Loolara Speaks Up

It’s been 3 days since LSU took down Florida in Death Valley so my emotions are back in check and sanity has returned. Leading up to the game, I like most Tiger fans couldn’t wait for the game to get here. During the game, I was not thrilled with the back and forth scoring by both teams. I was hoping for a big win. I never thought it would be easy but I did think we were the far superior team and that this year we would prove Vegas right as a 13.5 point favorite.

Well, LSU is now No. 2 in the AP poll and No. 3 in the coach’s poll and its deserving and merited.

The game was not exactly how I envisioned it going but LSU dominated, that’s right, dominated Florida. The final score was 42-28 but it was 2 defensive plays from 42-14.

Mullen and Trask shredded the LSU D for the entire 1st half and the opening possession of the 2nd half but after that, Aranda and the Tiger D neutralized the Fla offensive attack. By the way, the way Mullen is able to scheme against Aranda is unbelievable but predictable.

However, make no mistake, LSU’s Offense was nearly flawless in the game against the Gator Defense that is not only near the top of the SEC but also the nation. Florida did everything they could to try and slow down LSU but they had no answer.

If anyone had told me before the game that the LSU Offensive Line would be able to dominate the vaunted Florida Defensive Line, I would not have believed them but in fact they did. Burrow was pressured a few times in the game but each time that occurred, he not only escaped but gained positive yards using his legs. Burrow was again spectacular in this game. He had 3 incomplete passes all game. All of his other passes were precise and he continually hit receivers running free in the Gator Secondary. Burrow for Heisman is real. Burrow as a NFL prospect is also real. Burrow as SEC Offensive Player of the Week is almost a given.

Shockingly, LSU was able to shred long running plays against Florida several times. At times LSU created massive running lanes against Florida’s front 7 but it’s beyond time for me to publicly declare Clyde Edwards-Helaire as the unquestioned and obvious starting RB for this team. I have been waiting for the freshman running backs to eventually take over the backfield and while I do believe they will continue to get more involved as the season moves forward, No. 22 is perfect for this elite Offense. He may not be ideal in terms of height and his 40 time may not be elite but his vision is above-average. He runs with such balance and a low center of gravity. He leads the nation in yards after contact which is an important statistic. His quick feet allow him to get in and out of running lanes yet he is patient and allows the running holes to develop. He is by far the best pass blocking RB on this team and he also has the ability to catch from time to time. He does need to hold on to the ball better. On his 2nd rushing TD near the goal line, he danced from the left to the right in an amazing way then burst through to the goal line. However, when he got near the goal line, he nearly fumbled again. He fumbled at the goal line against Vandy in similar fashion. That just can’t happen moving forward.

By the way, I predict John Emery and Ty Davis-Price are going to have some big running games in the 2nd half of the season and there is a good chance that starts in Starkville this coming Saturday. Emery has already shown the ability to make one cut and shift into another gear. Ty Davis-Price runs downhill with power and when he hits the hole hard, the pile moves back.

Not sure how many more superlatives can be used to describe the QB play of Burrow and this Offense but they all are deserving. This Offense is nearly unstoppable and that will continue so long as a healthy Burrow is behind center.

The LSU D remains a work in progress. At times they flash talent, ability and cohesion. At other times, they play disjointed and often with poor technique or leverage. For years we have been accustomed to a LSU Defense that is among the best in the nation and an Offense that was the noose around the team’s neck. I don’t think the LSU Defense is a necessarily a problem this year but any hopes of them becoming more than slightly above-average is probably futile. Aranda continues to start games only rushing 4 down lineman and not dialing up QB pressures. Our team is best when they are aggressive and forcing the action. The health of the D line has something to do with Aranda’s reluctance to dial up blitzes but when he doesn’t, good QB’s are slicing and dicing our talented DB’s. I have to admit that I am disappointed in the play of Chaisson this season. I am starting to wonder if there is a curse to who wears No. 18. The good news is that with this year’s elite Offense, if the Tiger D can just keep other teams from scoring more than 24-28 points, I feel strongly that our Tigers can and will outscore all remaining opponent’s on this year’s schedule minus the team in Crimson. If they can force a few punts each half and get 1-2 turnovers each game, its basically game over for the opposition. Can you imagine playing for the other team or coaching the other team with that kind of pressure?

This next weekend, I will making my 4th trip to Starkvegas. I have never been to an away game at Miss St and not seen LSU win. In fact, for two of those road games, LSU won BIG and by the 4th Qtr, Purple and Gold had taken over the stadium similar to how Tiger Nation took over Commodore Stadium at Vandy several weeks ago. I suspect something similar will take place again on Sat so I guess I will only be wearing my ear plugs for about a quarter which is about how long those dang cowbells will be clanging.

Geaux Tigers!

In the days leading up to the game in Austin, it seemed like the majority of the talk focused more on what the temperature at kickoff would be and how the players would respond to the temperature on the field turf rather than the actual matchup of 2 top 10 teams. Ironically, things heated up on the field in pre-game warmups when both teams did there best to try and intimidate the other with a lot of trash talking.

Once the game started, both teams started playing tough, aggressive defense. LSU jumped out to a 3-0 lead when true freshman kicker York hit a 36-yard FG. Texas had LSU on their heels in the 1st Qtr but it failed to score even though they were inside the Red Zone twice. The first time, a Texas RB got wide open on a well-designed play where LSU was totally confused and busted the coverage but the pass was dropped so LSU escaped without giving up a single point. On the very next possession, Burrow threw his first interception of the season so Texas again had the ball in the Red Zone but again came up empty after a 4th and Goal run was stuffed by the LSU D.

Texas took a 7-3 lead in the 2nd Qtr then LSU started to finally click on Offense. Once the LSU O Line started to give Burrow some time and a clean pocket, it became obvious that the Texas secondary had little to no chance of stopping the LSU passing attack. Near the end of the 1st Half, Tom Herman called a timeout to try and get the ball back so that his Longhorns could score before half but LSU’s D rose up and turned the tables on Texas. How many times did we watch LSU under Miles mismanage the game clock at the end of a half or game situation? LSU stopped Texas when Chaisson got a sack. Let me say that Chaisson ran his mouth often before the game and he did little to nothing outside of that play the entire game. He was manhandled by the Texas O Line the majority of the night with one-on-one blocking. H was held a few times but I watched a game in which he was neutralized way too often. Less talking and more action from No. 18 would be more than appreciated! Any way, Coach O called a timeout after the Chaisson sack to get LSU the ball back with 1:13 left. Instead of being satisfied being up 13-7 going in to half, LSU’s new aggressive Offense turned it loose and 3 plays later, Burrow hit Jordan Jefferson for a beautiful 21-yard TD strike.

LSU had all the momentum in the game at half up 20-7. LSU received the 2nd half kickoff and had a 3rd and short when Clyde Edwards-Helaire dropped an easy swing pass that would have resulted in a 1st down. I thought if LSU could have put up points on the opening drive of the 2ND half that LSU could run away with the game. However, LSU was forced to punt and the game would soon totally change. Texas went on a 19 play drive which is something I don’t ever remember seeing. 19 PLAYS! The drive took 7 mins and 17 secs. The drive was methodical and exposed LSU’s Defense which could not get pressure on the Texas QB nor could they stop the run or the pass. It was becoming apparent that the LSU D was starting to wear out.

In the 2nd half, LSU and Texas turned what began as a SEC game into a Big 12 shootout game. Neither team could stop the other in the 2nd half. Texas put up 352 yards in the 2nd half alone! Texas scored on every possession they had the ball and as incredible as Burrow was for the night, Sam Ehlinger also played magnificent football. He carved up LSU with his feet and his arm. As frustrating as it was to watch the LSU D not be able to get off the field, I do believe that Ehlinger is the 2nd best QB that LSU will face all year so there is at least that.

I am troubled that Aranda seemed reluctant to call blitzes in the 2nd half. I don’t want to overreact but if you look back at the Texas A&M last year and this year’s Texas game, there is starting to be a script to attack LSU which results from the lack of pressure LSU is able to get on the opposing QB. It is imperative that LSU get back to being a more aggressive, attacking Defense. If the LSU D line can’t generate pressure, then Aranda needs to send blitzers. He needs to get back to the creative pressure concepts which gained him notoriety when he was the D Coordinator at Wisconsin and his first few years at LSU. LSU has too many athletes to not play an attacking style and the elite teams that are vying for the college football playoff this year have incredible Offensive weapons and stout Offensive lines so sitting back and waiting for them to make a mistake is a mistake.

Another troubling trend is that LSU’s talented DB’s continually get burned and take band angles or use poor coverage technique. In this game, Fulton was abused by Texas. While Fulton is likely a future NFL player, he is not LSU’s best Cornerback. That title goes to true Freshman Derek Stingley Jr. Stingley made several plays in this game in which he looked and played like a NFL CB. The way he is able to change direction and also track the ball in flight without grabbing at the receiver is as much because of his God-given ability than good coaching. Another true freshman CB Flott got beaten couple of times but he also shows tremendous promise. By comparison, Junior Safety Kary Vincent Jr was beaten numerous times and didn’t give a good tackling effort on a 4TH down play in the 4th Qtr when Texas scored. I believe LSU’s Defense isn’t as bad as it showed in the Texas game but there are some serious question marks especially on the D Line and DBU needs to start playing like it. Thankfully, LSU will not play another high powered Offense like Texas until it lines up against Bama but Dan Mullen and Florida has always been able to successfully attack an Aranda-led LSU Defensive Unit so improvement is needed.

Another reality is that LSU’s new fast paced and quick and high scoring Offense will have the LSU Defense on the field more often and with less breaks than in the past. The potential of the LSU D to have to play more snaps is a concern especially when injuries and cramping start.

Speaking of cramping, LSU players started to cramp up badly in the 2nd half. Longhorn fans and their head coach claimed that LSU players were faking injuries to try and slow down the Texas Offense. I will admit that after the 5th LSU player went down that the thought crossed my mind. However, it has been reported and confirmed that the visiting team’s locker room at Texas does not have AC or adequate ventilation. We are 3.5 months from 2020 and after Texas made $150 Million dollar upgrades to their stadium, they did not address the lack of AC and ventilation in the Visitor’s locker room. Call me crazy but that sounds intentional to me. Now don’t get me wrong, I don’t believe in making it perfect for the visitors but this kind of a situation is beyond belief. With all of the emphasis on player safety in football, how can the NCAA not address this situation. Oh wait, the NCAA is nothing more than a money grabbing circus run by a clown so why would I expect them to do anything significant that makes sense. LSU brought their own air movers to try and help remedy the locker room heat issue which is both smart by LSU and pitiful that they had to do that. Maybe LSU can try and convince the NCAA to make Texas upgrade the visitor’s locker room to be more like a high school locker room and less like the Guantanamo Bay Prison.

Back to Burrow and his Wide Receivers

Burrow and LSU put on a passing clinic in the 2nd half. LSU’s WR trio of Justin Jefferson, Ja’Marr Chase, and Terrence Marshall were unstoppable. At times, it was like watching pitch and catch in the backyard. No matter what the Texas D dialed up, Burrow connected with his Wide Outs. For the game, Burrow was 23-26 for 443 yards and 4 TD’s to his trio of receivers.

The 3rd and 17 play late in the game may turn out to be THE season-defining play. That TD sealed the win and we very well may look back on that play as the one that validated to the college football world that LSU is one of the top 4 teams this year and a worthy member of this year’s College Football Playoff.

While many in our country nowadays seem to be struggling with their Identity, LSU has found there’s and it is without question to be one of the best passing attacks in all of college football this season. I can’t believe I just typed that but it’s true. For those that somehow still doubt LSU has a new Offense, after 2 games it is clear and obvious. In my lifetime, I have only seen 2 LSU teams have truly above average passing attack, 2001 and 2013, and neither come close to what LSU is doing this season.

In 2001, Rohan Davey set the LSU single-season school passing record with 3,347 yards and 18 TD’s. Josh Reed was Davey’s favorite target that season when he set records for 94 catches in a season as well as a record 1,740 yards. Davey looked to Reed almost exclusively that season and while everyone knew it, the opposition couldn’t stop it.

In 2013, Zach Mettenberger became the 3rd LSU QB to pass for 3,000 yards in a season. That season, Jeremy Hill rushed for 1,423 yards and Jarvis Landry had 1,193 receiving yards while Odell Beckham Jr had 1.152 yards receiving.

Those 2 seasons were fun but this year has the makings of an even more spectacular passing attack.

Burrow has thrown for 749 yards in 2 games. He has 9 passing TD’s and only 1 Interception. Joe Burrow is a legitimate Heisman candidate this season. I repeat- LSU’s starting QB is in the Heisman conversation! Vegas has him at a 6-1 odds of winning it which puts him 4th on the Heisman watch list. I don’t think he will win it but how cool would it be for him to continue to be mentioned among the best passers in college football. By the way, he may not win the Heisman but he has already won the 2019 Swaggiest QB of the Year. The way he infuses energy into his team especially his O linemen, answers questions to reporters with the utmost confidence and smirks and at times let’s the opposing fans and teams know what’s up is the best. I am eating it up with 2 big ol’ spoons and I think most of Tiger Nation is too!

So after 2 games, LSU is the talk of not just the town but the country. The national media is showing major love to LSU. Like us, they are in shock and awe as to the transformation LSU has made. If you look at the way the schedule plays out, LSU shouldn’t be tested the next 3 Saturdays. I know it’s one game at a time but the reality is that Northwestern St. University, Vandy and Utah St pose no threat to LSU even if LSU’s D line is banged up. My hope is that we let our injured starters heal up and keep the foot on the petal on both sides of the ball. LSU needs to get better in the trenches on both sides of the ball. LSU desperately needs for the young running backs to gain the confidence of the coaching staff. Clyde Edwards-Helaire played a terrific game and can be counted on to not only know the plays and run hard and elusively but most importantly, he is trustworthy as it relates to pass protection. It was No. 22 who picked up the blitz on the 3rd and 17 play late in the game that gave Burrow a chance to make the throw. However, it makes little to no sense to continue to use Lanard Fournette other than in mop up duty because he who offers little to nothing in the running game. Ty Davis-Price and John Emery may be true freshmen but they are blue chip players who need to be incorporated into the game plan especially the next 3 games. Davis-Price is built to be able to handle big boy football and Emery has game-changing ability. Put the pigskin in their hand and let them run!

Cole Tracey who?

That was a joke but as awesome as Cole Tracey was last season, Cade York has shown not only accuracy but an extremely powerful leg. The ball explodes off his foot and has high trajectory. York’s 3 FG’s in the Texas game were all critically important. Hard to imagine there is a better freshman kicker in the country.

I’m not a betting man and of course injuries can derail any team but at this time, someone would be hard pressed to convince me that LSU has no worse than a 50/50 chance of making the College Football Playoff this season and that’s even if we lose to Bama.

It’s a great time to be a Tiger fan.

Geaux Tigers!

Well, well, well. For nearly 2 decades LSU fans have clamored for a modern-day offense. You know, the type of Offense where a running back is not asked to ram into 8-man boxes. The kind of offense that doesn’t use up all 40 seconds of the game clock just to hand the ball off tackle. After an entire offseason in which Coach O consistently told reporters and Tiger Nation that LSU would run a spread offense, theory became reality. LSU finally incorporated imaginative concepts where skilled athletes ran in space allowing Burrow to hit them in stride or in soft areas of Defensive zones. Burrow got the ball out of his hand quickly and LSU’s playmakers made plays.

The new look LSU Offense was on full display Sat night in Tiger Stadium. It was oozing with plays straight out of the New Orleans Saints playbook indicating that Coach Ogeron was being honest when he said that Passing Game Coordinator Joe Brady was brought in to modernize the Offensive Passing Attack. For once, the promise of running a Run Pass Option offense was true and fans could put to rest starting a game or a drive with the proverbial toss dive. In fact, LSU went empty backfield for the first handful of plays and it was glorious. The TE was used to stretch the middle of the field as well as the seams instead of consistently being used as another tackle eligible to add extra blocking support to the O line.

My first thought around middle of the 2nd Qtr was to not overreact since it was only Game 1 at home against Georgia Southern. However, there is no need to deny what not only my eyes saw but also what the statistics revealed. In other words, the results were impressive but not as impressive or as validating as the way in which the results were achieved. The mindset, the concept, the pace, the play calling and the execution of the game plan on Offense were spectacular. LSU was a fine-tuned, well-oiled Offensive machine on Saturday led by a Sr QB who did his best Drew Brees impersonation not just because he also wears the No 9 jersey but because he distributed the ball to open playmakers all over the field during in the 2.5 Qtrs he played.

In 2018 in 13 games, 14 different LSU players caught a pass. 14 players caught a pass on Sat night. In 2018 in 13 games, 4 LSU RB’s caught a pass. 5 RB’s caught a pass Sat night. When Burrow targeted non-WR’s on Sat, he was a mere 11 for 12 for 122 yards. Burrow finished the game 23 for 27 for 278 yards and 5 TD’s which ties the LSU single-game record. Burrow did it in one half. I am so glad Ogeron pulled him early in the 2nd half because there was no need to jeopardize injuring LSU’s Sr QB chasing after a record in Game 1 of a long season especially when there are much bigger goals to reach.

Had LSU not pulled Burrow and members of the 1st and 2nd team Offensive unit, they would have likely scored well into the 60’s. Again, proper perspective by the coaching staff allowed players to gain valuable game experience especially Myles Brennan. While the Offense didn’t hum along as smoothly as with Burrow, it had some impressive moments and didn’t totally stall like in years past when the backup QB and supporting cast rotated in.

The Offensive Line which is still the biggest question mark on this team performed more than adequately albeit against an undermanned and undersized opponent. Starting Left Tackle Charles sat out likely due to a suspension and was replaced by Traore and Rosenthale. Both played very well. The rest of the O line more than held their own. Funny how a well called game can make an average unit look better than average. If LSU can get consistent O Line play this season especially against the likes of Texas, Fla, and Bama, the thought of this team being a legitimate contender for a playoff spot is not farfetched. However, if this year’s O Line resembles the line of last year, we will again be relegated to “what if” as well as asking Ogeron and James Cregg LSU’s O Line coach as to “where’s the beef”.

The final score was 55-3 and while the majority of this article focused on the 55, let us not lose sight of the dominating performance by the Tiger Defense. LSU sat Michael Divinity another player who allegedly was suspended for Game 1. LSU inserted Damone Clark into the starting lineup and all he did was fly around the field and make plays. Ogeron had been raving about Clark this summer and again, he was forecasting what would come. Clark is both aggressive, fast and seems to put himself and more importantly, his teammates in the right position to make plays. I can’t imagine what Aranda will come up with once he has yet another linebacker with NFL measurables to add to his exotic play calls.

Other players who were dominated in the game were Tyler Shelvin, Jacob Phillips, Jacoby Stevens, Kristian Fulton, Delpit, and Chaisson. Shelvin is in much better shape and for a man his size, he has quick feet and was demanding double teams throughout the night yet he still made many tackles. He and the other D linemen did an awesome job not only maintaining gap integrity and lane assignments but they took on the Eagles O Linemen which allowed the LSU LB’s and DB’s to roam free to make tackles. Speaking of roaming free, there were a few times when Jacoby Stevens made incredible plays and if you didn’t know better, you would have thought he was our All-American Safety and not Delpit.

Delpit is a one-man wrecking ball and the closest player to the Honey Badger that LSU has had since Mathieu played for the Purple and Gold.

Fulton didn’t have to defend the pass too often against Georgia Southern’s triple option attack but he is without a doubt a No. 1 CB. If he stays healthy this season, he and Delpit will be the next LSU DB’s to hear their names called early in the NFL Draft and help further solidify the distinction that LSU owns which is to be the real DBU.

Chaisson is the edge, speed rusher this team has been missing for several years. Opposing teams have to account for him every down and there were back to back plays in this game that will make NFL GM’s drool over his potential. On a 3rd and long, Chaisson blitzed from his outside LB position and crushed the QB for a sack. The play was nullified by a delay of game penalty. The very next play Chaisson ran down a player and blasted him from the blind side causing a fumble which LSU recovered.

The LSU Defense held Georgia Southern to 3 points and less than 100 yards of Offense in this game. That is dominant folks!

As far as Special Teams, Derek Stingley was all he has been advertised to be. He nearly took his first collegiate punt return to the house and in that one play, he showed the nation why he is going to be one of the most feared punt returners in the country very soon. Stingley also looks the part as the next lockdown corner for LSU.

Last season, LSU found a gem in grad transfer kicker Cole Tracy. Tracy won the Auburn game last season and never looked back. The season could have been drastically different had his kick not gone through the uprights against Auburn. Well, Greg McMahon recruited Cade York as Tracy’s replacement, and the true freshman kicker was nails the entire night. The football jumps off his foot and he not only gets distance on his kicks but also height. The one knock on Tracy was he kicked a low ball due to not having NFL-type leg strength. York doesn’t have that problem and based on his 2 FG kicks, Ogeron will likely feel confident with him from 50-53 yards and I wouldn’t be shocked if he didn’t attempt and made a FG from 55 yards plus this season. Speaking of strong legs, Avery Atkins crushed the ball into the end zone on kickoffs. I would be very surprised and disappointed if teams get to return many kickoffs against LSU this season.

The one problem that still exists and baffles me is LSU’s continued reluctance to put a kick returner back that is able to take it back all the way. Clyde Edwards-Helaire is obviously trusted by the coaching staff to not fumble but he is not a prototypical kick returner. He doesn’t possess top line speed as compared to at least 10 other players LSU has on the roster. Edwards-Helaire fair caught the opening kickoff when he had at least 7 yards between he and the opponents so the idea of playing it close to the vest on kick returns does not align with Ogeron’s aggressive style in most other areas of his gameplan. LSU needs to take advantage of their skilled DB’s and WR’s and coach them to be able to not only catch the kickoff’s but also secure the ball as they return the kick.

With that said, LSU looked every bit the part of a top 7 team. They played 10 true freshman this game and were down at least 2 significant starters. They looked down-right dominant in Game 1. Texas will be a worthy opponent on Sat in Austin. The heat will be around 95 at kickoff. The crowd in Austin will be buzzing. Hopefully, LSU maintains its composure and aggressive play calling. Hopefully, the team limits penalties and turnovers as they did this past game. They say you improve the most from Game 1 to Game 2. If that happens this coming game with College GameDay there and the nation watching, I believe LSU will leave Austin with a victory as big as the state of Texas.

I also believe that the Longhorns will be left wondering after the game if they should have outbid LSU for Tom Herman. After all, aren’t you supposed to get what you pay for?

Geaux Tigers!

LSU is now 3 for 3 against Bulldogs this season after beating The Mississippi State Bulldogs 19-3 at home in a sloppy, SEC slugfest played mostly in the rain.  With the victory, LSU improves to an improbable 7-1 record and  will be at no lower than No. 4 in the country when the polls are released after the embarrassing loss by Ohio State tonight.  Not sure what gives me greater joy: LSU beating Miss St or knowing that Buckeye Nation is out of the College Football Playoff picture before Halloween after they sold their soul to the devil during the Urban Meyer investigation sham.

LSU’s Defense and Special Teams were as sharp tonight as the Alternative Uniforms LSU unveiled this week.  Those helmets y’all!  However, the LSU Offense was held in check by the Bulldog’s dominating front seven.  To date, the Miss St front seven was the most dominating LSU had faced and yes that includes the stout Florida Gators defense.  For what it’s worth, I believe Florida has a better overall defense due to a strong front seven and an above-average defensive backfield but the Bulldog defensive line and LB crew were tremendous!

The game started off with a bang when Michael Divinity intercepted Nick Fitzgerald on State’s first offensive series nearly scoring on the 33 yard return. Nick Brossette punched in a-1 yard rushing TD to quickly put LSU up 7-0.

Fitzgerald led a 73-yard drive on State’s next possession but LSU forced Miss St to settle for a FG to get the game to 7-3.  That would be all the points the Tiger D would give up the rest of the ballgame.

Both teams played sloppy offensive football mainly because of bad QB play and less than imaginative play calling.

Burrow played by far his worst game of the season.  He was harassed early and often by the Bulldog defensive front.  He missed throws all night and when he did throw catchable balls, his receivers let him down with drops especially in the 1st half.  LSU tried to establish a running game in the 1st half but the Bulldog’s defensive front closed running lanes and had tacklers in the backfield.

LSU had an impressive drive to close the half that ended with a Cole Tracy FG to go up 10-3 at half.

LSU’s Offense did better in the 2nd half but played a conservative game settling for FG’s three times.  It was evident that all LSU needed to do in this game was to not give Miss St short fields by not turning the ball over, punting the ball well and playing good run defense.  LSU did all 3 throughout the night.

The Bulldog offensive plan was solely reliant on the running ability of  Nick Fitzgerald.  Fitzgerald is an impressive athlete who is able to run with power and elusiveness but I don’t remember watching a SEC QB in Tiger Stadium pass the ball so poorly.  At one point in the 3rd Qtr, he had completed 4 passes to his team for less than 20 yards while throwing 2 interceptions to LSU.  Fitzgerald ended the night 8 for 24 with 4 interceptions.  He was almost incapable of successfully throwing a simple forward pass.  Ironically, this the same QB that last year under Dan Mullen, the QB Whisperer, toyed with LSU with his feet and arm.  Coaching makes a difference-  always has, always will.

LSU seems to have found a good one in Ogeron. LSU and Ogeron are to be commended for this incredible 8-game stretch having faced and beaten 3 Top 10 teams and tonight’s win against No. 22 Miss St who was coming off a Bye week when LSU was coming off a hugely emotional and physical game against UGA was very business-like.  They won comfortably when they clearly did not play their best.  LSU is a team that has come together.  Oregon got LSU Burrow.  He hired McMahon who found Cole Tracy who is in legitimate contention for All-American place kicking honors.  To navigate through the schedule LSU was dealt this season with only 1 loss to date is beyond surprising and impressive.  Coach Ogeron deserves all the accolades and recognition that he is getting.  He’s earned the right to be considered for Coaching of the Year honors.  All of the goals that LSU had before the game against Miami are there for the taking.  All you have to do is be like David and slay Goliath.

Was it Targeting?

I have watched the replay of the Devin White hit 8 times and while I vehemently disagreed with the call after watching the replay 7 times, on the 8th viewing I saw footage from one angle that does appear to show White hit Fitzgerald under his face mask.  Do I think the call should have been made. Nope.  Do I believe that White launched and intended to hurt a defenseless player?  Nope

Up to that point in the game, the game had been officiated well.  Any game in which the referees do not become part of the main story line is a well officiated game.  Even though I now believe the call may have been right, I do not understand how the head referee can review such an important call in all of about 20 seconds.   That kind of a review system is laughable.  To know that the 3 SEC replay referees are located in BIRMINGHAM where the SEC league office is located is wrong for obvious reasons. I am not an expert in geography but from what I know, Birmingham is in the state of Alabama not terribly far from T-Town the home of the Alabama Crimson Turds, I mean, Tide. While referee is not a 4-letter word, Bama sure is!

Am I insinuating that Bama and Saban had anything to do with the call on the field?  Of course not.  Do I believe that there is an obvious SEC bias for all things Bama in football? You better believe it!

Is there a pattern of inconsistencies in how and when penalties are called for or against Bama vs how they are called and when they are called for all other SEC league members. NO DOUBT!

Not having Devin White for the 1st half of the Bama game in 2 weeks is the difference in being able to keep the game somewhat respectable to potentially getting your head beat in by Bama and being down 4 TD’s by the time No. 40 can hit the field.

Vegas already has LSU as a 16-point underdog for the top 5 matchup in 2 weeks.  The glass half-full crowd will quickly point out that Bama has been favored by close to 30 points a game this season so that’s good news for LSU.

Those who are not blinded by their love for LSU should note that Bama will be favored by 16 points AT top 5 LSU playing at home under the lights and the professional handicappers are saying Bama will win by 16 points. Mind Blown!

Time for the team to get some rest and heal up.  Time for the coaches to hit the recruiting trail and land some player commitments in areas of need.  Time for the Offensive and Defensive Coordinators to work up a game plan that gives LSU a chance to compete against what some are calling the best college football team ever.

Do I think LSU can compete with Bama? I do not but I also didn’t think LSU would get beyond 7 wins for the season.

Someday Bama will again lose to LSU in football.  I just hope I am alive to see it and wouldn’t it be nice if it was in 2 weeks!

Geaux Tigers!

 

 

 

 

LSU beat (up and on) No. 2 Georgia in Death Valley 36-16 in front of a nearly full capacity crowd in Tiger Stadium. This marked the 3rd time in Tiger Stadium history that LSU has beaten a Top 2 opponent.  The first time occurred in 1961 against Ole Miss so as much as my sons ridicule me for being old, that was 12 years before I was born.  The last time prior to today was in 1997 when LSU beat No. 1 Florida. I was in the LSU Student Section for that epic win.  Today was awesome as well!

One week after suffering their first loss of the season, LSU responded with a resounding and convincing win against the presumed best team in the SEC East.  LSU used a time-tested, winning formula for it’s 6th win (3rd against a Top 10 opponent this season): controlling both lines of scrimmage, unleashing a suffocating defense, elite special teams play, creating turnovers while not having any and feeding off the home crowd that was electric from pre-game until well after the game ended as thousands of fans, almost the entire LSU student section, rushed the field and celebrated with the team.

True to his word, Ogeron and his Tigers were the aggressors on offense and defense and took the fight to UGA all game.  Ogeron even took a page out the Mad Hatter’s coaching binder by going 4 for 4 on 4th down which not only allowed LSU to control the ball and clock more but also gave a clear message to his squad: we play to win instead of playing not to lose.

LSU’s much maligned offensive line established itself early in the 1st Qtr and LSU never looked back.  Clyde Edwards-Hilaire had a coming out party and led the LSU offensive unit with 145 yards on 19 carries.  He continued running the ball hard and elusively.  The Offensive line created spaces for LSU back and Brossette added 64 tough yards on 16 carries.  Burrow even jumped in on the rushing attack and had 66 yards rushing on 13 attempts including a 59-yard run on a QB read option when LSU was trying to run clock to end the game. That long run resulted in a rushing TD by Brossette late in the 4th Qtr.

Burrow completed 15 of 30 for 200 yards passing.  He also added 2 rushing TD’s at the goal line.   While this wasn’t Burrow’s best game in terms of statistics, he did more than just manage the game.  He missed a few throws, one early in the game that would have been a long TD, but overall he and the offensive skill position players executed well against a talented and deep UGA defense.  Amazing what LSU can now do on Offense since it has a SEC starting level QB who know how to make plays with his arm, legs and most importantly with his head.

The biggest improvement from last week to this week was that of the defense.  For the 11th straight game, LSU has not allowed a 1st Qtr TD! UGA’s rushing attack had LSU on its heels in the 1st Qtr when they amassed 69 rushing yards.  However, LSU made some adjustments and started controlling the line of scrimmage.  Unlike last week, LSU not only swarmed to the football but also made gang tackles.  Last week, LSU missed numerous tackles.  LSU didn’t whiff on many today and when they did, other LSU defenders were there to assist. For some inexplicable reason, Smart and UGA abandoned the run after the 1ST Qtr as they only produced 44 rushing yards the last 3 Qtrs combined.  Talk about breathing a sigh of relief!

LSU consistently harassed and pressured Jake Fromm and held him to only 16 of 34 for 209 yards with a garbage time passing TD and 2 interceptions.  Fromm missed a few open receivers on the night like Burrow did for LSU.  Kristian Fulton made a ESPN highlight reel interception in the 3rd Qtr.  Devin White was back to his usual self making tackles all over the field.  Delpit and Greedy Williams again had strong outings. Aranda did a great job of confusing Fromm and creating pressure from different angles and from different levels on the field.  Michael Divinity Jr played his best game as a  Tiger and Jacoby Stevens and Todd Harris had big sacks that ended drives and helped keep UGA off the scoreboard.  John Battle had a Int and made 8 tackles on the night and even Kary Vincent was making tackles throughout the game. LSU’s Defensive Line did a magnificent job all night as well.

LSU’s Special Teams was elite and again proved that one of the most significant additions to Ogeron’s coaching staff was that of Greg McMahon, the Special Teams Coach.  Cole Tracey was perfect in the game going 5 for 5 on FG’s and making all 3 extra points.  In my opinion, Tracey is well on his way to having the single greatest year for a FG kicker in the history of LSU.  LSU again didn’t get much in the return game which is troubling considering how many freak athletes are on the roster.  The player formally wearing No. 7 (Giles and his absurd No 12) was again the main punt returner and again he fair caught the ball but only a few times because The UGA punter kept shanking the ball out of bounds nullifying any chance for a fair catch or a return.  Avery Atkins boomed the ball through the end zone all night and late in the 4th Qtr with the game in hand, he purposely kicked the ball short to the front end of the UGA end zone.  The UGA returner took the ball out and was blasted during the return causing a fumble that LSU would recover.

LSU entered the game on Sat as a 7-point underdog so hats off to Coach Ogeron and the entire LSU coaching staff for this dominating win.  Not only did LSU physically whip UGA on Saturday but more importantly, LSU was the better coached and better prepared team.  The game was clean in terms of penalties and while UGA had 4, LSU only had 2 penalties all game.  This game and for the vast majority of the season, LSU has gotten play calls in quickly and well before the clock expire.  Today, LSU used a hurry up Offense to keep UGA from substituting and from getting properly aligned.  Kudos to Coach Ogeron and Coach Ensminger for being decisive and have their players ready.  The most egregious play call of the night was made by Kirby Smart when UGA called for a fake FG from the LSU 14-yard line with LSU only up 3-0.  Smart rolled the dice and came up snack eyes when LSU covered the fake FG and caused a fumble on the play that LSU would recover. For some unknown reason, Smart and UGA also decided to abandon the ground attack, you know, the one that Florida used a week earlier to beat LSU.  Smart’s decision to throw early and often in drives created unfavorable down and distance situations and Jake Fromm was not able to deliver.

So on a day when No.2 , No. 6, No. 7, and No. 8 all lost, LSU put on a dominant performance on CBS for all the world to see.  My hunch is that LSU will catapult back up the polls likely to No. 7 when they host the Bulldogs from Starkvegas next Saturday at 6 pm.  I trust this coaching staff to not be peaking ahead to Bama yet and I believe the team will be able to focus on the task at hand after this victory.  Take care of Miss St like we are supposed to do this season and you have a Nov 3rd date to host yet again the Game of the Century, aka the Bama game.

Areas that have to improve:

1. While LSU was 8 for 8 in the Red Zone, imagine how the score and game would have tilted to LSU sooner had they exchanged a few of those 3’s into 7’s.
2. 3rd Qtr Blues continue.  At least LSU made UGA eat up almost 6 minutes and forced them to settle for 3 coming out of halftime.  LSU has got to figure out how to win the 3rd Qtr battle.
3. Return Game (Broken Record)- find a dynamic player who can catch the ball and help change field position.
4. TOO MUCH RED!  Valerie and I got to campus around 10 am and as we walked on Skip Bertman Dr close to the Vet School, I though my eyes were playing tricks on me when I saw an incredible number of UGA Tents.  As we proceeded to walk around campus, UGA fans were everywhere.  More UGA tents were located in prime locations throughout campus.  Based on what I had scene on twitter and Facebook earlier in the week, I knew there would be many UGA fans at this game.  I had guessed 15K would be in attendance.  When I entered Tiger Stadium, I was shocked to see the flood of Red and Black sitting everywhere.  I bet there were over 25K UGA fans in Tiger Stadium today and probably closer to 30K!  4 UGA fans sat next to me and they were as polite and nice as any opposing team’s fans I have ever met and talked to.  Now the drunk frat UGA fan that sat directly behind me was another story.  Thankfully, Valerie was getting a coke at the concessions stands when I warned the punk to watch his mouth after I had heard one too many curse words.  He complied especially after he was nicely warned by a LSU Stadium Rep of a complaint by a fan for using vulgar language.  I didn’t report the guy but it was good to know I wasn’t the only one tired of his mouth.  Back to my point, Tiger Stadium was loud and full today.  Tiger fans were awesome from before kickoff until well after the game was over but for the life of me, how in the world do you sell so many tickets to the opposing team’s fans.  I get supply and demand. I get the idea of making money but can’t we at least help the home team by selling tickets to LSU fans who will show up and cheer on the Tigers!?!  Please, for the love of football and boudin balls, don’t sell your tickets to fans of the team in Red from Tuscaloosa.  Please!

Geaux Tigers!