hitt TE Richard Dickson RB Charles Scott RB K. Williams DE Rahim Alem DT- his name escapes me right now- it's his 6th year. LB J. Cutrera LB Perry Riley LB Harry Coleman S Danny McCray I think this team has 16 Seniors or so. Many of them saw significant action with the '07 NC team. Leadership will NOT be a problem this year. This year's team is going to battle. The guys are going to fight extra hard #1 because it's their last year and #2 because of last year's 8-5 disaster. :crystal::geaux::crystal::geaux::crystal:
I would say Dickson has to be an offensive Captain. He's Mr. Reliable, reminds me of Jacob Hester a lot. I would guess the other would be Ciron Black on offense because of his experience, 4 years as a starter and hasn't allowed a sack in forever. On the defensive side of the ball, I'm not quite as sure. My guesses are Coleman due to his tough nature and experience. From articles I've read it seems like the team looks up to his attitude. The only problem here is that he might not start at LB so it could be hard to be a captain if he doesn't start. My other guess for defensive captain would be Charles Alexander for his experience and playmaking ability.
Severely lacking? Hell, it was the leading reason for last year's abonimable aberration. I'm glad I'm not the only one who thinks of this and doesn't trot out the qb or defense (which were terribly reprehensible in their own right). You could see the fight leave this team or just plain not exist against Ole Miss and Arkansas. That said, I was really excited by the words Ciron Black, Brandon LaFell and Charles Scott shared when they announced their intention to return. These guys saw Dorsey and Hester and the like lead and what it meant to not that leadership the next year. I have a feeling we'll see a team with leadership, plenty of fight and some damned pride like in 2007.
I think about this bolded portion of text every time someone quivers over the likes of Ole Miss being "top ten" material and Arkansas going for the threepeat against us this year. By the time we met the Rebels last year, we were merely going through the motions. And they stomped us, naturally. At Arkansas, we seemed to have a little more life on offense, with Jefferson doing a decent, though not great, job. But it was like the first TD Scott scored that day. He and Lafell went to do that chest bump in the air deal, and neither got more than six inches off the ground. I turned to my dad and said, "Uh oh, did you see that? We aren't going to win today..." Since the Arkansas breakdown, we've beaten into submission a GT team that everyone figured would turn us into roadkill. We've changed defensive coaches. Key seniors declined the draft to come back, to prove that last year was an exception, not a rule. Any of the seniors listed earlier in this thread can, and probably will be, wonderful leaders this year. I was so happy to be in Baton Rouge while SEC Media Days were being held (to see real coverage locally.) Ciron Black and Cutrera couldn't have been more focused. Couple that with the reports of what great shape the guys look to be in, and we are in for a super-fun return to dominance this season.
The fight left that team right after the Florida debacle...no wait... right before the first quarter of the Florida game ended.
Offense- 1)Ciron Black 2)Charles Scott 3)Jojo Defense- 1)Chad Jones 2)Cutrera 3)Peterson Doesn't have to be seniors.
