What was your pre-season expectation?

I see a lot of negativity around here and I totally understand it. I get it.

But the reality is -- we've been hit hard the last 2 years with early exits to the NFL and QB attrition.

I honestly expected 8-4 or 9-3. We play in the toughest division in the toughest conference in college football and had a game with Wisconsin on the schedule. Most of these other teams had improved from last year (in my opinion) and I didn't feel the same way about us.

Our QB didn't look very good in last year's bowl game, and he didn't look very good in the Spring. Neither did the Freshman.

Also, I figured we would be talented, experienced and deep on the OLine and in the secondary. The other positions were question marks for me, except for K Alexander.

So, in reality, we finished kinda where I expected. Yes the offense was ugly and it has been that way starting in 2009... all under CLM.

I, like you, would love to see an innovative, explosive offense, but Miles has won so many games with great defense, superb special teams, and a strong running game, that I cannot see him changing his approach.

 

You are correct. The offensive game and philosophy has changed significantly while Les continues to watch B&W film of Bo's 3 yards and a cloud of dust offense.

 

I knew we would be able to run the ball. I knew we would face a stacked box. I figured if we could throw the ball this team could be scary.

Turns out we couldn't

 

I thought 10-2 was a good possibility but more likely 9-3. Mississippi State was expected to be better but who knew they would be that good? Looking back, we could have won every game other than MSU and Auburn. If the Bama game hadn't ended the way it did the Tigers might have acted like they really wanted to be in Fayetteville the following week instead of just mailing it in.

The way the defense finally came alive and the progress of Leonard Founette I had hoped for more dominating lay but who knew that "The best offensive line I have ever coached" would lay such an egg. Still, the main problem that everybody knows is at quarterback. Sure, the young receivers dropped too many balls but just imagine if Mettenberger had still been here. Even without OBJ and Landry he would have lit it up and spread the ball out to our very talented WRs.

And yes, somehow I expected better coaching from the top down. Foolish of me to expect that even the dim flicker of an offensive light bulb would go off in the head of The Hat. Cameron gets a lot of heat too but I really wonder what the O would have looked like if Les had just told him way back in spring training, "Cam, its your offense. You run it any way you see fit. I'm out of it and will be totally hands off."

 

I was expecting 2-3 losses. I felt there was a possibility of 4 losses. Again, it is not the losses for me but HOW the losses came about. LSU not showing up to play in the first of the first few games was unaccpetable for me. The loss to Bama should have never happened. The loss to Miss St probably could and should have been avoided had Miles not been so damn hell bent on sticking with AJ. Then there is the issue of the bland, predictable, uber conservative O. I'm sick of the excuse of the QB play. True, LSU can not be as diverse as last year but you still have to throw the ball more than we do. Also, if you are going to run as much as LSU does at least use diversity and motion. The fact that Harris was never given but one opportunity to play, despite how bad the O has looked made no sense.

 

I was thinking at the beginning of the season it would be a 4 loss season. Due to the QB position being uncertain, and the fact that Miles can't seem to get it right. I didn't have any confidence in Jennings and knew that Harris was green. "When you have two QBs you have none."

I thought then, that losses would come against Alabama, Auburn, Florida, Miss St. In my mind, I new Moo U was overdue, and had been improving. And even told my dad and brother the Friday before the game they were.

Miles' offense, his stubborness, and the inability to evaluate and groom a QB will be the reason LSU will no longer be ranked in the top 10, and not be competing for championships. I'd bet a whole football season of membership to this site that LSU will not be a playoff team as long as Miles is coaching in Baton Rouge.

 

2-4 loses here as well. Just got excited when we came so close to doing better. Its like my prom date showed it to me, then sent me home without.

 

Record is what expected but I did expect to beat the gumps and the way we lost hurt.

 

I really had no expectation ..... but ended up disappointed anyway because of how we lost several close games, and the complete boring O aproach. Even my AR buddies who I watched the game with didn't think LSU "could be that bad"!

I've watched every game to the end ... until this year. But .. the game put me to sleep, ....

 

I thought every game on the schedule was winnable, but figured AU and Bama as possible losses. With any passing game what so ever we could have won them all. We didn't need an " innovative and explosive" offense, we just needed a mediocre passing game to go with the running game we had. I never dreamed our passing game would be so inept. Does that qualify me as a pumper?