I don't think lsu will lose this game but wvu isn't a cupcake. They will be in the top 25 by the end of the season. I know they aren't in the same class as lsu but this game is in their house and they will be hungry for the win. This is a trap game for us. Piss poor qb play at this game could hurt us bad. I would say that wvu = to vandy.
You unfairly malign his post, he never played the "On Paper the winner should be . . . "; which is required to put on a cliche clinic. But I do agree with your agree. :wave:
West Virginia is much better than Vanderbilt. In comparison to the SEC I would think they are closest to Kentucky as of last year. They would probably finish ahead of UK, but behind UF, SC, and UGA in a 7 team SEC East. Their QB play was, at times, worse than JJ's was for LSU. It could be a landslide victory for us if they don't fix their problems on offense, especially since Devine is gone.
The thing about the Mountaineers that everyone needs to keep in mind is that the offense we will be facing this coming season will be a much different offense than we faced last season. Couple that with losing PP, Nevis, Shep, etc and we should not assume that this will be an auto-win for the Tigers. Dana Holgorsen is the real deal. Look at what he did with Oklahoma State's offense. He will be West Virginia's head coach at the end of the season and probably will want to prove his worth to the WVU faithful by coming out of the gates swinging while he is "just OC".
WVU had a pretty bad offensive coordinator last year - too much cute finesse horizontal stuff (much like LSU did). Likely to be a much more dynamic playcalling this year with Holgerson running the show. Their big problem on offense will be the offensive line. It was bad last year, and this spring both starting OTs (who weren't that great last year anyway) are out for shoulder surgery. I think they have only 9 scholarship OL in camp for the installation of the new offense. Remember when LSU only had about 10 OL in camp - I think it was spring of 2009? Our OL was pretty bad in 2009. I expect the same from WVU in 2011. They do have a new OL coach so maybe that will work in their favor a bit. I do think their QB is pretty good (Geno Smith) but he's not a runner, so we'll have to see what Holgs does with him. IMO losing Noel Devine is a good thing for them - he was so tentative last year that he hurt them more often than he helped them. On D their coordinator is excellent, but they lose a lot. Lose 8 of their top 12 tacklers from last year. Probably won't be as good as last year but they'll be well coached. I expect our veteran OL to be able to make some hay in the run game though. The unknown is how HC Bill Stewart and HC-in-waiting Holgs (which was forced upon Stewart, much to his displeasure) will get along. The potential is there for some ugly dysfunction on the sideline and at practices, especially if the team doesn't start strong. Should be an LSU W but I do expect Holgs to make the offense more dangerous (although the OL will be a handicap); the defense will be well-coached but young.
I will put it like this now. If LSU plays anywhere near their potential on O and D, this game is over at half.... We all knew that though. WVU would be better judged after we see how we come out in the first game of the year.. That game will tell us a lot about LSU....
