Think they are the only school that does this? LSU has 29 players returning that recorded stats(tackles, etc) in games from last year. Last year we mixed in True Freshmen and Red-Shirt Freshmen into our defense, as much as any team I know. The three Ints. in the Cotton Bowl were from three different Freshmen. One would think the freshmen were played due to the loss of players for this year, not the case. We lost PP7 from the starting backfield and one other player that started one game (Eugene). We start playing many on special teams, I can't find the quote, but from an opposing coach one time, something like this was said: "Their kickoff coverage team looks like a team of world class sprinters." Last year for Oregon, you returned 9 starters on Offense and 8 on Defense. Lost of returning players, that helped in your run. Last year for LSU, we returned 6 on Offense and 4 on Defense, we still won 11 games. I will agree, its gonna be a great game to start the season. Read this stat this morning...LSU is guaranteed $3.5 million to play in the game while Oregon is guaranteed $1.75 million. Thats a lot of cash... :thumb:
Well, he's not exactly new, he's been here 4 years. The four offensive position coaches have been working with Kragthorpe all spring and summer. Kragthorpe did not change the LSU nomenclature for plays so that won't be an adjustment for players. Les Miles, the OL coach, and the TE coach are all former OC's and helped Kragthorpe install the offense so they know it well. And Kragthorpe isn't going anywhere, he'll be in the booth next to Studrawa and the offense will have his fingerprints all over it. The change was to reduce pressure and time for Kragthorpe, who will now not have to go to every press conference, be interviewed by reporters every day, and be criticized in the media. So, no, I don't think it will affect the team. I think it may complicate the Oregon DC's job. Studrawa's game tendencies are not as well know as Kragthorpe's.
In my opinion, Oregon lost to Auburn because of very bad play by our quarterback. Yes, he had great stats, but the position of QB for Oregon is special, it's not about how good he throws, its not about how good he runs, its about how good he DECIDES! Almost every play Oregon runs is undetermined till AFTER the snap. What the quarterback sees in the first split second after the snap, and then decides whether to hand off inside, run option style outside, or pass the ball. Daron Thomas made many many wrong decisions in the Auburn game, and the Ducks lost because of it. It would have been a blow out loss, except for how poorly Cam Newton played. (Missed wide open receivers multiple times.) The key to Duck offensive success is not how fast our players are, it's about taking what the defense gives. If our QB makes the right reads, we score a lot of points, no matter how talented the defensive players are. Fact is, LSU has significantly more talent on it's roster than Oregon. The Ducks have NEVER had a top 10 recruiting class, and only cracked the top 20 once in our history, and those players are true freshmen this year, so will likely not make much of an impact. The Ducks win because of superior coaching. Kelly has invented a whole new style of practicing, and his offensive genius for creating new ways to trick and fool defenses. If the Ducks ever get some top 10 recruiting classes, look out! That being said, I have no idea who will win this game. College teams change SO much every year, and this is the first game of the season. Both teams are likely elite teams, and that means it could go either way.
You oldduckfan, need to stick around... you seem to be a well grounded college fan. I've got a friend from Oregon, we've gone back and forth on Oregon vs. LSU since the beginning of the '07 season... you're a lot like he is, pretty grounded and keep it real.
This isn't right. Why do you think Defenses have linebackers moving, lines shifting, and safeties coming up, you can fake man coverage and drop into a zone or vice versa. You can send a guy up to the line looking like he is blitzing and send the entire other side of the defense in on a blitz. A quarterback tries to read the defense to determine where he is going with the ball. Ever watch Peyton Manning or Drew Brees?
