He’d be criticized either way. I wouldn’t base their entire mindset on that single decision. If they had a stronger line, more dependable RBs/RZ offense, and/or game was within reach, they likely would have made a different decision. Oversimplification, IMO, and meant to undercut and brand the coaches unfairly.
I don't have a problem with going for the FG at that point in the game, when you're trying to avoid a shutout.
Me either. They're in our head. Avoiding a home shutout(2nd straight) is important mentally and in recruiting. IMO...
Keep in mind also that LSU is deeply personal for Saban. He is motivated to dominate his former employer on every level so when this game rolls around, his focus on the opponent is extra intense. Saban left LSU for Miami for the money and tried to get LSU to top their offer. LSU refused to be squeezed and in hindsight the money he wanted would have been a bargain. Saban left when LSU refused to play ball with a new contract...now he wants to remind the school every year how badly they effed up by not agreeing to a better contract.
I agree with your first paragraph. Re your second paragraph, admittedly, I don't recall all of the details as it was so long ago now; however, it seems to me Saban was going to the NFL no matter what. NFL teams came after him almost every year during his LSU tenure, and in my opinion, it was only a matter of time before he would leave. The guy has a huge ego, and very likely thought he would be successful at the NFL level. Unfortunately for LSU and its fans, who would have thought he'd flame out after only two years in the NFL, and the Alabama job would open up at that time...
Saban would've left before he got us rolling like they are over there now. In no parallel universe would he be LSU's coach today. None...
I disagree. We were in good position that if we score the game was still in doubt. I play to win and going for the field goal to avoid shutout is playing to lose. I don't believe in moral victories play to win because anything else just doesn't measure up but others can disagree.
At that point in the game considering how we were unable to generate any offense there was not much doubt that we would lose. Still, there was enough time on the clock to give us a very small glimmer of hope if we had scored a TD. Note a lot of hope but stranger things have happened. A TD would have made it a 2 score game while the FG would have still left us 19 points down, a 3 score game. No matter what the distance we needed on a 4th down play we should have gone for it. Instead we went for the consolation prize of not being shut out and didn't even get that. Would anybody have felt any bettet if we had lost 29-3 instead of 29-0?
