Full Disclosure:
For the record, I was neither for Miles nor against Miles during the last 3 seasons while at LSU. I have been critical at times and I have been equally complimentary. I have delayed my official critique of Miles until now because I thought that was the fair thing to do. He’s been here 3 years now. He’s fully entrenched at LSU and now is the appropriate time for him to be judged. He may not like being scrutinized so much by the media and the fans, but that’s why he makes the big bucks.
It is important to remember that coaching is a very tough job. It involves a lot of hard work 12 months a year. The responsibilities and pressure is more than most people can handle. I have broken down the coaching profession into many sub-categories that make up Miles’ job description. Like everyone, he excels at some aspects of his job and is not so good at others. No coach in the country is good at everything. They all have their faults. I will give a grade to each sub-category and then calculate his Coaching GPA. Let’s get to it.
Program Management:
As the head of the football program, Miles must manage the day-to-day operations of the entire football staff, much like the CEO of a corporation. The ‘Project Management’ sub-categories are:
Hiring Decisions: A+
If you want to be great, surround yourself with great people. Miles has done just that. Most notably, Miles hired 2 excellent coordinators to run his offensive and defensive units. In his first season, Gary Crowton established a very consistent and productive offense that averages nearly 40 points per game. Bo Pellini has kept LSU’s defense ranked in the top 5 the past 3 seasons. Both of these guys were hired by Miles. Good job!
Personal Character: A+
Don’t discredit this aspect of being a good coach. Miles is a quality man. He is an honest, reputable person who genuinely cares about other people, especially his players. He is a family man and a role model to his team. Miles’ character may not matter to some fans, but it matters to me.
Public Relations: C-
Sometimes, Miles lets his emotions take over in front of the microphone and he behaves like a fan, not a head coach. He often provides bulletin board material for his opponents which is unnecessary and counterproductive. His comments about the Pac-10 made him a national target for criticism. His rant about “F’ing Alabama” didn’t help his cause. I like his passion, but he needs to control himself when he’s in the public eye. Furthermore, Miles is not a very good public speaker. He uhhh fumbles over words uhhh and uhhhh sometimes uhhh doesn’t make much uhhhh sense when he uhhh talks.
Team Discipline: A-
Every program has a few bad apples. The way that the head coach handles these players defines his reputation as a disciplinarian or a win at all cost hypocrite. The key is to be consistent and fair. Miles has done a good job of both. The most high profile discipline problems have come from backup QB Ryan Perrilloux. But remember, Perrilloux’s troubles have been non-violent type offenses. That is why I believe he’s been given a second and third chance. He won’t get a fourth.
Player Development: B-
Coaching proper techniques and game strategies is the responsibility of the head coach and his staff. It is important that players learn the schemes, tactics, and rules of football. Without being at practice, it’s hard to grade out this category. Another part of developing a team is recognizing each player’s strengths and weaknesses and giving them the best opportunity at the appropriate position. Miles has made several successful position changes, especially on the offensive and defensive lines.
Gameday Coaching:
Strike up the band, its game day. Does Miles have what it takes to match wits with some of the most successful and revered coaches in the nation? The ‘Gameday Coaching’ sub-categories are:
Game Planning: B+
This starts Sunday night for the coaching staff. They review film of their next opponent and formulate a plan of attack. Their ability to identify weaknesses is crucial to being a good coach. Offensively, Miles (and Crowton) were very consistent throughout the season. Each game saw a very balanced attack of run and pass. Defensively, the game plans were a wild card. Will they be aggressive or will they take a more passive approach? Miles (and Pellini) were susceptible to some poor defensive performances, especially at the end of this season. But considering the past 3 seasons, the offensive and defensive game plans have been fairly good.
Game Management/ Clock Management: C-
Miles’ game management skills need a little improvement. He has shown an unwillingness to modify certain game plans and make necessary adjustments. He can be very stubborn. Although not uncommon, this is a bad trait for a football coach. Another bad trait is Miles’ ability, or lack there of, to keep up with the fast pace of the game. Miles has not shown the capability to think quickly under pressure. He sometimes looks confused on the sidelines and he’s done some goofy things at times. His clock management at the end of some games has been questionable. We all remember the winning touchdown at the end of the Auburn game with 1 second left.
Personnel Decisions: B-
Sometimes the best players don’t see the field nearly enough under Miles. The most glaring example of this is at the running back position. Jacob Hester is a strong back with a big heart, but he is not a feature back. I don’t think anyone can argue that Hester is a better all purpose running back then Keiland Williams or Charles Scott. These two guys give an added dimension when they are in the game that Hester does not. Miles tends to reward his seniors who have paid their dues. We saw the same situation last season with Justin Vincent. It’s a noble thing to do, but it could sometimes hurt the team. Give me Keiland and Scott on 1st and 2nd downs, and let Hester pick up the short yardage on 3rd downs.
Recruiting:
Having better talent than your opponent can make your job as a coach a lot easier. Miles has certainly benefited from inheriting a team loaded with super athletes. But, has Miles and Co. recruited players to sustain this program for the near future?? Some people say, rightly so, that LSU sells itself. The facilities, tradition, opportunities, and atmosphere surrounding LSU will bring in the best players each year. That may be true for the in-state recruits, but Miles must also recruit nationally against the likes of other big time football programs that offer similar opportunities. The ‘Recruiting’ sub-categories are:
Talent Evaluation: A+
Coaches spend much of the offseason traveling across the country to personally evaluate certain players. Not every player is up to LSU standards, and not every player wants to play for LSU. It’s Miles’ job to pick out 25 players each year that fit well into the LSU program. Miles has done a good job of identifying the best players in the state and across the country.
Recruiting Classes: A+
With two top 10 recruiting classes, and another on the way, LSU looks to be loaded with talent for the next few years. One national recruiting service that I follow closely, Rivals.com, has Miles’ recruiting classes ranked #7 and #4 respectively the last two seasons. While recruiting rankings are an inexact science, Miles is consistently near the top of the recruiting world.
Results:
Just win baby! It’s the only thing that matters to most sports fans. Right or wrong, the success of your team is most directly associated with your ability to win. Failing to meet fan expectations, no matter how unrealistic, will significantly hinder your future employment. The “Results” sub-categories are:
Record: A-
Miles has amassed a record of 33-6 over the last 3 seasons. That is an outstanding record (85% win percentage). Half of the losses have come in overtime and all of them have been against quality SEC teams.
Championships: B-
Winning a SEC or National Championship is not easy. Still, most fans believe that LSU was in great position to win, or at least play for, the SEC crown last season. Instead, LSU failed to win the west division. The year before, LSU was blown out by Georgia in the SEC Championship game. The SEC title has eluded Miles until this season. His grade would be F had he not beaten Tennessee. He still has the opportunity to hoist the crystal ball in a few weeks which would further improve his grade in this category dramatically.
Bowl Wins: A+
LSU handily won two very high profile bowl games in the Miles era. First, they destroyed Miami 40-3 in the Peach Bowl. This loss was the catalyst that sent the Miami program into a tailspin. Last season, they embarrassed Notre Dame in the Sugar Bowl 41-14. Dominating performances against traditional powerhouses earns Miles a top grade in this category.
Final Rankings: A-
When you’re at the top of the polls, there’s very little room for improvement. However, that’s just what Miles has done. In 2005, LSU finished the season with a #5 ranking. In 2006, Miles improved on that finishing with a #3 ranking. Miles has the opportunity to continue the trend this season.
Miles’ Coaching GPA: 3.14
At this point in his tenure, Miles is a solid B student. A very respectable performance, but definite room for improvement. His biggest opportunity for improvement is with his PR skills and game/clock management. Generally, he’s been a good coach. He wins a lot of games, but needs more hardware to show for it. He’ll get his chance in a few weeks. Miles’ GPA will be adjusted, for better or worse, on January 7th.
I am not completely satisfied with Miles but I like him as LSU’s head coach and I respect him for succeeding in the very tough environment of college football. For those of you that are overly critical of Les, I’ll leave you with this quote:
“It is not the critic who counts, not the man who points out how the strong man stumbled, or where the doer of deeds could have done better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly, who errs and comes short again and again, who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions, and spends himself in a worthy cause, who at best knows achievement and who, at the worst, if he fails at least fails while daring greatly so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who know neither victory nor defeat.”-Theodore Roosevelt
Wednesday, December 12, 2007
Thursday, December 6, 2007
We're Going to the 'Ship!!
The Samson Report Schedule:
December 5th: Game Recap, Heisman Preview
December 12th: Les Miles Report Card
December 19th: Bowl Season Preview/ Recruiting Update
December 26th: No Report
January 2nd: Ohio St. Preview
January 9th: Ohio St. Recap
Week 14: December 1, 2007
SEC Championship Game
(7) LSU def. (14) Tennessee, 21-14
Atlanta, GA
Game Recap:
Battling injuries on both sides of the ball, LSU was able to overcome the mountain of distractions to beat a very hot Tennessee team. I was impressed with the attitude and intensity shown by the LSU players and I have to think they got a boost from their head coach before the game when he announced his intentions to stay at LSU. Mentally, I think this had a very positive effect on our players.
Offensively, LSU racked up the stats. Unfortunately, those stats didn’t translate into many points on the scoreboard. We need to do a better job of scoring touchdowns in the red zone. Still, the offense had another good game. Most importantly, LSU proved they could win with the backup QB, a feat that has doomed other top teams this season. Perrilloux showed signs of brilliance all game. Jacob Hester punished the Tennessee defensive backfield for 120 yards on 23 carries, putting Hester over the 1,000 yard mark for the season. The last LSU back to accomplish this was Justin Vincent in 2003. I have been impressed with the consistency of the offensive unit throughout the season.
Defensively, I thought we were much improved over last week. We saw a lot more blitzing and pressure put on the QB. One thing that I’m still disappointed in is LSU’s inability to check out of defensive plays when the offense makes adjustments. It seems that Tennessee was able to read the LSU defense and check into a different play without any changes to the defensive look. LSU came up with a lot of big stops and big plays; None bigger than Zenon’s interception for a touchdown to give LSU the lead and the win. The Beckwith interception to kill Tennessee’s last drive was also a very big play. I’m glad Pellini corrected some issues and had his team prepared for the Vols.
Rushing: LSU-212, UT-94
Passing: LSU-252, UT-249
Total: LSU-464, UT-343
Game Ball:
Offense:
Ryan Perriloux had a great game going 20 of 30 for 243 yards including 1 td pass and 1 2-point conversion. His rocket arm coupled with his snap delivery makes him one hell of a passer. Hopefully, he’ll be a part of the game plan against Ohio St.
Defense:
Jonathan Zenon gets the game ball for his game winning pick-six in the fourth quarter.
Ohhh What a Night!!!
What an amazing, incredible, outstanding, unbelievable, shocking day. December 1st 2007 was one of the best days in the history of LSU football.
First, LSU learns that its head coach has spurned the great University of Michigan to remain coach at LSU. The message was received loud and clear that LSU is one of the top football schools in the country. We are a “now” program and Michigan is a “then” program. Weather or not you like Les Miles, you gotta love the way this portrays LSU nationally. Les chose LSU over his dream job at his alma mater. I was tired of hearing that Michigan was the pinnacle of the college football world. Michigan fans can be very arrogant about their program. For what??? What have you done lately???
Later that day, LSU beats Tennessee for the SEC Championship and a trip to the Sugar Bowl. Also it kept LSU’s longshot hopes alive to play for a national title.
Then, it really starts to get crazy. Stars move into position and the top 2 teams in the country lose, including a 28 point favorite. At this point, I knew we’d be in the big dance. It was a great day to be a Tiger.
How it went down:
Ok, here’s the timeline of events that led to the spirited press conference 2 hours before kickoff. This is not fact, this is just my opinion.
Tuesday 11/27:
Les Miles still does not have an offer from LSU to extend his contract and/or give him a raise. Therefore, he authorized his agent, George Bass, to contact Michigan and express his interest in the job. He urges his agent to use a middle man, which is often done for discretion, and not deal directly with Michigan officials. General contract terms may have been discussed, but not agreed upon. Miles asks them to wait until after the SEC Championship game to make any moves.
Wednesday 11/28:
Michigan “officially” requests permission to speak with Miles. Skip Bertman, as expected, does not grant them permission until after the SEC Championship Game. Once this hits the media, Les Miles gets pissed off that Michigan made this public 3 days before the SEC Championship game. He feels slighted that his wishes were not respected.
Thursday 11/29:
The job is offered to Miles through George Bass. The contract terms are not nearly what Miles expected, and again he feels slighted. (Reports say that Michigan went cheap because they thought Miles was a “Michigan Man” and would be happy with less money).
Friday 11/30:
Miles sits down with LSU officials and they agree on a new contract. Remember, at this time, LSU’s chances of playing for a national title are slim to none. Therefore, Miles is not expecting the automatic raise that is built into his contract if he reaches and wins the national title. His new contract is for more money, but just how much more is dependent on the outcome of the SEC Championship Game. Miles and LSU agree that a press conference will be held before the game to announce that he will remain at LSU. Meanwhile, Michigan is still under the assumption that LSU has not made Miles a new offer.
Saturday 12/1:
9 am – Miles meets with his team at breakfast and tells them that he’ll be their coach next season. This is a closed breakfast with only LSU players and coaches.
10:00 am – Kirk Herbstriet reports that the Miles to Michigan deal is done. I think Kirk’s sources were legit, but nobody at Michigan knew that Miles’ was re-negotiating with LSU. When Miles hears the report, which went out to the entire college football world, he feels slighted for the 3rd time. This is the last straw, and he gets angry.
11:00 am – A seemingly impromptu press conference is organized by LSU officials to announce that Miles is staying at LSU. The cat is now out of the bag. The LSU pre-game radio show announces the amazing news.
1 pm: Miles addressed the nation in a very short and blunt press conference. His anger is evident and directed at ESPN and Kirk Herbstreit.
Bo Pellini:
As you know, Bo Pellini is the new coach of the Nebraska Cornhuskers. However, he will also stay on as LSU’s defensive coordinator for the NC game. I haven’t heard many names as to who will replace Pellini but John Tenuda may be interested if he doesn’t get the head coaching job at Georgia Tech.
Week 14 Games of the Week:
Pitt def. (2) West Virginia, 13-9
(9) Oklahoma def. (1) Missouri, 38-17
(6) Virginia Tech def. (12) Boston College, 30-16
(8) Southern Cal def. UCLA, 24-7
FINAL BCS STANDINGS:
Well, here it is folks. The only poll that matters.
1. Ohio St.
2. LSU
3. Virginia Tech
4. Oklahoma
5. Georgia
Heisman Talk:
This Saturday is the Heisman Trophy Award Presentation. I think it’s on ESPN at 7pm. This award is by far the most distinguished award in college football. It goes to the most outstanding college football player. The selection process is extremely flawed, but it’s still fun to watch. The players in the running are Tim Tebow (Florida QB), Chase Daniel (Missouri QB), Darren McFadden (Arkansas RB), Pat White (West Virginia QB), Colt Brennan (Hawaii QB), Dennis Dickson (Oregon QB).
The award is Tebow’s to lose. Although he’s only a sophomore, I think he gets the hardware. For the second straight year, I believe Darren McFadden will come in second place in the voting. Chase Daniel and Colt Brennan will round out the top 4.
Speaking of awards…
Glenn Dorsey picked up a national award earlier this week when he was named the Bronko Nagurski award winner which goes to the nation’s most outstanding defensive player. He won that award over Ohio State linebacker James Laurinaitis. Dorsey is also a finalist for the Lombardi Award, the Lott Trophy, the Outland Award, and the Bednarik Award. Craig Steltz is a finalist for the Thorpe Award.
All SEC Tigers:
LSU landed 7 players on the 2007 All-SEC first team. That is second in school history behind the 1988 team that had 8 first team players. The 10 total players selected set a school record. Congrats!!
1st Team:
Ali Highsmith (unanimous)
Glenn Dorsey (unanimous)(SEC Defensive Player of the Year)
Craig Steltz (unanimous)
Chevis Jackson
Herman Johnson
Colt David
Patrick Fisher
2nd Team:
Ciron Black
Jacob Hester
Darry Beckwith
Bowl Pick’em Contest:
I have picked out 10 of the most intriguing bowl games this season. I want you to pick who you think will win each game and e-mail me @ slspeer@cox.net. Or you can make your pics in the comments section. I won’t post your comment but I’ll record your pics. Don’t forget to leave your name. All picks must be in to me by Tuesday December 18th because I will be previewing each bowl game soon after. At this time, the only thing you will win is bragging rights. Here are the games I picked out:
Dec. 27th: Holiday Bowl – Arizona St. vs. Texas
Dec. 31st: Music City Bowl – Florida St. vs. Kentucky
Dec. 31st: Chick-fil-A Bowl – Clemson vs. Auburn
Jan 1st: Outback Bowl - Wisconsin vs. Tennessee
Jan 1st: Cotton Bowl – Missouri vs. Arkansas
Jan 1st: Capital One Bowl - Michigan vs. Florida
Jan 1st: Rose Bowl - USC vs. Illinois
Jan 1st: Sugar Bowl - Hawaii vs. Georgia
Jan 2nd: Fiesta Bowl - West Virginia vs. Oklahoma
Jan. 3rd: Orange Bowl - Kansas vs. Virginia Tech
HAVE A GRRRRRREEEEAAAATTT DAY!!!
December 5th: Game Recap, Heisman Preview
December 12th: Les Miles Report Card
December 19th: Bowl Season Preview/ Recruiting Update
December 26th: No Report
January 2nd: Ohio St. Preview
January 9th: Ohio St. Recap
Week 14: December 1, 2007
SEC Championship Game
(7) LSU def. (14) Tennessee, 21-14
Atlanta, GA
Game Recap:
Battling injuries on both sides of the ball, LSU was able to overcome the mountain of distractions to beat a very hot Tennessee team. I was impressed with the attitude and intensity shown by the LSU players and I have to think they got a boost from their head coach before the game when he announced his intentions to stay at LSU. Mentally, I think this had a very positive effect on our players.
Offensively, LSU racked up the stats. Unfortunately, those stats didn’t translate into many points on the scoreboard. We need to do a better job of scoring touchdowns in the red zone. Still, the offense had another good game. Most importantly, LSU proved they could win with the backup QB, a feat that has doomed other top teams this season. Perrilloux showed signs of brilliance all game. Jacob Hester punished the Tennessee defensive backfield for 120 yards on 23 carries, putting Hester over the 1,000 yard mark for the season. The last LSU back to accomplish this was Justin Vincent in 2003. I have been impressed with the consistency of the offensive unit throughout the season.
Defensively, I thought we were much improved over last week. We saw a lot more blitzing and pressure put on the QB. One thing that I’m still disappointed in is LSU’s inability to check out of defensive plays when the offense makes adjustments. It seems that Tennessee was able to read the LSU defense and check into a different play without any changes to the defensive look. LSU came up with a lot of big stops and big plays; None bigger than Zenon’s interception for a touchdown to give LSU the lead and the win. The Beckwith interception to kill Tennessee’s last drive was also a very big play. I’m glad Pellini corrected some issues and had his team prepared for the Vols.
Rushing: LSU-212, UT-94
Passing: LSU-252, UT-249
Total: LSU-464, UT-343
Game Ball:
Offense:
Ryan Perriloux had a great game going 20 of 30 for 243 yards including 1 td pass and 1 2-point conversion. His rocket arm coupled with his snap delivery makes him one hell of a passer. Hopefully, he’ll be a part of the game plan against Ohio St.
Defense:
Jonathan Zenon gets the game ball for his game winning pick-six in the fourth quarter.
Ohhh What a Night!!!
What an amazing, incredible, outstanding, unbelievable, shocking day. December 1st 2007 was one of the best days in the history of LSU football.
First, LSU learns that its head coach has spurned the great University of Michigan to remain coach at LSU. The message was received loud and clear that LSU is one of the top football schools in the country. We are a “now” program and Michigan is a “then” program. Weather or not you like Les Miles, you gotta love the way this portrays LSU nationally. Les chose LSU over his dream job at his alma mater. I was tired of hearing that Michigan was the pinnacle of the college football world. Michigan fans can be very arrogant about their program. For what??? What have you done lately???
Later that day, LSU beats Tennessee for the SEC Championship and a trip to the Sugar Bowl. Also it kept LSU’s longshot hopes alive to play for a national title.
Then, it really starts to get crazy. Stars move into position and the top 2 teams in the country lose, including a 28 point favorite. At this point, I knew we’d be in the big dance. It was a great day to be a Tiger.
How it went down:
Ok, here’s the timeline of events that led to the spirited press conference 2 hours before kickoff. This is not fact, this is just my opinion.
Tuesday 11/27:
Les Miles still does not have an offer from LSU to extend his contract and/or give him a raise. Therefore, he authorized his agent, George Bass, to contact Michigan and express his interest in the job. He urges his agent to use a middle man, which is often done for discretion, and not deal directly with Michigan officials. General contract terms may have been discussed, but not agreed upon. Miles asks them to wait until after the SEC Championship game to make any moves.
Wednesday 11/28:
Michigan “officially” requests permission to speak with Miles. Skip Bertman, as expected, does not grant them permission until after the SEC Championship Game. Once this hits the media, Les Miles gets pissed off that Michigan made this public 3 days before the SEC Championship game. He feels slighted that his wishes were not respected.
Thursday 11/29:
The job is offered to Miles through George Bass. The contract terms are not nearly what Miles expected, and again he feels slighted. (Reports say that Michigan went cheap because they thought Miles was a “Michigan Man” and would be happy with less money).
Friday 11/30:
Miles sits down with LSU officials and they agree on a new contract. Remember, at this time, LSU’s chances of playing for a national title are slim to none. Therefore, Miles is not expecting the automatic raise that is built into his contract if he reaches and wins the national title. His new contract is for more money, but just how much more is dependent on the outcome of the SEC Championship Game. Miles and LSU agree that a press conference will be held before the game to announce that he will remain at LSU. Meanwhile, Michigan is still under the assumption that LSU has not made Miles a new offer.
Saturday 12/1:
9 am – Miles meets with his team at breakfast and tells them that he’ll be their coach next season. This is a closed breakfast with only LSU players and coaches.
10:00 am – Kirk Herbstriet reports that the Miles to Michigan deal is done. I think Kirk’s sources were legit, but nobody at Michigan knew that Miles’ was re-negotiating with LSU. When Miles hears the report, which went out to the entire college football world, he feels slighted for the 3rd time. This is the last straw, and he gets angry.
11:00 am – A seemingly impromptu press conference is organized by LSU officials to announce that Miles is staying at LSU. The cat is now out of the bag. The LSU pre-game radio show announces the amazing news.
1 pm: Miles addressed the nation in a very short and blunt press conference. His anger is evident and directed at ESPN and Kirk Herbstreit.
Bo Pellini:
As you know, Bo Pellini is the new coach of the Nebraska Cornhuskers. However, he will also stay on as LSU’s defensive coordinator for the NC game. I haven’t heard many names as to who will replace Pellini but John Tenuda may be interested if he doesn’t get the head coaching job at Georgia Tech.
Week 14 Games of the Week:
Pitt def. (2) West Virginia, 13-9
(9) Oklahoma def. (1) Missouri, 38-17
(6) Virginia Tech def. (12) Boston College, 30-16
(8) Southern Cal def. UCLA, 24-7
FINAL BCS STANDINGS:
Well, here it is folks. The only poll that matters.
1. Ohio St.
2. LSU
3. Virginia Tech
4. Oklahoma
5. Georgia
Heisman Talk:
This Saturday is the Heisman Trophy Award Presentation. I think it’s on ESPN at 7pm. This award is by far the most distinguished award in college football. It goes to the most outstanding college football player. The selection process is extremely flawed, but it’s still fun to watch. The players in the running are Tim Tebow (Florida QB), Chase Daniel (Missouri QB), Darren McFadden (Arkansas RB), Pat White (West Virginia QB), Colt Brennan (Hawaii QB), Dennis Dickson (Oregon QB).
The award is Tebow’s to lose. Although he’s only a sophomore, I think he gets the hardware. For the second straight year, I believe Darren McFadden will come in second place in the voting. Chase Daniel and Colt Brennan will round out the top 4.
Speaking of awards…
Glenn Dorsey picked up a national award earlier this week when he was named the Bronko Nagurski award winner which goes to the nation’s most outstanding defensive player. He won that award over Ohio State linebacker James Laurinaitis. Dorsey is also a finalist for the Lombardi Award, the Lott Trophy, the Outland Award, and the Bednarik Award. Craig Steltz is a finalist for the Thorpe Award.
All SEC Tigers:
LSU landed 7 players on the 2007 All-SEC first team. That is second in school history behind the 1988 team that had 8 first team players. The 10 total players selected set a school record. Congrats!!
1st Team:
Ali Highsmith (unanimous)
Glenn Dorsey (unanimous)(SEC Defensive Player of the Year)
Craig Steltz (unanimous)
Chevis Jackson
Herman Johnson
Colt David
Patrick Fisher
2nd Team:
Ciron Black
Jacob Hester
Darry Beckwith
Bowl Pick’em Contest:
I have picked out 10 of the most intriguing bowl games this season. I want you to pick who you think will win each game and e-mail me @ slspeer@cox.net. Or you can make your pics in the comments section. I won’t post your comment but I’ll record your pics. Don’t forget to leave your name. All picks must be in to me by Tuesday December 18th because I will be previewing each bowl game soon after. At this time, the only thing you will win is bragging rights. Here are the games I picked out:
Dec. 27th: Holiday Bowl – Arizona St. vs. Texas
Dec. 31st: Music City Bowl – Florida St. vs. Kentucky
Dec. 31st: Chick-fil-A Bowl – Clemson vs. Auburn
Jan 1st: Outback Bowl - Wisconsin vs. Tennessee
Jan 1st: Cotton Bowl – Missouri vs. Arkansas
Jan 1st: Capital One Bowl - Michigan vs. Florida
Jan 1st: Rose Bowl - USC vs. Illinois
Jan 1st: Sugar Bowl - Hawaii vs. Georgia
Jan 2nd: Fiesta Bowl - West Virginia vs. Oklahoma
Jan. 3rd: Orange Bowl - Kansas vs. Virginia Tech
HAVE A GRRRRRREEEEAAAATTT DAY!!!
Wednesday, November 28, 2007
Consolation Prize
Blog Changes:
In case you haven’t noticed, The Samson Report has converted to a once-a-week format coming out late on Wednesday nights. This is much easier on me so get used to it. Also, I’ve begun to moderate the comments section but I don’t want that to stop you from sharing your thoughts. I just wanted a way to delete comments that contributed absolutely nothing to the blog. Also, no anonymous comments will be posted. So tell me what you think, especially if you disagree with me, but make sure you leave your name.
Week 13: November 23, 2007
Arkansas def. (1) LSU, 50-48
Death Valley, Baton Rouge
Game Recap:
I thought by today that I’d be over this loss. I thought my blood pressure would have finally dropped below the dangerous levels that it reached last Friday. Well, thanks to a few bud lights and an entire bottle of Lipitor, I think I’ll be OK. It still hurts and it always will, but we all must learn to live with the fact that we let it slip away. It was in our hands, but we didn’t want it bad enough to hold on.
Offensively, I thought LSU played good enough to win the game. They didn’t set any school records, but they had a solid game plan and the execution was satisfactory. Matt Flynn had an average day throwing the ball but he did what needed to be done to put us in position to win the game. The biggest offensive mistake of the game belongs to Early Doucet. How is it possible that our receivers can’t figure out that you can’t cover up another receiver on the line of scrimmage? This has been a problem EVERY game. Matt Flynn can’t be responsible for checking the position of every player while trying to read the defense. The receivers have struggled with focus and concentration all season. Lining up correctly is not hard, it’s FUNDAMENTAL. They really dropped the ball on this one (pun intended). DJ McCarthy, the WR coach, needs to take some of the heat for this as well. If my position players were consistently making the same mistake over, and over, and over; I would have done whatever was necessary to fix the problem. Jacob Hester had another solid game.
Defensively, what can I say? The once proud LSU defense is no more. I have been in denial about this for several weeks, but it’s time for me to admit to myself that we can no longer trust our defense. They let us down again, and this time it cost us the game. Arkansas is not a great offense. I wouldn’t even call them a good offense. But they do have Darren McFadden. D-Mac, as expected, had another great game and LSU couldn’t stop him. But LSU’s defensive game plan was weak. Pellini should have known that Casey Dick was a below average QB who is very below average when the pressure is on. Why didn’t we blitz?? Why did we give him time to continually throw to the mismatched receiver (usually Danny McCray)? The 4th down conversion in the first overtime will go down in LSU history as one of the most disappointing defensive plays ever. Casey Dick? CASEY DICK?? CASEY %&#@ing DICK????? That’s the person you let beat you?? Pitiful Pellini!!!
This has got to be the most disappointing loss in LSU’s recent history. It’s a very hard pill. LSU had the world by the tail. They controlled their own destiny going into the last week of the regular season. Everything was there for us. Now, everything is lost. Most years, an SEC Championship is an amazing feat. This year, it feels like a consolation prize.
It is natural to place blame, so let’s get to it.
First up …. Bo Pellini, what’s going on? Have you given up on LSU because you’re going to Nebraska? Please tell me because your defense is a joke. You’ve transformed the most feared defense in the country into a national embarrassment. And you did it so quickly.
Neeeeexxxttt …. Les Miles, are you blind (or stupid)? Do you not see the problems this team has? The defense has been in a steady decline for the last 7 weeks. Penalties are killing us and may have cost us the game. Our offensive formations still aren’t right. Our coverage teams are terrible. Your best players are not always on the field. Linebackers can’t drop back into man coverage. Patrick Fisher can’t punt the ball less than 50 yards. And when he does, it gets returned for a touchdown. Etc. Etc. Etc. Make adjustments. Do something different. Go back to what works. Stop being stubborn (or lazy). You ignored the handwriting on the wall for too long. The players, the fans, and most importantly, the seniors deserved a better effort from you and your coaching staff. You and Pellini need to return half of your compensation for last week’s game for that half-ass coaching job.
Whack Stats:
The LSU defense has given up over 1000 yards the last two games against powerhouses Ole Miss and Arkansas. That’s Whack!!!
Coaching Changes:
I’m going to make this short and sweet. Miles is gone to Michigan. Pellini is gone to Nebraska. This WILL be a done deal by this time next week. Also, LSU is reportedly willing to nullify Miles’ buyout clause of $1.25 million if he continues to handle this situation with integrity. The top 3 candidates to replace Miles are: 1) Jack Del Rio, 2) Steve Spurrier, 3) Nick Saban. More to come in the next few days and weeks.
Rumor Mill:
Now that I have your attention, I need to say that the Saban thing is only a rumor at this point. But the same story has surfaced from several different sources. And before you tell me that I am crazy and I don’t know what I’m talking about, just remember who Saban’s agent is. Jimmy Sexton is a coaching pimp. He’s going to throw his clients into every coaching discussion across the country. Rumor has it that Saban has offered to take a long term deal with a huge buyout. Rumor has it that new LSU president John Lombardi favors Steve Spurrier. Rumor has it that Jack Del Rio has put out feelers for the LSU opening. Rumors, Rumors, Rumors… Where there’s smoke, there’s fire. The smoke is getting thicker. By next Monday, we’ll be choking.
BCS Top 10:
1. Missouri
2. West Virginia
3. Ohio St.
4. Georgia
5. Kansas
6. Virginia Tech
7. LSU
8. Southern Cal
9. Oklahoma
10. Florida
Tailgating Season:
Well another tailgating season has come to an end. I thought we had another successful year. The spot was great. The participation was great. The food was great. Thanks to Denis and Travis for everything they did this year.
Week 14: Saturday December 1, 2007
SEC Championship Game
(7) LSU vs. (14) Tennessee
Atlanta, Georgia
CBS 3pm
Point Spread:
LSU -7.5
Know thy Foe:
Head Coach: Phil Fulmer
Tennessee is a team that has improved throughout the season. They started out slow losing 2 of their first 3 games. Their last two games have come down to the last possession including a triple overtime win against Kentucky. They may be emotionally drained but so is LSU.
Week 1: Lost to California, 45-31
Week 2: Defeated Southern Miss, 39-19
Week 3: Lost to Florida, 59-20
Week 4: Defeated Arkansas St., 48-27
Week 5: OFF
Week 6: Defeated Georgia, 35-14
Week 7: Defeated Mississippi St., 33-21
Week 8: Lost to Alabama, 41-17
Week 9: Defeated South Carolina, 27-24
Week 10: Defeated UL Lafayette, 59-7
Week 11: Defeated Arkansas, 34-13
Week 12: Defeated Vanderbilt, 25-24
Week 13: Defeated Kentucky, 52-50
LSU Offense vs. Tennessee Defense:
The injury to Matt Flynn will give Ryan Perrilloux a chance to show us what he’s got. Les Miles has stated that Ryan P has improved greatly since the last time he started the game against Middle Tennessee. The Vols are a good defensive team but they will give up points.
LSU Defense vs. Tennessee Offense:
Eric Ainge is the Vol QB. He is a pretty good passer. He’s got a good offensive line to protect him as well and he’s only been sacked 3 times all season. Lucas Taylor is the favorite target for Ainge. Taylor, a native of LA, leads the league in receiving. Arian Foster is the Vol running back. It’s hard for me to predict this match up because our defense is unpredictable. Maybe the coaches and team will play a little looser with the pressure off.
Game Prediction:
I’m glad we’re playing Tennessee instead of Georgia, but Tennessee is still a very dangerous team. They will want this game more, that’s for sure. LSU is still in a funk after the heartbreaking loss. It will be the coaches’ job to prepare this team mentally and get them ready to win an SEC Championship. There’s still a LOT to play for but that’s not the vibe around town. This game is a big deal to the program. I’m not going to call for the upset, but I don’t have a good feeling about this one.
I’ll take LSU-33, Tennesse-31
Injury Report:
Matt Flynn looks like he’ll be very limited this week and may miss the game entirely due to a shoulder problem. Perrilloux will get the start.
Dorsey is still hampered by a back injury. He will not play very much if at all.
Trindon will play.
Beckwith is not 100% but will play.
Curtis Taylor has been practicing but he’ll be a game time decision after taking a helmet to the ribs in overtime. I really thought he broke his ribs.
Week 14 Games of the Week: (Predicted winners in CAPS)
(1) Missouri vs. (9) OKLAHOMA
(6) VIRGINIA TECH vs. (11) Boston College
(2) WEST VIRGINIA vs. Pitt
(12) Hawaii vs. WASHINGTON
Army vs. NAVY
Lock of the Week:
Arizona St. (-7) vs. Arizona
Upset Special:
Oregon St. (+5) over (17) Oregon
Bowl Scenarios:
If we win:
We will be in the Sugar Bowl. Our opponent will probably be Hawaii if they can beat Washington this weekend. If not, it’ll probably be Illinois. There is still a sliver of hope that we could sneak in the back door of the National Championship game if West Virginia loses to Pitt and Oklahoma beats Missouri. I think OU can beat Mizzou, but West Virginia is going to smoke Pitt like a cigar. Don’t get your hopes up.
If we lose:
We will probably end up in the Cotton Bowl, but there is a chance that we end up in Capital One Bowl against maybe Michigan. That would be interesting to say the least.
Good News:
Ricky Jean Francois will be in the game for the Tigers after being ineligible all season due to academic cheating. He’s been practicing and should be a welcomed addition to a worn down defensive front.
In case you haven’t noticed, The Samson Report has converted to a once-a-week format coming out late on Wednesday nights. This is much easier on me so get used to it. Also, I’ve begun to moderate the comments section but I don’t want that to stop you from sharing your thoughts. I just wanted a way to delete comments that contributed absolutely nothing to the blog. Also, no anonymous comments will be posted. So tell me what you think, especially if you disagree with me, but make sure you leave your name.
Week 13: November 23, 2007
Arkansas def. (1) LSU, 50-48
Death Valley, Baton Rouge
Game Recap:
I thought by today that I’d be over this loss. I thought my blood pressure would have finally dropped below the dangerous levels that it reached last Friday. Well, thanks to a few bud lights and an entire bottle of Lipitor, I think I’ll be OK. It still hurts and it always will, but we all must learn to live with the fact that we let it slip away. It was in our hands, but we didn’t want it bad enough to hold on.
Offensively, I thought LSU played good enough to win the game. They didn’t set any school records, but they had a solid game plan and the execution was satisfactory. Matt Flynn had an average day throwing the ball but he did what needed to be done to put us in position to win the game. The biggest offensive mistake of the game belongs to Early Doucet. How is it possible that our receivers can’t figure out that you can’t cover up another receiver on the line of scrimmage? This has been a problem EVERY game. Matt Flynn can’t be responsible for checking the position of every player while trying to read the defense. The receivers have struggled with focus and concentration all season. Lining up correctly is not hard, it’s FUNDAMENTAL. They really dropped the ball on this one (pun intended). DJ McCarthy, the WR coach, needs to take some of the heat for this as well. If my position players were consistently making the same mistake over, and over, and over; I would have done whatever was necessary to fix the problem. Jacob Hester had another solid game.
Defensively, what can I say? The once proud LSU defense is no more. I have been in denial about this for several weeks, but it’s time for me to admit to myself that we can no longer trust our defense. They let us down again, and this time it cost us the game. Arkansas is not a great offense. I wouldn’t even call them a good offense. But they do have Darren McFadden. D-Mac, as expected, had another great game and LSU couldn’t stop him. But LSU’s defensive game plan was weak. Pellini should have known that Casey Dick was a below average QB who is very below average when the pressure is on. Why didn’t we blitz?? Why did we give him time to continually throw to the mismatched receiver (usually Danny McCray)? The 4th down conversion in the first overtime will go down in LSU history as one of the most disappointing defensive plays ever. Casey Dick? CASEY DICK?? CASEY %&#@ing DICK????? That’s the person you let beat you?? Pitiful Pellini!!!
This has got to be the most disappointing loss in LSU’s recent history. It’s a very hard pill. LSU had the world by the tail. They controlled their own destiny going into the last week of the regular season. Everything was there for us. Now, everything is lost. Most years, an SEC Championship is an amazing feat. This year, it feels like a consolation prize.
It is natural to place blame, so let’s get to it.
First up …. Bo Pellini, what’s going on? Have you given up on LSU because you’re going to Nebraska? Please tell me because your defense is a joke. You’ve transformed the most feared defense in the country into a national embarrassment. And you did it so quickly.
Neeeeexxxttt …. Les Miles, are you blind (or stupid)? Do you not see the problems this team has? The defense has been in a steady decline for the last 7 weeks. Penalties are killing us and may have cost us the game. Our offensive formations still aren’t right. Our coverage teams are terrible. Your best players are not always on the field. Linebackers can’t drop back into man coverage. Patrick Fisher can’t punt the ball less than 50 yards. And when he does, it gets returned for a touchdown. Etc. Etc. Etc. Make adjustments. Do something different. Go back to what works. Stop being stubborn (or lazy). You ignored the handwriting on the wall for too long. The players, the fans, and most importantly, the seniors deserved a better effort from you and your coaching staff. You and Pellini need to return half of your compensation for last week’s game for that half-ass coaching job.
Whack Stats:
The LSU defense has given up over 1000 yards the last two games against powerhouses Ole Miss and Arkansas. That’s Whack!!!
Coaching Changes:
I’m going to make this short and sweet. Miles is gone to Michigan. Pellini is gone to Nebraska. This WILL be a done deal by this time next week. Also, LSU is reportedly willing to nullify Miles’ buyout clause of $1.25 million if he continues to handle this situation with integrity. The top 3 candidates to replace Miles are: 1) Jack Del Rio, 2) Steve Spurrier, 3) Nick Saban. More to come in the next few days and weeks.
Rumor Mill:
Now that I have your attention, I need to say that the Saban thing is only a rumor at this point. But the same story has surfaced from several different sources. And before you tell me that I am crazy and I don’t know what I’m talking about, just remember who Saban’s agent is. Jimmy Sexton is a coaching pimp. He’s going to throw his clients into every coaching discussion across the country. Rumor has it that Saban has offered to take a long term deal with a huge buyout. Rumor has it that new LSU president John Lombardi favors Steve Spurrier. Rumor has it that Jack Del Rio has put out feelers for the LSU opening. Rumors, Rumors, Rumors… Where there’s smoke, there’s fire. The smoke is getting thicker. By next Monday, we’ll be choking.
BCS Top 10:
1. Missouri
2. West Virginia
3. Ohio St.
4. Georgia
5. Kansas
6. Virginia Tech
7. LSU
8. Southern Cal
9. Oklahoma
10. Florida
Tailgating Season:
Well another tailgating season has come to an end. I thought we had another successful year. The spot was great. The participation was great. The food was great. Thanks to Denis and Travis for everything they did this year.
Week 14: Saturday December 1, 2007
SEC Championship Game
(7) LSU vs. (14) Tennessee
Atlanta, Georgia
CBS 3pm
Point Spread:
LSU -7.5
Know thy Foe:
Head Coach: Phil Fulmer
Tennessee is a team that has improved throughout the season. They started out slow losing 2 of their first 3 games. Their last two games have come down to the last possession including a triple overtime win against Kentucky. They may be emotionally drained but so is LSU.
Week 1: Lost to California, 45-31
Week 2: Defeated Southern Miss, 39-19
Week 3: Lost to Florida, 59-20
Week 4: Defeated Arkansas St., 48-27
Week 5: OFF
Week 6: Defeated Georgia, 35-14
Week 7: Defeated Mississippi St., 33-21
Week 8: Lost to Alabama, 41-17
Week 9: Defeated South Carolina, 27-24
Week 10: Defeated UL Lafayette, 59-7
Week 11: Defeated Arkansas, 34-13
Week 12: Defeated Vanderbilt, 25-24
Week 13: Defeated Kentucky, 52-50
LSU Offense vs. Tennessee Defense:
The injury to Matt Flynn will give Ryan Perrilloux a chance to show us what he’s got. Les Miles has stated that Ryan P has improved greatly since the last time he started the game against Middle Tennessee. The Vols are a good defensive team but they will give up points.
LSU Defense vs. Tennessee Offense:
Eric Ainge is the Vol QB. He is a pretty good passer. He’s got a good offensive line to protect him as well and he’s only been sacked 3 times all season. Lucas Taylor is the favorite target for Ainge. Taylor, a native of LA, leads the league in receiving. Arian Foster is the Vol running back. It’s hard for me to predict this match up because our defense is unpredictable. Maybe the coaches and team will play a little looser with the pressure off.
Game Prediction:
I’m glad we’re playing Tennessee instead of Georgia, but Tennessee is still a very dangerous team. They will want this game more, that’s for sure. LSU is still in a funk after the heartbreaking loss. It will be the coaches’ job to prepare this team mentally and get them ready to win an SEC Championship. There’s still a LOT to play for but that’s not the vibe around town. This game is a big deal to the program. I’m not going to call for the upset, but I don’t have a good feeling about this one.
I’ll take LSU-33, Tennesse-31
Injury Report:
Matt Flynn looks like he’ll be very limited this week and may miss the game entirely due to a shoulder problem. Perrilloux will get the start.
Dorsey is still hampered by a back injury. He will not play very much if at all.
Trindon will play.
Beckwith is not 100% but will play.
Curtis Taylor has been practicing but he’ll be a game time decision after taking a helmet to the ribs in overtime. I really thought he broke his ribs.
Week 14 Games of the Week: (Predicted winners in CAPS)
(1) Missouri vs. (9) OKLAHOMA
(6) VIRGINIA TECH vs. (11) Boston College
(2) WEST VIRGINIA vs. Pitt
(12) Hawaii vs. WASHINGTON
Army vs. NAVY
Lock of the Week:
Arizona St. (-7) vs. Arizona
Upset Special:
Oregon St. (+5) over (17) Oregon
Bowl Scenarios:
If we win:
We will be in the Sugar Bowl. Our opponent will probably be Hawaii if they can beat Washington this weekend. If not, it’ll probably be Illinois. There is still a sliver of hope that we could sneak in the back door of the National Championship game if West Virginia loses to Pitt and Oklahoma beats Missouri. I think OU can beat Mizzou, but West Virginia is going to smoke Pitt like a cigar. Don’t get your hopes up.
If we lose:
We will probably end up in the Cotton Bowl, but there is a chance that we end up in Capital One Bowl against maybe Michigan. That would be interesting to say the least.
Good News:
Ricky Jean Francois will be in the game for the Tigers after being ineligible all season due to academic cheating. He’s been practicing and should be a welcomed addition to a worn down defensive front.
Thursday, November 22, 2007
Going Hogging!
Because of the short week, this report will cover the previous game against Ole Miss and the upcoming game against Arkansas.
Week 12: (1) LSU def. Ole Miss, 41-24
Game Recap:
LSU allowed a season high 466 yards to the Ole Miss offense which ranks 97th in the country offensively. That’s not too good. The rebels actually out gained the Tigers, something that hasn’t happened all season. The last time that has happened was last year against …. Arkansas. We won that game too. Coincidentally, Trindon Holliday had a kick-off return in both of those games.
Now back to Ole Miss. LSU once again had a special teams break down allowing a returned punt for a touchdown. The offense was effective and the play calling was appropriate.
As I predicted, LSU didn’t have a good game but it wasn’t a disaster either. Many LSU fans get frustrated about the way LSU is playing. Just remember that LSU is winning. We don’t need style points to get to the National Championship, we need W’s. LSU has been prone to playing down to the opponents’ level of competition. Unfortunately, our opponents have been giving us their best games of the season. I think that’s the reason we’ve haven’t covered the spread to many times this season.
Week 13: Friday November 23, 2007
(1) LSU vs. Arkansas
Death Valley, Baton Rouge
CBS 1:30
Point Spread:
LSU -12.5
Know thy Foe:
Head Coach: Houston Nutt
Houston Nutt is gone after this season. The Arkansas program has been in disarray for almost an entire year. If it weren’t for Darren McFadden and Felix Jones, this Razorback team would be horrendous. This will probably be Nutt’s last game as the Arkansas coach. And no, he will not be a candidate to replace Miles if he leaves.
Week 1: Defeated Troy, 46-26
Week 2: OFF
Week 3: Lost to Alabama, 41-38
Week 4: Lost to Kentucky, 42-29
Week 5: Defeated North Texas, 66-7
Week 6: Defeated Chattanooga, 34-16
Week 7: Lost to Auburn, 9-7
Week 8: Defeated Ole Miss, 44-8
Week 9: Defeated Florida Inter., 58-10
Week 10: Defeated South Carolina, 48-36
Week 11: Lost to Tennessee, 34-13
Week 12: Defeated Mississippi St., 45-31
LSU Offense vs. Arkansas Defense:
Surprisingly, the LSU offense has been the most consistent part of the team lately. They have averaged 450 yards per game so far this season. Arkansas’ defense is giving up over 350 yards per game. LSU will have to play good in the red zone because this Arkansas team is very stingy with the points. They held Auburn, Ole Miss, and Tennessee to less than 30 points combined.
LSU Defense vs. Arkansas Offense:
Obviously LSU will key on Darren McFadden. They won’t stop him, but they should be able to slow him down. Look for Houston Nutt to pull out all the trick plays including letting McFadden pull up and throw the ball over the top. The safeties must not let anyone get behind them at any time. The LSU linebackers must have a good day. I don’t think Luke Sanders will play very much because I think we need the speed of our nickel and dime packages to match up with Arkansas’ running game. I don’t think Arkansas will throw the ball with any consistency against LSU. Arkansas averages 452 yards per game so they are a high powered offense. LSU allows only 255 yards per game. Let’s split the difference and say they get 350 yards against LSU.
Special Teams:
Arkansas has a few weapons that can change the game. LSU must get better here.
Game Prediction:
Arkansas’ open date was the second week of the season. That means they’ve played 10 straight games and they could be worn down. It was a short week of preparation. Plus, it was filled with outside distractions for LSU. Still, the LSU team knows what’s at stake. They have too many seniors on that team. They’ll be ready. They’ll be focused and prepared. It may not be pretty, but LSU will win this game.
I’ll take LSU 44-31.
Injury Report:
There are a lot of bumps and bruises, especially on defense. Dorsey sat out the end of the Ole Miss game to a leg and back injury, but he should play most of the Arkansas game. Darry Beckwith probably won’t play while still recovering from the knee scope. Trindon Holliday twisted his ankle but I think he’ll be back. Curtis Taylor also limped off the field in Oxford but he’s ok as well.
Senior Day:
Since Friday will be Senior Day, check out some of the accomplishments of this senior class:
Most wins in school history (54)
Most SEC wins (32)
Most seasons with at least 10 wins (4)
Most weeks as a ranked team (80)
Most wins over top 25 teams (19)
Most wins over top 10 teams (9)
Here is the Senior Class:
Will Arnold
Donnie Chaucer
Mit Cole
Andrew Decker
Glenn Dorsey
Early Doucet
Patrick Fisher
Matt Flynn
Sean Gaudet
Jacob Hester
Ali Highsmith
Chevis Jackson
Shawn Jordan
Cole Louviere
Josh McManus
Jacob O’Hair
Kirston Pittman
Luke Sanders
Robert Smith
Craig Steltz
Carnell Stewart
Jimmy Welker
Anthony Zehyoue
Jonathan Zenon
Keith Zinger
Thanks Fellas!!!
Week 13 (Rivalry Week) Games of the Week: (Predicted Winners in CAPS)
Ole Miss @ MISSISSIPPI ST.
(2) Kansas vs. (4) MISSOURI (neutral field)
(22) CLEMSON @ South Carolina
(18) TENNESSEE @ Kentucky
Alabama @ AUBURN
(9) GEORGIA @ Georgia Tech
Florida St. @ (12) FLORIDA
Oklahoma St. @ (10) OKLAHOMA
Lock of the Week:
(8) Virginia Tech (-3.5) @ (16) Virginia
Upset Special:
(6) Arizona St. (+3.5) over (11) Southern Cal (This game is on Thursday, don’t miss it)
Looking ahead:
LSU will be playing in the SEC championship next Saturday. Their opponent from the East has not yet been decided. If Tennessee can beat Kentucky this week, they’re in. If they lose to Kentucky, we will play Georgia for the 3rd straight time. I, along with most people, would much rather play Tennessee since Georgia is playing some really good football right now. They’re dangerous. Tennessee is actually a 3 point underdog to Kentucky since the game is in Lexington. Geaux Vols!
What if we lose???
Assuming we beat Arkansas, LSU will be heading into the SEC Championship game ranked #1 with an 11-1 record. If we lose the SEC championship game, chances are very strong that we end up filling an at-large spot in one of the BCS bowl games. It won’t be the Rose Bowl. It won’t be the Sugar Bowl. That leaves the Fiesta Bowl and the Orange Bowl. So, would you rather go to Tempe Arizona or Miami Florida???
Dirty Sexy Money:
Les Miles has a lot of motivation to win a national championship for LSU. Like Saban, Miles has terms in his contract that dramatically increase his base salary if he wins the title. Specifically, LSU will be contractually obligated to pay Miles around 3.5 million dollars per year for the next 5 years.
Also, Miles is bound to a $1,250,000 buyout if he were to leave LSU for Meeeeechigan. The Wolverines could pay that without second thought.
March for Miles:
Last night was the “March for Miles” which consisted of about 50 or 60 LSU fans. They walked from the stadium to Walk-Ons in support of Les Miles. It started as an internet movement but gained some credibility when it made it to the Advocate and the local news. Kinda funny.
More support…
This Friday has been deemed “Fear the Hat Friday”. If you want to join the growing support for Miles, wear your biggest white LSU hat on Friday.
Coaching Change?
The rumors are really flying now. We knew this day would come and it is here. I’ll address this situation in detail in my next report. I’ll tell you what I think will happen and I’ll try to give you a few coaching possibilities if we need to replace Miles.
Week 12: (1) LSU def. Ole Miss, 41-24
Game Recap:
LSU allowed a season high 466 yards to the Ole Miss offense which ranks 97th in the country offensively. That’s not too good. The rebels actually out gained the Tigers, something that hasn’t happened all season. The last time that has happened was last year against …. Arkansas. We won that game too. Coincidentally, Trindon Holliday had a kick-off return in both of those games.
Now back to Ole Miss. LSU once again had a special teams break down allowing a returned punt for a touchdown. The offense was effective and the play calling was appropriate.
As I predicted, LSU didn’t have a good game but it wasn’t a disaster either. Many LSU fans get frustrated about the way LSU is playing. Just remember that LSU is winning. We don’t need style points to get to the National Championship, we need W’s. LSU has been prone to playing down to the opponents’ level of competition. Unfortunately, our opponents have been giving us their best games of the season. I think that’s the reason we’ve haven’t covered the spread to many times this season.
Week 13: Friday November 23, 2007
(1) LSU vs. Arkansas
Death Valley, Baton Rouge
CBS 1:30
Point Spread:
LSU -12.5
Know thy Foe:
Head Coach: Houston Nutt
Houston Nutt is gone after this season. The Arkansas program has been in disarray for almost an entire year. If it weren’t for Darren McFadden and Felix Jones, this Razorback team would be horrendous. This will probably be Nutt’s last game as the Arkansas coach. And no, he will not be a candidate to replace Miles if he leaves.
Week 1: Defeated Troy, 46-26
Week 2: OFF
Week 3: Lost to Alabama, 41-38
Week 4: Lost to Kentucky, 42-29
Week 5: Defeated North Texas, 66-7
Week 6: Defeated Chattanooga, 34-16
Week 7: Lost to Auburn, 9-7
Week 8: Defeated Ole Miss, 44-8
Week 9: Defeated Florida Inter., 58-10
Week 10: Defeated South Carolina, 48-36
Week 11: Lost to Tennessee, 34-13
Week 12: Defeated Mississippi St., 45-31
LSU Offense vs. Arkansas Defense:
Surprisingly, the LSU offense has been the most consistent part of the team lately. They have averaged 450 yards per game so far this season. Arkansas’ defense is giving up over 350 yards per game. LSU will have to play good in the red zone because this Arkansas team is very stingy with the points. They held Auburn, Ole Miss, and Tennessee to less than 30 points combined.
LSU Defense vs. Arkansas Offense:
Obviously LSU will key on Darren McFadden. They won’t stop him, but they should be able to slow him down. Look for Houston Nutt to pull out all the trick plays including letting McFadden pull up and throw the ball over the top. The safeties must not let anyone get behind them at any time. The LSU linebackers must have a good day. I don’t think Luke Sanders will play very much because I think we need the speed of our nickel and dime packages to match up with Arkansas’ running game. I don’t think Arkansas will throw the ball with any consistency against LSU. Arkansas averages 452 yards per game so they are a high powered offense. LSU allows only 255 yards per game. Let’s split the difference and say they get 350 yards against LSU.
Special Teams:
Arkansas has a few weapons that can change the game. LSU must get better here.
Game Prediction:
Arkansas’ open date was the second week of the season. That means they’ve played 10 straight games and they could be worn down. It was a short week of preparation. Plus, it was filled with outside distractions for LSU. Still, the LSU team knows what’s at stake. They have too many seniors on that team. They’ll be ready. They’ll be focused and prepared. It may not be pretty, but LSU will win this game.
I’ll take LSU 44-31.
Injury Report:
There are a lot of bumps and bruises, especially on defense. Dorsey sat out the end of the Ole Miss game to a leg and back injury, but he should play most of the Arkansas game. Darry Beckwith probably won’t play while still recovering from the knee scope. Trindon Holliday twisted his ankle but I think he’ll be back. Curtis Taylor also limped off the field in Oxford but he’s ok as well.
Senior Day:
Since Friday will be Senior Day, check out some of the accomplishments of this senior class:
Most wins in school history (54)
Most SEC wins (32)
Most seasons with at least 10 wins (4)
Most weeks as a ranked team (80)
Most wins over top 25 teams (19)
Most wins over top 10 teams (9)
Here is the Senior Class:
Will Arnold
Donnie Chaucer
Mit Cole
Andrew Decker
Glenn Dorsey
Early Doucet
Patrick Fisher
Matt Flynn
Sean Gaudet
Jacob Hester
Ali Highsmith
Chevis Jackson
Shawn Jordan
Cole Louviere
Josh McManus
Jacob O’Hair
Kirston Pittman
Luke Sanders
Robert Smith
Craig Steltz
Carnell Stewart
Jimmy Welker
Anthony Zehyoue
Jonathan Zenon
Keith Zinger
Thanks Fellas!!!
Week 13 (Rivalry Week) Games of the Week: (Predicted Winners in CAPS)
Ole Miss @ MISSISSIPPI ST.
(2) Kansas vs. (4) MISSOURI (neutral field)
(22) CLEMSON @ South Carolina
(18) TENNESSEE @ Kentucky
Alabama @ AUBURN
(9) GEORGIA @ Georgia Tech
Florida St. @ (12) FLORIDA
Oklahoma St. @ (10) OKLAHOMA
Lock of the Week:
(8) Virginia Tech (-3.5) @ (16) Virginia
Upset Special:
(6) Arizona St. (+3.5) over (11) Southern Cal (This game is on Thursday, don’t miss it)
Looking ahead:
LSU will be playing in the SEC championship next Saturday. Their opponent from the East has not yet been decided. If Tennessee can beat Kentucky this week, they’re in. If they lose to Kentucky, we will play Georgia for the 3rd straight time. I, along with most people, would much rather play Tennessee since Georgia is playing some really good football right now. They’re dangerous. Tennessee is actually a 3 point underdog to Kentucky since the game is in Lexington. Geaux Vols!
What if we lose???
Assuming we beat Arkansas, LSU will be heading into the SEC Championship game ranked #1 with an 11-1 record. If we lose the SEC championship game, chances are very strong that we end up filling an at-large spot in one of the BCS bowl games. It won’t be the Rose Bowl. It won’t be the Sugar Bowl. That leaves the Fiesta Bowl and the Orange Bowl. So, would you rather go to Tempe Arizona or Miami Florida???
Dirty Sexy Money:
Les Miles has a lot of motivation to win a national championship for LSU. Like Saban, Miles has terms in his contract that dramatically increase his base salary if he wins the title. Specifically, LSU will be contractually obligated to pay Miles around 3.5 million dollars per year for the next 5 years.
Also, Miles is bound to a $1,250,000 buyout if he were to leave LSU for Meeeeechigan. The Wolverines could pay that without second thought.
March for Miles:
Last night was the “March for Miles” which consisted of about 50 or 60 LSU fans. They walked from the stadium to Walk-Ons in support of Les Miles. It started as an internet movement but gained some credibility when it made it to the Advocate and the local news. Kinda funny.
More support…
This Friday has been deemed “Fear the Hat Friday”. If you want to join the growing support for Miles, wear your biggest white LSU hat on Friday.
Coaching Change?
The rumors are really flying now. We knew this day would come and it is here. I’ll address this situation in detail in my next report. I’ll tell you what I think will happen and I’ll try to give you a few coaching possibilities if we need to replace Miles.
Friday, November 16, 2007
SEC Runts!
As you know, The Samson Report was not updated after the Louisiana Tech game. I was very busy this week and couldn’t get around to doing a report. Let me say that I think LSU had a good game against Tech but they got off to a slow start. For only the second time in the Les Miles era, they scored over 50 points so that was good. It was a very boring game and I couldn’t have loved it more.
Week 12: November 17, 2007
(1) LSU vs. Ole Miss
Vaught-Hemmingway Stadium, Oxford, Mississippi
2:30 CBS
Point Spread:
LSU (-18.5)
Know Thy Foe:
Head Coach: Ed Orgeron
Ole Miss is bad, even by Ole Miss standards. They are dead last in the following SEC categories: scoring offense, scoring defense, total defense, and turnover margin. In fact, out of the 11 statistical categories, Ole Miss is last in 7 of them and no better than seventh of the remaining 4.
Last year they only won 2 conference games. With LSU and MSU still left to play, Ole Miss still doesn’t have a conference win yet this season. Ole Miss has lost 11 straight conference games. That’s pretty bad. To make things worse, they only had 23,000 PAID attendance at last weeks game against NW State. Ole Miss is the only school in the SEC West never to reach the SEC Championship game.
Ed Orgeron has a big personality, but he’s not much of a coach. His specialty is recruiting but he hasn’t had much success with that either. He is 10-23 since he’s been in Oxford for a winning percentage of 30.3 %. I don’t think he’ll be fired after this year but he’s toast next year. He hates LSU with a passion even though he’s from south Louisiana. He actually was on LSU’s team for a brief period of time. Maybe he still harbors hard feelings.
Despite the fact that Ole Miss is a pathetic football team, they will have the emotional advantage on Saturday. They are sky high to host the #1 team in the land. They always give LSU a good game and that’s got me a little worried. Don’t forget last year when they took us to overtime in our own stadium. LSU was a four touchdown favorite in that game. Ole Miss hates LSU. They would love nothing more than to spoil our championship season. They have enough talent to upset us if we’re not ready to play. In fact, they gave Florida and Alabama all they could handle.
Week 1: Defeated Memphis, 23-21
Week 2: Lost to Missouri, 38-25
Week 3: Lost to Vanderbilt, 31-17
Week 4: Lost to Florida, 30-24
Week 5: Lost to Georgia, 45-17
Week 6: Defeated Louisiana Tech, 24-0
Week 7: Lost to Alabama, 27-24
Week 8: Lost to Arkansas, 44-8
Week 9: Lost to Auburn, 17-3
Week 10: Defeated NW State, 38-31
Week 11: OFF
Tiger Offense vs. Rebel Defense:
LSU’s offense has proven that they are as good as they want to be. Play calling and focus will determine LSU’s offensive success, not the competition. The Rebel defense hasn’t shown the ability to stop anyone, much less the studs wearing purple and gold. I think LSU will tally 450 yards of total offense.
Rebel Offense vs. Tiger Defense:
Running back Benjarvus Green-Ellis is the best player on the Ole Miss offense. LSU should be able to snuff out the running game like they’ve done all season. Robert Lane is the Ole Miss tight end who started his career as a quarterback. In fact, he was committed to LSU until Nick Saban was able to sign an Alabama QB by the name of Jamarcus Russell. He is very athletic and will be a factor in this game. Seth Adams will be the starting QB but he may give way to Brent Shaeffer before the game is through. Ole Miss will gain no more than 240 yards total offense.
Special Teams:
This area of the team needs some major improvements. The return yardage that LSU gives up on kickoffs is mind blowing. Peveto better fix the problems before we get burned.
Game Prediction:
Ole Miss hasn’t beaten a top 5 team in over 30 years (Notre Dame, 1977). This is not the week that they reverse that trend. I think that LSU will play an average game. Not too good, not too bad. That’ll be all we need to leave Oxford with a win. Ole Miss will play their best game of the season but it won’t matter much. Hoddy Toddy!
I’ll take LSU-38, Ole Miss-13.
Injury Report:
LB Darry Beckwith will miss another week while rehabbing his scoped knee. He should be good to go against Arkansas.
OG Will Arnold is also listed as doubtful for the game. This guy just can’t stay healthy.
DT Marlon Favorite should be back after missing the La Tech game.
Rivalry???
Is this game still a rivalry?? LSU vs. Ole Miss goes all the way back to 1894. The rivalry was intense in the late 50’s and 60’s. That was a long time ago. Ole Miss hasn’t won the SEC since Colonel Reb was in diapers. The rivalry is dead. Ole Miss and Mississippi State can battle for the western cellar each year in the Egg Bowl.
Week 12 Games of the Week: (Predicted winner in CAPS)
Iowa St. @ (4) KANSAS
(22) Kentucky @ (8) GEORGIA
Miami @ (10) VIRGINIA TECH
Vanderbilt @ (19) TENNESSEE
Lock of the Week: (3-6)
(3) OKLAHOMA (-9) @ Texas Tech
Upset Special: (5-6)
(7) Ohio St. (-4) @ (23) MICHIGAN
Week 12: November 17, 2007
(1) LSU vs. Ole Miss
Vaught-Hemmingway Stadium, Oxford, Mississippi
2:30 CBS
Point Spread:
LSU (-18.5)
Know Thy Foe:
Head Coach: Ed Orgeron
Ole Miss is bad, even by Ole Miss standards. They are dead last in the following SEC categories: scoring offense, scoring defense, total defense, and turnover margin. In fact, out of the 11 statistical categories, Ole Miss is last in 7 of them and no better than seventh of the remaining 4.
Last year they only won 2 conference games. With LSU and MSU still left to play, Ole Miss still doesn’t have a conference win yet this season. Ole Miss has lost 11 straight conference games. That’s pretty bad. To make things worse, they only had 23,000 PAID attendance at last weeks game against NW State. Ole Miss is the only school in the SEC West never to reach the SEC Championship game.
Ed Orgeron has a big personality, but he’s not much of a coach. His specialty is recruiting but he hasn’t had much success with that either. He is 10-23 since he’s been in Oxford for a winning percentage of 30.3 %. I don’t think he’ll be fired after this year but he’s toast next year. He hates LSU with a passion even though he’s from south Louisiana. He actually was on LSU’s team for a brief period of time. Maybe he still harbors hard feelings.
Despite the fact that Ole Miss is a pathetic football team, they will have the emotional advantage on Saturday. They are sky high to host the #1 team in the land. They always give LSU a good game and that’s got me a little worried. Don’t forget last year when they took us to overtime in our own stadium. LSU was a four touchdown favorite in that game. Ole Miss hates LSU. They would love nothing more than to spoil our championship season. They have enough talent to upset us if we’re not ready to play. In fact, they gave Florida and Alabama all they could handle.
Week 1: Defeated Memphis, 23-21
Week 2: Lost to Missouri, 38-25
Week 3: Lost to Vanderbilt, 31-17
Week 4: Lost to Florida, 30-24
Week 5: Lost to Georgia, 45-17
Week 6: Defeated Louisiana Tech, 24-0
Week 7: Lost to Alabama, 27-24
Week 8: Lost to Arkansas, 44-8
Week 9: Lost to Auburn, 17-3
Week 10: Defeated NW State, 38-31
Week 11: OFF
Tiger Offense vs. Rebel Defense:
LSU’s offense has proven that they are as good as they want to be. Play calling and focus will determine LSU’s offensive success, not the competition. The Rebel defense hasn’t shown the ability to stop anyone, much less the studs wearing purple and gold. I think LSU will tally 450 yards of total offense.
Rebel Offense vs. Tiger Defense:
Running back Benjarvus Green-Ellis is the best player on the Ole Miss offense. LSU should be able to snuff out the running game like they’ve done all season. Robert Lane is the Ole Miss tight end who started his career as a quarterback. In fact, he was committed to LSU until Nick Saban was able to sign an Alabama QB by the name of Jamarcus Russell. He is very athletic and will be a factor in this game. Seth Adams will be the starting QB but he may give way to Brent Shaeffer before the game is through. Ole Miss will gain no more than 240 yards total offense.
Special Teams:
This area of the team needs some major improvements. The return yardage that LSU gives up on kickoffs is mind blowing. Peveto better fix the problems before we get burned.
Game Prediction:
Ole Miss hasn’t beaten a top 5 team in over 30 years (Notre Dame, 1977). This is not the week that they reverse that trend. I think that LSU will play an average game. Not too good, not too bad. That’ll be all we need to leave Oxford with a win. Ole Miss will play their best game of the season but it won’t matter much. Hoddy Toddy!
I’ll take LSU-38, Ole Miss-13.
Injury Report:
LB Darry Beckwith will miss another week while rehabbing his scoped knee. He should be good to go against Arkansas.
OG Will Arnold is also listed as doubtful for the game. This guy just can’t stay healthy.
DT Marlon Favorite should be back after missing the La Tech game.
Rivalry???
Is this game still a rivalry?? LSU vs. Ole Miss goes all the way back to 1894. The rivalry was intense in the late 50’s and 60’s. That was a long time ago. Ole Miss hasn’t won the SEC since Colonel Reb was in diapers. The rivalry is dead. Ole Miss and Mississippi State can battle for the western cellar each year in the Egg Bowl.
Week 12 Games of the Week: (Predicted winner in CAPS)
Iowa St. @ (4) KANSAS
(22) Kentucky @ (8) GEORGIA
Miami @ (10) VIRGINIA TECH
Vanderbilt @ (19) TENNESSEE
Lock of the Week: (3-6)
(3) OKLAHOMA (-9) @ Texas Tech
Upset Special: (5-6)
(7) Ohio St. (-4) @ (23) MICHIGAN
Friday, November 9, 2007
Who Let the Dogs Out?
Week 11: November 10, 2007
(2) LSU vs. LA Tech
Death Valley, Baton Rouge
Tigervision 7pm
This report will be very short and sweet because I’ve been very busy and I have to go to a wedding in a few hours.
Point Spread:
LSU (-36)
Know Thy Foe:
Head Coach: Derek Dooley
LA Tech has a loosing record to this point in the year. They have won their last 2 games but they just don’t have the players to compete with the big teams. They are in the WAC Conference which is kinda weird. I’d like to see them join Conference USA or the Sun Belt. Their closest conference rival is way out west. Their first year head coach, Derek Dooley, was an assistant at LSU under Saban. His dad, Vince, is also a coaching legend at Georgia. LSU offensive coordinator Gary Crowton coached at LA Tech in the late 90’s when Tim Rattay and Troy Edwards were putting up sick numbers. Offensive lineman Lyll Hitt has a brother that plays for Tech and Tyson Jackson’s cousin plays for Tech. The last time LSU played Tech was in 2003 when LSU won 49-10 on their way to a national title.
Week 1: Defeated Central Arkansas, 28-7
Week 2: Lost to Hawaii, 45-44
Week 3: Lost to California, 42-12
Week 4: OFF
Week 5: Lost to Fresno St., 17-6
Week 6: Lost to Ole Miss, 24-0
Week 7: Defeated N Mexico St., 22-21
Week 8: Lost to Boise St., 45-31
Week 9: Defeated Utah State, 31-21
Week 10: Defeated Idaho, 28-16
LSU Offense vs. LA Tech Defense:
I expect to see a good mix of run and pass to control the clock. Ryan Perrilloux may get back into the game at some point after not making the trip to Bama. It will be a very balanced and methodical attack.
LA Tech Offense vs. LSU Defense:
The playmakers on Tech’s offense are QB Zac Champion and RB Patrick Jackson.
The Bulldog offense has averaged 473 yards in the last 3 games. Not bad. I’d be surprised if they break 200 yards on Saturday.
Game Prediction:
LSU is far superior to the Bulldogs on every level. They should have no problem winning, even when the backups get in the game starting in the second quarter. I think the starters would benefit from a rest this Saturday night after the game is in hand. Les Miles should use this game to enforce some discipline on the penalty front. If you make a penalty, you sit on the bench for the rest of the series. If you make a personal foul, have a seat for the rest of the quarter. If you take your helmet off on the field, hit the showers. These things send a message to the players, a message that has apparently gone in one ear and out the other.
LSU runs away with this one.
I’ll take LSU-42, LA Tech-6
Injury Report:
Darry Beckwith will not play and may not play against the Rebels next week.
Coach of the Year???
Les Miles has been nominated to the 16 man watch list for the 2007 Paul “Bear” Bryant coach of the year award.
Week 11 Games of the Week: (Predicted winners in CAPS)
Arkansas @ (22) TENNESSEE
(13) MICHIGAN @ Wisconsin
Illinois @ (1) OHIO ST.
Florida St. @ (11) VIRGINIA TECH
(8) BOSTON COLLEGE @ Maryland
(18) FLORIDA @ South Carolina
(12) SOUTHERN CAL @ (24) California
Lock of the Week: (3-5)
(21) Alabama (-4.5) @ Mississippi St.
Upset Special: (5-5)
(17) Auburn (+2) @ (10) Georgia
(2) LSU vs. LA Tech
Death Valley, Baton Rouge
Tigervision 7pm
This report will be very short and sweet because I’ve been very busy and I have to go to a wedding in a few hours.
Point Spread:
LSU (-36)
Know Thy Foe:
Head Coach: Derek Dooley
LA Tech has a loosing record to this point in the year. They have won their last 2 games but they just don’t have the players to compete with the big teams. They are in the WAC Conference which is kinda weird. I’d like to see them join Conference USA or the Sun Belt. Their closest conference rival is way out west. Their first year head coach, Derek Dooley, was an assistant at LSU under Saban. His dad, Vince, is also a coaching legend at Georgia. LSU offensive coordinator Gary Crowton coached at LA Tech in the late 90’s when Tim Rattay and Troy Edwards were putting up sick numbers. Offensive lineman Lyll Hitt has a brother that plays for Tech and Tyson Jackson’s cousin plays for Tech. The last time LSU played Tech was in 2003 when LSU won 49-10 on their way to a national title.
Week 1: Defeated Central Arkansas, 28-7
Week 2: Lost to Hawaii, 45-44
Week 3: Lost to California, 42-12
Week 4: OFF
Week 5: Lost to Fresno St., 17-6
Week 6: Lost to Ole Miss, 24-0
Week 7: Defeated N Mexico St., 22-21
Week 8: Lost to Boise St., 45-31
Week 9: Defeated Utah State, 31-21
Week 10: Defeated Idaho, 28-16
LSU Offense vs. LA Tech Defense:
I expect to see a good mix of run and pass to control the clock. Ryan Perrilloux may get back into the game at some point after not making the trip to Bama. It will be a very balanced and methodical attack.
LA Tech Offense vs. LSU Defense:
The playmakers on Tech’s offense are QB Zac Champion and RB Patrick Jackson.
The Bulldog offense has averaged 473 yards in the last 3 games. Not bad. I’d be surprised if they break 200 yards on Saturday.
Game Prediction:
LSU is far superior to the Bulldogs on every level. They should have no problem winning, even when the backups get in the game starting in the second quarter. I think the starters would benefit from a rest this Saturday night after the game is in hand. Les Miles should use this game to enforce some discipline on the penalty front. If you make a penalty, you sit on the bench for the rest of the series. If you make a personal foul, have a seat for the rest of the quarter. If you take your helmet off on the field, hit the showers. These things send a message to the players, a message that has apparently gone in one ear and out the other.
LSU runs away with this one.
I’ll take LSU-42, LA Tech-6
Injury Report:
Darry Beckwith will not play and may not play against the Rebels next week.
Coach of the Year???
Les Miles has been nominated to the 16 man watch list for the 2007 Paul “Bear” Bryant coach of the year award.
Week 11 Games of the Week: (Predicted winners in CAPS)
Arkansas @ (22) TENNESSEE
(13) MICHIGAN @ Wisconsin
Illinois @ (1) OHIO ST.
Florida St. @ (11) VIRGINIA TECH
(8) BOSTON COLLEGE @ Maryland
(18) FLORIDA @ South Carolina
(12) SOUTHERN CAL @ (24) California
Lock of the Week: (3-5)
(21) Alabama (-4.5) @ Mississippi St.
Upset Special: (5-5)
(17) Auburn (+2) @ (10) Georgia
Tuesday, November 6, 2007
Roll Tigers!
Week 10: November 3, 2007
(3) LSU defeats (17) Alabama, 41-34
Bryant Denny Stadium, Tuscaloosa, AL
Game Recap:
It was another thriller as LSU secured their 5th straight win over Alabama. LSU was their own worst enemy in a game that shouldn’t have come down to yet another 4th down conversion. But it did, and LSU once again showed that they are holding better cards when the chips are on the table. The familiar combination of Flynn-Doucet once again bailed out the Tiger’s and saved Les Miles from having a lot of explaining to do. Statistically, LSU dominated the game. But the scoreboard doesn’t keep track of statistics. LSU played well enough in the first quarter to win this game by 20 points. Instead, they completely botched the second quarter, giving Bama new life. When they had the chance to deliver the crushing blow, they wiffed. When will they string together 4 quarters of mistake free football like they did against Virginia Tech?
Penalties, Turnovers, and Big Plays. That was the name of this game. LSU was flagged a ridiculous 14 times for an unbelievable 130 yards. LSU is by far the most penalized team in the SEC and one of the top offenders in the country. This has got to stop if LSU wants to hoist the crystal ball in January. Matt Flynn was up and down. He had 3 interceptions but also threw for a career high 353 yards passing and 3 touchdowns. He even had a 35 yard reception from Early Doucet. Stats aside, Flynn has looked like a great leader on the field in clutch situations. His winning attitude and quiet confidence seem to inspire the offense to mount these late game comebacks. Defensively, LSU had an outstanding game. They gave up a few big plays, but they brought pressure all night recording seven sacks. One of those sacks was directly responsible for LSU’s game winning score. I was impressed that LSU was able to force a lot of 3rd and long situations. Bama was only 4 of 17 on third down against an LSU defense that has not been particularly good on 3rd down as of late. LSU’s special teams were a mess. LSU had a blocked FG and allowed a punt return. Those were two game changing plays. Why were we kicking to Arenas? I don’t know. Why are our coverage teams having so much trouble this year when last year they were lights out? I don’t know. When will these mistakes cost us a game? I don’t want to know.
Game Stats:
Rushing: LSU-87 , BAMA-20
Passing: LSU-388 , BAMA-234
Total: LSU-475 , BAMA-254
Game Balls:
Offense: Demetrius Byrd. 6 catches for 144 yards. Enough said.
Defense: Chad Jones. Keep this up Chad and you may be known as a better safety than Laron Landry when it’s all over.
Honorable Mention: Kirston Pittman also had a great game.
SEC Honors:
Even though he didn’t get the coveted Samson Game Ball, Glenn Dorsey did receive SEC Defensive Player of the Week honors from the conference.
Injuries:
The most severe injury from the Alabama game is Darry Beckwith’s knee. He has some scar tissue in his knee that required arthroscopic surgery earlier this week. He will not play this week and may miss the Ole Miss game as well.
Alabama Trip Summary:
For those of you that couldn’t make the trip to Bama, you missed a good time. We arrived in Tuscaloosa on Friday around 1 pm, just in time to grab some ribs at the famous Dreamland BBQ. The food was a little overrated, but it was still good. Friday night we stayed in Birmingham and didn’t really do much. We drove through downtown B’Ham for over an hour looking for some nightlife, but it was completely dead. Eventually we found the only restaurant/bar open at 9 pm so we stopped in for a while. It was a pretty boring night. Saturday morning we arrived in Tuscaloosa about 8 am and we tailgated at the quad till gametime. The tailgating scene at Alabama is nice but it’s very low key. It’s not a party atmosphere like you’ll find at LSU. The people were very nice and welcoming, which was somewhat surprising. I expected to get some heckling, but got none. That was, until we went to the Houndstooth Bar to watch the game. I don’t think they liked us very much there. It was mostly Bama fans, even though I found out later that there were several other bars that were LSU dominated. We weren’t being complete a-holes, just cheering for our team, but we had a few drunken Bammers that gave us some crap. Even though we were with mostly Bama fans, it was kinda fun to see the place go silent after the game. The streets after the game were filled with rowdy Tigers. Several dance parties erupted in the streets. I have to admit, I did a little dancing myself. Overall, it was a great trip and I will definitely go back.
Did you know?
The last time LSU allowed 4 consecutive teams to score 24 or more points was in 1992. LSU lost all 4 of those games.
Did you know part II?
Les Miles is the only LSU coach to go 3-0 vs. Alabama. He and Saban are the only 2 LSU coaches to beat Bama 3 times.
Week 8 Games of the Week:
Virginia Tech def. Georgia Tech, 27-3
Arkansas def. South Carolina, 48-36
Navy def. Notre Dame, 46-44
Oregon def. Arizona St., 35-23
Kansas def. Nebraska, 76-39
Ohio St. def. Wisconsin, 38-17
Florida St. def. Boston College, 27-17
Oklahoma def. Texas A&M, 42-14
Rankings:
Here are the updated top 10 BCS rankings:
1. Ohio St.
2. LSU
3. Oregon
4. Kansas
5. Oklahoma
6. Missouri
7. West Virginia
8. Boston College
9. Arizona St.
10. Georgia
The SEC currently holds seven spots in the top 25.
Whack Stats:
Alabama was only penalized twice for 15 yards. That’s Whack!!
Krysal Burger forgot Ty’s food. That’s Whack!!!
Notes:
LSU vs. Ole Miss will be shown on CBS at 2:30.
(3) LSU defeats (17) Alabama, 41-34
Bryant Denny Stadium, Tuscaloosa, AL
Game Recap:
It was another thriller as LSU secured their 5th straight win over Alabama. LSU was their own worst enemy in a game that shouldn’t have come down to yet another 4th down conversion. But it did, and LSU once again showed that they are holding better cards when the chips are on the table. The familiar combination of Flynn-Doucet once again bailed out the Tiger’s and saved Les Miles from having a lot of explaining to do. Statistically, LSU dominated the game. But the scoreboard doesn’t keep track of statistics. LSU played well enough in the first quarter to win this game by 20 points. Instead, they completely botched the second quarter, giving Bama new life. When they had the chance to deliver the crushing blow, they wiffed. When will they string together 4 quarters of mistake free football like they did against Virginia Tech?
Penalties, Turnovers, and Big Plays. That was the name of this game. LSU was flagged a ridiculous 14 times for an unbelievable 130 yards. LSU is by far the most penalized team in the SEC and one of the top offenders in the country. This has got to stop if LSU wants to hoist the crystal ball in January. Matt Flynn was up and down. He had 3 interceptions but also threw for a career high 353 yards passing and 3 touchdowns. He even had a 35 yard reception from Early Doucet. Stats aside, Flynn has looked like a great leader on the field in clutch situations. His winning attitude and quiet confidence seem to inspire the offense to mount these late game comebacks. Defensively, LSU had an outstanding game. They gave up a few big plays, but they brought pressure all night recording seven sacks. One of those sacks was directly responsible for LSU’s game winning score. I was impressed that LSU was able to force a lot of 3rd and long situations. Bama was only 4 of 17 on third down against an LSU defense that has not been particularly good on 3rd down as of late. LSU’s special teams were a mess. LSU had a blocked FG and allowed a punt return. Those were two game changing plays. Why were we kicking to Arenas? I don’t know. Why are our coverage teams having so much trouble this year when last year they were lights out? I don’t know. When will these mistakes cost us a game? I don’t want to know.
Game Stats:
Rushing: LSU-87 , BAMA-20
Passing: LSU-388 , BAMA-234
Total: LSU-475 , BAMA-254
Game Balls:
Offense: Demetrius Byrd. 6 catches for 144 yards. Enough said.
Defense: Chad Jones. Keep this up Chad and you may be known as a better safety than Laron Landry when it’s all over.
Honorable Mention: Kirston Pittman also had a great game.
SEC Honors:
Even though he didn’t get the coveted Samson Game Ball, Glenn Dorsey did receive SEC Defensive Player of the Week honors from the conference.
Injuries:
The most severe injury from the Alabama game is Darry Beckwith’s knee. He has some scar tissue in his knee that required arthroscopic surgery earlier this week. He will not play this week and may miss the Ole Miss game as well.
Alabama Trip Summary:
For those of you that couldn’t make the trip to Bama, you missed a good time. We arrived in Tuscaloosa on Friday around 1 pm, just in time to grab some ribs at the famous Dreamland BBQ. The food was a little overrated, but it was still good. Friday night we stayed in Birmingham and didn’t really do much. We drove through downtown B’Ham for over an hour looking for some nightlife, but it was completely dead. Eventually we found the only restaurant/bar open at 9 pm so we stopped in for a while. It was a pretty boring night. Saturday morning we arrived in Tuscaloosa about 8 am and we tailgated at the quad till gametime. The tailgating scene at Alabama is nice but it’s very low key. It’s not a party atmosphere like you’ll find at LSU. The people were very nice and welcoming, which was somewhat surprising. I expected to get some heckling, but got none. That was, until we went to the Houndstooth Bar to watch the game. I don’t think they liked us very much there. It was mostly Bama fans, even though I found out later that there were several other bars that were LSU dominated. We weren’t being complete a-holes, just cheering for our team, but we had a few drunken Bammers that gave us some crap. Even though we were with mostly Bama fans, it was kinda fun to see the place go silent after the game. The streets after the game were filled with rowdy Tigers. Several dance parties erupted in the streets. I have to admit, I did a little dancing myself. Overall, it was a great trip and I will definitely go back.
Did you know?
The last time LSU allowed 4 consecutive teams to score 24 or more points was in 1992. LSU lost all 4 of those games.
Did you know part II?
Les Miles is the only LSU coach to go 3-0 vs. Alabama. He and Saban are the only 2 LSU coaches to beat Bama 3 times.
Week 8 Games of the Week:
Virginia Tech def. Georgia Tech, 27-3
Arkansas def. South Carolina, 48-36
Navy def. Notre Dame, 46-44
Oregon def. Arizona St., 35-23
Kansas def. Nebraska, 76-39
Ohio St. def. Wisconsin, 38-17
Florida St. def. Boston College, 27-17
Oklahoma def. Texas A&M, 42-14
Rankings:
Here are the updated top 10 BCS rankings:
1. Ohio St.
2. LSU
3. Oregon
4. Kansas
5. Oklahoma
6. Missouri
7. West Virginia
8. Boston College
9. Arizona St.
10. Georgia
The SEC currently holds seven spots in the top 25.
Whack Stats:
Alabama was only penalized twice for 15 yards. That’s Whack!!
Krysal Burger forgot Ty’s food. That’s Whack!!!
Notes:
LSU vs. Ole Miss will be shown on CBS at 2:30.
Thursday, November 1, 2007
Wild West Showdown
Week 10: November 3, 2007
(3) LSU vs. (17) Alabama
Bryant-Denny Stadium (92,138): Tuscaloosa, AL
CBS 4pm
Miles….. Saban….Back to Back. Just 10 short paces until they turn around and draw weapons on each other. If only this game were at high noon, it would make for the perfect Hollywood movie. Make no mistake, there will be a dual on the field of Bryant-Denny Stadium on Saturday. The winner takes the west, and the loser rides off into the sunset in the opposite direction of Atlanta. Weather Saban or Miles admits it or not, they are going head to head, or back to back as it may be. The outward love affair each coach has displayed this week will not be enough to mask the hatred that burns just below the surface, especially for Miles. Since day 1 in Baton Rouge, Miles hasn’t gone a day without being compared to the great Nick Saban. The shadow cast by Nick has been inescapable thus far for Les. Maybe this is the week that the sun shines upon Miles and he sees the light. Or maybe the shadow becomes so dark that Miles loses his way in Baton Rouge. Am I over dramatizing this??? Not at all. This is it for Miles. His legacy, his reputation, his manhood rides on this game. I can’t even imagine the mutiny that will ensue if Miles returns to Baton Rouge with a loss. It will be ugly, and Miles knows it. Miles has had this game circled since January 3rd, the day Saban took the Bama job and the credit for LSU beat down of Notre Dame in the Sugar Bowl. I think that angered Les Miles. His anger boiled over again last February 7th when Miles went into a rant at the Recruiting Bash, culminating in an F-Bomb dropped on Tuscaloosa. Let’s hope that same intensity is on display this Saturday.
Point Spread:
LSU -7.5
Bama Bound:
I, joined by several other Samsonites, will be in hostile territory this weekend. We don’t have tickets, but we’ll be there to absorb the abuse from the delusional Bama faithful. I’m not too worried about it. I’ll let the scoreboard do the talking for me.
"You tell them I’m coming. And Hell’s coming with me!"
Know thy Foe:
Head Coach: Nick Saban
Since 2000, LSU is 6-1 against Alabama, their best stretch ever against the Crimson Tide. LSU has won the last 4 games and 6 of the last 7.
This is a series that has been dominated by the visiting team. The Tigers are 9-3 at Bama during my lifetime. Over that same period, Bama is 9-3-1 at Tiger Stadium.
LSU and Alabama do not have a common opponent yet this season. Four of Alabama’s wins this season have been by seven points or less. Alabama is 0-2 this season in games played when they are ranked. They are 2-1 vs. ranked teams while LSU is 4-1 against ranked teams.
Week 1: Defeated Western Carolina, 52-6
Week 2: Defeated Vanderbilt, 24-10
Week 3: Defeated Arkansas, 41-38
Week 4: Lost to Georgia, 23-26
Week 5: Lost to Florida St., 14-21
Week 6: Defeated Houston, 30-24
Week 7: Defeated Ole Miss, 27-24
Week 8: Defeated Tennessee, 41-17
Week 9: OFF
LSU Offense vs. Alabama Defense:
I won’t sugar coat it. Alabama is weak on defense and I’d be disappointed if LSU is not able to rack up at least 30 points. They are young and inexperienced. On top of that, they are still trying to learn Saban’s very complex defense. It took LSU almost 2 years to learn it. But still, it is a Saban defense. So you can expect to see a lot of blitzing and pressure put on Flynn. He should have a great day running the ball if he can feel the pressure and escape the pocket before it collapses. I think he’ll be ready for it. After all, he spent 2 years going against the Saban defense while he was running the scout team offense for LSU. We should have a great day running the ball as Alabama has given up tons of yards. The passing game could be just as successful if Miles/Crowton can keep them off balance and spread it out. One play that always seemed to work against Saban was the middle screen to the running back releasing from the backfield. Alabama may target Early Doucet with backer Siemeon Castille. I don’t think they’ll let Doucet have single coverage on passing downs. LSU must move the ball consistently and not settle for field goals when they enter the red zone.
Alabama Offense vs. LSU Defense:
John Parker Wilson is Bama’s QB. He is not a great quarterback, but he did have a lot of success last season against LSU. Major Applewhite, former Catholic High and Texas QB, is the wonder boy offensive coordinator. He’s only 28 years old, but he’s done a good job so far. Alabama uses two halfbacks in speedster Terry Grant and bruiser Glen Coffee. Coffee, however, may be suspended for the game since he was part of the textbook scandal (more on that later). D.J. Hall, the SEC’s leading receiver, is Alabama’s Early Doucet and he is very effective. He averages over 15 yards per reception. I expect to hear his name a lot on Saturday. Alabama’s offensive line is pretty good despite the possible suspension of 2 starters, guard Marlon Davis and center Antoine Caldwell. Andre Smith is a great left tackle. Justin Britt will go against Dorsey. The O-line has looked good so far this season, but they have not gone against a defensive line like LSU’s. This match up between the big uglies will determine the outcome of the game in my opinion. LSU needs to put a rush on Parker Wilson and make him get rid of the ball before he’s ready. He is a 3 step drop QB much like Kentucky’s Andre Woodson. If you remember, the only success LSU had against Woodson was when the rush was on. I hope Pelini re-watched that tape.
Keys to the Game:
Score early. If you win the toss, take the ball. We must score early to take the crowd out of the game. Alabama is not known to be the loudest fan base, but they are the most delusional and myopic. They think they should beat everybody, because they are ALABAMA. They don’t have much perspective when it comes to college football. Anyway, back on topic; we must not have a slow start like we’ve been doing the last few games. Get ahead and stay ahead.
Injury Report:
Glenn Dorsey: Probable. Not at 100%.
Ali Highsmith: Close to 100%
Darry Beckwith: Close to 100%. He popped that shoulder back in and got back in the game against Auburn. What a beast!
Kirston Pittman: Close to 100%.
Game Prediction:
This game is a hard one to predict. I think LSU will have success on offense if they show some creativity. On defense, it’s pretty simple. RUSH THE QUARTERBACK! Will they do these things?? I think they will because Miles’ butt is on the line.
I’ll take LSU – 34, Bama – 24
Week 10 Games of the Week: (Predicted winners in CAPS)
(11) VIRGINIA TECH @ Georgia Tech
Nebraska @ (8) KANSAS
(4) Arizona St. @ (5) OREGON
(21) Wisconsin @ (1) OHIO ST.
(15) TEXAS @ Oklahoma St.
Florida St. @ (2) BOSTON COLLEGE
Lock of the Week: (3-4)
Georgia (-16.5) vs. Troy
Upset Special: (4-5)
Navy (+3.5) over Notre Dame. Go Midshipmen!
Whack Stats!
LSU has not lost in November since 2002, over 15 games. That’s Whack!!
The Varsity Situation:
I’m not going to go too far into this, as I know you’ve been beat down by this story over the last few days. Everyone by now knows what happened. Odom and Benton are thugs and Perrilloux suffers from some of the worst judgement I’ve ever seen. The penalty fit the crime and I’m happy with the way Miles handled it. I don’t think the team has been too distracted by this but the fans have obsessed over this story all week. It’s time to put this behind us and focus on the Crimson Tide.
Perrilloux will not be making the trip to BAMA. Who will we ever find to take the snap and run left? Miles lists walk-on Andrew Hatch (#14) as the backup QB. I hope Hatch can handle it because I really don’t want to take the redshirt off Jarrett Lee. Odom and Benton are toast, as they should be. Have a nice life, don’t drop the soap.
The Textbook Situation:
Here’s the short version. Alabama players have been abusing scholarship money set aside for textbook purchases. It’s not just the football team, but 5 players were suspended for last week’s Tennessee game and will probably remain suspended for the LSU game. They have been allowed to practice but they’ve been working with the 3rd team all week. Textbook abuse is not something invented by Bama. It goes on at a lot of places since it is very easy to get away with. However, Bama’s textbook program makes it even easier to abuse by giving each player bookstore debit cards. This is being investigated by the SEC Conference in Birmingham so don’t expect any harsh penalties for Bama.
My thoughts of Nick Saban:
Like most people, I have mixed feelings about this guy. As usual, my opinion falls somewhere in the middle of the pack between those that hate his guts and those that still pray to Lord Saban. This is a classic case of the jilted lover. He left us. He broke our hearts. The natural human reaction is to hate him and find someone else to love. Les Miles has definitely benefited from this reaction by the fanbase. Consider this…
Here are some reasons to hate Nick Saban:
He coaches at Alabama, a division foe in the SEC.
He uses his coaching contacts in Louisiana to recruit our players.
He uses negative recruiting tactics to put down LSU.
He waited until the end of December to resign the LSU job, giving us very little time to find a new coach.
He tried to raid our personnel staff and coaches once he was hired on at Bama.
He made insulting comments about Louisiana people and our culture.
He treats people with no respect, unless he needs something from them.
He’s a liar and only cares about himself.
He’s a money grubbing a-hole.
Here are some reasons to love Nick Saban:
He led LSU to a National Title.
He won two SEC Championships for LSU.
He resurrected the LSU program from mediocrity and made us a national powerhouse.
He put up a fence around Louisiana and recruited the best in-state players.
He demanded changes be made to all LSU sports facilities.
He demanded the Cox Center for Student Athletes.
Love him or hate him????
Les Miles Winning with Saban’s Players??
Yes and No. Here are a few stats to ponder:
*30 current LSU players, including 7 starters, were on the roster in 2004, Saban’s last season.
*The tigers have scored 294 points this season, 240 of which were scored by players signed after Saban left.
*Eleven of the top 15 tacklers on LSU’s team are Saban recruits.
BCS News:
Ohio St. remained #1 and Boston College remained #2 in the latest BCS poll. Here’s what those two teams have accomplished and what they have remaining.
Week:----------------Ohio St.-------------------------Boston College
---1----------Defeated Youngstown St., 38-6----------Defeated Wake Forrest, 38-28
---2----------Defeated Akron, 20-2-------------------Defeated N.C. State, 37-17
---3----------Defeated Washington, 33-14------------Defeated Ga. Tech, 24-10
---4----------Defeated Northwestern, 58-7-----------Defeated Army, 37-17
---5----------Defeated Minnesota, 30-7---------------Defeated UMass, 24-14
---6----------Defeated Purdue, 23-7------------------Defeated Bowling Green, 55-24
---7----------Defeated Kent St., 48-3-----------------Defeated Notre Dame, 27-14
---8----------Defeated Michigan St., 24-17------------OFF
---9----------Defeated Penn St., 37-17----------------Defeated Va. Tech, 14-10
---10---------vs. Wisconsin---------------------------vs. Florida St.
---11---------vs. Illinois-------------------------------vs. Maryland
---12---------vs. Michigan----------------------------vs. Clemson
---13---------OFF------------------------------------vs. Miami
---14---------No Championship Game----------------ACC Championship Game
BCS Top 10:
1. Ohio St.
2. Boston College
3. LSU
4. Arizona St.
5. Oregon
6. Oklahoma
7. West Virginia
8. Kansas
9. Missouri
10. Georgia
Samson’s Top 10:
1. Ohio St.
2. LSU
3. Oregon
4. Oklahoma
5. Boston College
6. Arizona St.
7. West Virginia
8. Kansas
9. Georgia
10. Missouri
(3) LSU vs. (17) Alabama
Bryant-Denny Stadium (92,138): Tuscaloosa, AL
CBS 4pm
Miles….. Saban….Back to Back. Just 10 short paces until they turn around and draw weapons on each other. If only this game were at high noon, it would make for the perfect Hollywood movie. Make no mistake, there will be a dual on the field of Bryant-Denny Stadium on Saturday. The winner takes the west, and the loser rides off into the sunset in the opposite direction of Atlanta. Weather Saban or Miles admits it or not, they are going head to head, or back to back as it may be. The outward love affair each coach has displayed this week will not be enough to mask the hatred that burns just below the surface, especially for Miles. Since day 1 in Baton Rouge, Miles hasn’t gone a day without being compared to the great Nick Saban. The shadow cast by Nick has been inescapable thus far for Les. Maybe this is the week that the sun shines upon Miles and he sees the light. Or maybe the shadow becomes so dark that Miles loses his way in Baton Rouge. Am I over dramatizing this??? Not at all. This is it for Miles. His legacy, his reputation, his manhood rides on this game. I can’t even imagine the mutiny that will ensue if Miles returns to Baton Rouge with a loss. It will be ugly, and Miles knows it. Miles has had this game circled since January 3rd, the day Saban took the Bama job and the credit for LSU beat down of Notre Dame in the Sugar Bowl. I think that angered Les Miles. His anger boiled over again last February 7th when Miles went into a rant at the Recruiting Bash, culminating in an F-Bomb dropped on Tuscaloosa. Let’s hope that same intensity is on display this Saturday.
Point Spread:
LSU -7.5
Bama Bound:
I, joined by several other Samsonites, will be in hostile territory this weekend. We don’t have tickets, but we’ll be there to absorb the abuse from the delusional Bama faithful. I’m not too worried about it. I’ll let the scoreboard do the talking for me.
"You tell them I’m coming. And Hell’s coming with me!"
Know thy Foe:
Head Coach: Nick Saban
Since 2000, LSU is 6-1 against Alabama, their best stretch ever against the Crimson Tide. LSU has won the last 4 games and 6 of the last 7.
This is a series that has been dominated by the visiting team. The Tigers are 9-3 at Bama during my lifetime. Over that same period, Bama is 9-3-1 at Tiger Stadium.
LSU and Alabama do not have a common opponent yet this season. Four of Alabama’s wins this season have been by seven points or less. Alabama is 0-2 this season in games played when they are ranked. They are 2-1 vs. ranked teams while LSU is 4-1 against ranked teams.
Week 1: Defeated Western Carolina, 52-6
Week 2: Defeated Vanderbilt, 24-10
Week 3: Defeated Arkansas, 41-38
Week 4: Lost to Georgia, 23-26
Week 5: Lost to Florida St., 14-21
Week 6: Defeated Houston, 30-24
Week 7: Defeated Ole Miss, 27-24
Week 8: Defeated Tennessee, 41-17
Week 9: OFF
LSU Offense vs. Alabama Defense:
I won’t sugar coat it. Alabama is weak on defense and I’d be disappointed if LSU is not able to rack up at least 30 points. They are young and inexperienced. On top of that, they are still trying to learn Saban’s very complex defense. It took LSU almost 2 years to learn it. But still, it is a Saban defense. So you can expect to see a lot of blitzing and pressure put on Flynn. He should have a great day running the ball if he can feel the pressure and escape the pocket before it collapses. I think he’ll be ready for it. After all, he spent 2 years going against the Saban defense while he was running the scout team offense for LSU. We should have a great day running the ball as Alabama has given up tons of yards. The passing game could be just as successful if Miles/Crowton can keep them off balance and spread it out. One play that always seemed to work against Saban was the middle screen to the running back releasing from the backfield. Alabama may target Early Doucet with backer Siemeon Castille. I don’t think they’ll let Doucet have single coverage on passing downs. LSU must move the ball consistently and not settle for field goals when they enter the red zone.
Alabama Offense vs. LSU Defense:
John Parker Wilson is Bama’s QB. He is not a great quarterback, but he did have a lot of success last season against LSU. Major Applewhite, former Catholic High and Texas QB, is the wonder boy offensive coordinator. He’s only 28 years old, but he’s done a good job so far. Alabama uses two halfbacks in speedster Terry Grant and bruiser Glen Coffee. Coffee, however, may be suspended for the game since he was part of the textbook scandal (more on that later). D.J. Hall, the SEC’s leading receiver, is Alabama’s Early Doucet and he is very effective. He averages over 15 yards per reception. I expect to hear his name a lot on Saturday. Alabama’s offensive line is pretty good despite the possible suspension of 2 starters, guard Marlon Davis and center Antoine Caldwell. Andre Smith is a great left tackle. Justin Britt will go against Dorsey. The O-line has looked good so far this season, but they have not gone against a defensive line like LSU’s. This match up between the big uglies will determine the outcome of the game in my opinion. LSU needs to put a rush on Parker Wilson and make him get rid of the ball before he’s ready. He is a 3 step drop QB much like Kentucky’s Andre Woodson. If you remember, the only success LSU had against Woodson was when the rush was on. I hope Pelini re-watched that tape.
Keys to the Game:
Score early. If you win the toss, take the ball. We must score early to take the crowd out of the game. Alabama is not known to be the loudest fan base, but they are the most delusional and myopic. They think they should beat everybody, because they are ALABAMA. They don’t have much perspective when it comes to college football. Anyway, back on topic; we must not have a slow start like we’ve been doing the last few games. Get ahead and stay ahead.
Injury Report:
Glenn Dorsey: Probable. Not at 100%.
Ali Highsmith: Close to 100%
Darry Beckwith: Close to 100%. He popped that shoulder back in and got back in the game against Auburn. What a beast!
Kirston Pittman: Close to 100%.
Game Prediction:
This game is a hard one to predict. I think LSU will have success on offense if they show some creativity. On defense, it’s pretty simple. RUSH THE QUARTERBACK! Will they do these things?? I think they will because Miles’ butt is on the line.
I’ll take LSU – 34, Bama – 24
Week 10 Games of the Week: (Predicted winners in CAPS)
(11) VIRGINIA TECH @ Georgia Tech
Nebraska @ (8) KANSAS
(4) Arizona St. @ (5) OREGON
(21) Wisconsin @ (1) OHIO ST.
(15) TEXAS @ Oklahoma St.
Florida St. @ (2) BOSTON COLLEGE
Lock of the Week: (3-4)
Georgia (-16.5) vs. Troy
Upset Special: (4-5)
Navy (+3.5) over Notre Dame. Go Midshipmen!
Whack Stats!
LSU has not lost in November since 2002, over 15 games. That’s Whack!!
The Varsity Situation:
I’m not going to go too far into this, as I know you’ve been beat down by this story over the last few days. Everyone by now knows what happened. Odom and Benton are thugs and Perrilloux suffers from some of the worst judgement I’ve ever seen. The penalty fit the crime and I’m happy with the way Miles handled it. I don’t think the team has been too distracted by this but the fans have obsessed over this story all week. It’s time to put this behind us and focus on the Crimson Tide.
Perrilloux will not be making the trip to BAMA. Who will we ever find to take the snap and run left? Miles lists walk-on Andrew Hatch (#14) as the backup QB. I hope Hatch can handle it because I really don’t want to take the redshirt off Jarrett Lee. Odom and Benton are toast, as they should be. Have a nice life, don’t drop the soap.
The Textbook Situation:
Here’s the short version. Alabama players have been abusing scholarship money set aside for textbook purchases. It’s not just the football team, but 5 players were suspended for last week’s Tennessee game and will probably remain suspended for the LSU game. They have been allowed to practice but they’ve been working with the 3rd team all week. Textbook abuse is not something invented by Bama. It goes on at a lot of places since it is very easy to get away with. However, Bama’s textbook program makes it even easier to abuse by giving each player bookstore debit cards. This is being investigated by the SEC Conference in Birmingham so don’t expect any harsh penalties for Bama.
My thoughts of Nick Saban:
Like most people, I have mixed feelings about this guy. As usual, my opinion falls somewhere in the middle of the pack between those that hate his guts and those that still pray to Lord Saban. This is a classic case of the jilted lover. He left us. He broke our hearts. The natural human reaction is to hate him and find someone else to love. Les Miles has definitely benefited from this reaction by the fanbase. Consider this…
Here are some reasons to hate Nick Saban:
He coaches at Alabama, a division foe in the SEC.
He uses his coaching contacts in Louisiana to recruit our players.
He uses negative recruiting tactics to put down LSU.
He waited until the end of December to resign the LSU job, giving us very little time to find a new coach.
He tried to raid our personnel staff and coaches once he was hired on at Bama.
He made insulting comments about Louisiana people and our culture.
He treats people with no respect, unless he needs something from them.
He’s a liar and only cares about himself.
He’s a money grubbing a-hole.
Here are some reasons to love Nick Saban:
He led LSU to a National Title.
He won two SEC Championships for LSU.
He resurrected the LSU program from mediocrity and made us a national powerhouse.
He put up a fence around Louisiana and recruited the best in-state players.
He demanded changes be made to all LSU sports facilities.
He demanded the Cox Center for Student Athletes.
Love him or hate him????
Les Miles Winning with Saban’s Players??
Yes and No. Here are a few stats to ponder:
*30 current LSU players, including 7 starters, were on the roster in 2004, Saban’s last season.
*The tigers have scored 294 points this season, 240 of which were scored by players signed after Saban left.
*Eleven of the top 15 tacklers on LSU’s team are Saban recruits.
BCS News:
Ohio St. remained #1 and Boston College remained #2 in the latest BCS poll. Here’s what those two teams have accomplished and what they have remaining.
Week:----------------Ohio St.-------------------------Boston College
---1----------Defeated Youngstown St., 38-6----------Defeated Wake Forrest, 38-28
---2----------Defeated Akron, 20-2-------------------Defeated N.C. State, 37-17
---3----------Defeated Washington, 33-14------------Defeated Ga. Tech, 24-10
---4----------Defeated Northwestern, 58-7-----------Defeated Army, 37-17
---5----------Defeated Minnesota, 30-7---------------Defeated UMass, 24-14
---6----------Defeated Purdue, 23-7------------------Defeated Bowling Green, 55-24
---7----------Defeated Kent St., 48-3-----------------Defeated Notre Dame, 27-14
---8----------Defeated Michigan St., 24-17------------OFF
---9----------Defeated Penn St., 37-17----------------Defeated Va. Tech, 14-10
---10---------vs. Wisconsin---------------------------vs. Florida St.
---11---------vs. Illinois-------------------------------vs. Maryland
---12---------vs. Michigan----------------------------vs. Clemson
---13---------OFF------------------------------------vs. Miami
---14---------No Championship Game----------------ACC Championship Game
BCS Top 10:
1. Ohio St.
2. Boston College
3. LSU
4. Arizona St.
5. Oregon
6. Oklahoma
7. West Virginia
8. Kansas
9. Missouri
10. Georgia
Samson’s Top 10:
1. Ohio St.
2. LSU
3. Oregon
4. Oklahoma
5. Boston College
6. Arizona St.
7. West Virginia
8. Kansas
9. Georgia
10. Missouri
Friday, October 26, 2007
Off Week
Week 9: October 27, 2007
LSU OFF
Dear Samsonites,
This will be a short report, as will next Monday’s report. Also, I have been asked if I would be willing to post reports from guest columnists. The answer is yes. Just email it to me and I’ll post them every so often. Also, I have enjoyed the comments every week but if you leave a comment be sure that you also include your name. And just so you know, “Left Boot” is not a name, Tetlow.
Week 9 Games of the Week: (Predicted Winners in CAPS)
(9) KANSAS @ Texas A&M
(18) Georgia @ (11) FLORIDA
Nebraska @ (19) TEXAS
(7) WEST VIRGINIA @ Rutgers
(16) South Carolina @ TENNESSEE
Lock of the Week: (3-3)
(22) Auburn (-17) vs. Ole Miss
Upset Special: (4-2) I’m going for the Upset Trifecta!
(12) Southern Cal (+3) @ (5) Oregon
(25) Penn St. (+4) vs. (1) Ohio St.
(21) California (+3) @ (4) Arizona St.
LSU OFF
Dear Samsonites,
This will be a short report, as will next Monday’s report. Also, I have been asked if I would be willing to post reports from guest columnists. The answer is yes. Just email it to me and I’ll post them every so often. Also, I have enjoyed the comments every week but if you leave a comment be sure that you also include your name. And just so you know, “Left Boot” is not a name, Tetlow.
Week 9 Games of the Week: (Predicted Winners in CAPS)
(9) KANSAS @ Texas A&M
(18) Georgia @ (11) FLORIDA
Nebraska @ (19) TEXAS
(7) WEST VIRGINIA @ Rutgers
(16) South Carolina @ TENNESSEE
Lock of the Week: (3-3)
(22) Auburn (-17) vs. Ole Miss
Upset Special: (4-2) I’m going for the Upset Trifecta!
(12) Southern Cal (+3) @ (5) Oregon
(25) Penn St. (+4) vs. (1) Ohio St.
(21) California (+3) @ (4) Arizona St.
Monday, October 22, 2007
Sweep the Leg!!
Week 8: October 20, 2007
(4) LSU defeats (17) Auburn, 30-24
Death Valley, Baton Rouge
Game Recap:
It was another cardiac game inside Death Valley. I think this season alone has erased about 4 years off the end of my life. LSU again played a poor first half, falling behind 17-7 at the halfway point. It took a dominating 3rd quarter and a pretty good 4th quarter to pull off another last second win.
The offensive game plan was solid. LSU opened up the playbook a little bit, and it showed. LSU put up 488 yards of total offense against a very good Auburn defense. The return of Early Doucet was huge. His presence in the game is invaluable. As predicted, Matt Flynn looked like his old self as he had a great game and a career night with 319 yards passing. The offensive line gave Flynn time to throw the ball and opened up nice holes for the running backs. But the hero of the game was Demetrius Byrd. I’ve been lauding this guy since he got here, and he’s finally made a name for himself. Everyone will remember the Flynn-Byrd connection at the end of this game like they remember the Hodson-Fuller, or Mauck-Green, connections. It was a special play and a great way to end the game.
The defense had a good, not great, game overall. They still are having trouble getting a consistent pass rush on the quarterback. This gives the receivers plenty of time to find an opening in the secondary. They also are getting suckered into coverage mismatches. For example, the last couple of weeks, our linebackers have been forced to cover the running backs releasing from the backfield. Our linebackers are fast, but not that fast. We need to find a way to get our linebackers some help in those situations. Poor tackling was a problem in this game as well. We did not wrap up Brad Lester and he had a lot of yards on second effort.
The Good:
Although it wasn’t pretty in the first half, LSU did what they had to do to keep their dreams alive for another national title. It appears now more than ever that the Kentucky loss did not hurt us in that respect. Win out, and you’re in. It’s as simple as that.
I’m impressed with the heart of this team. It’s not easy to make a comeback like we witnessed in the second half. A 10 point deficit to a very defensive Auburn team was a huge hurdle to overcome. But they did it. They stayed true to their gameplan and executed much better in the second half. This comeback will serve as valuable experience the next time this team is trailing.
The Bad:
What is going on with the game management at the end of games? While I’m not really convinced that the clock should have gone all the way down to 1 second, I don’t understand why we had to cut it so close. The play call was good. Taking a shot at the endzone was the right call. But Les Miles did himself no favors by once again taking unnecessary risks. The key word there is unnecessary, and the Les Miles naysayers have another bullet for their guns. Clock management, especially at the end of games, has been one of Miles’ biggest problems.
Another criticism I have of miles is his personnel choices. Why can’t Charles Scott and Keiland Williams get more touches? They have big play potential and can score from anywhere on the field. Charles Scott hits the open holes so hard that he’s already gained 5 yards before the defense takes a hit on him. Yet he only gets the ball 5 times??? Keiland Williams takes a shovel pass 46 yards for a TD and then only gets one more carry the whole game??? I don’t get it. I’d like to see a little more of them on first and second down. If you want to use Hester on 3rd downs, that’s fine with me. But give Scott and Williams the rock! They can go the distance.
The Ugly:
Chaz Ramsey. Punk!
You are the most pathetic type of human being in civilized society. Like a spoiled kid, you resort to cheating when you know you can’t win fairly. The knee chop was the most unsportsmanlike play I have EVER seen in my entire life. I’ve been around sports since before I can remember, and I’ve never witnessed such a malicious attack in any sport on any level. Chaz Ramsey is a punk! He’s a cheater and a criminal. You jeopardized a man’s entire future. His life. The life of his kids. You crossed the line and you should be suspended from college athletics for the rest of your life. Get on your knees tonight and thank God that you didn’t accomplish what you intended to do. If you had done permanent damage to Dorsey, your life as you know it would be over. You’re the type of person that will eventually be a wife beater and child abuser. You are a waste of a human being. Take your beating like a man instead of trying to ruin someone’s career. If I were Glenn Dorsey, I’d be on my way to Auburn, Alabama right now to beat you within an inch of your life. But I’m not Glenn Dorsey; he’s too classy to do something like that.
And Tuberville, you should be ashamed of yourself. With your record of classless behavior, it is not out of the question that you instructed this type of play. Your defensive attitude after the game reeks of a guilty conscience. You were quoted as saying, “We did not teach it, will not teach it, and won’t tolerate it.” YES YOU DID! YES YOU WILL! YES YOU DO! I hate you even more now.
Game Stats:
Rushing: LSU-169 , AU-97
Passing: LSU-319 , AU-199
Total: LSU-488 , AU-296
Game Ball:
Matt Flynn. Excellent game. Flynn was 22 of 34 for 319 yards, all career highs. He also had another 34 yards rushing. The interception was not his fault and his receivers dropped 6 catchable balls. Still, Flynn had the best game of his career. Now let’s see that against Bama!
Did you notice?
After Dorsey was injured on the first illegal chop block, he returned a few series later. On his first play back, he tossed Chaz Ramsey into the backfield like the punk he is. It was nice to see good triumph over evil.
Did you notice part II?
Did you see who was lined up in the noseguard position on the punt return team? Yes, it was big Trindon Holliday trying to sneak through the line and get a hand on the ball.
Week 8 Games of the Week:
UCLA def. (10) California, 30-21
(14) Southern Cal def. Notre Dame, 38-0
(15) Florida def. (7) Kentucky, 45-37
Alabama def. (20) Tennessee, 41-17
Vanderbilt def. (6) South Carolina, 17-6
Rutgers def. (2) South Florida, 30-27
Rankings:
Here’s the updated top 10 BCS rankings:
1. Ohio St.
2. Boston College
3, LSU
4. Arizona St.
5. Oregon
6. Oklahoma
7. West Virginia
8. Virginia Tech
9. Kansas
10. South Florida
Whack Stats:
The Big Ten Conference, as a whole, has won only one non-conference game against a Division 1-A opponent with a winning record. That win came against Bowling Green. Not a single win against a BCS conference team with a winning record for any of its eleven members. That’s whack!!
Friday, October 19, 2007
Tigers vs. Pussy Cats!
Week 8: October 20, 2007
(4) LSU vs. (17) Auburn
Death Valley, Baton Rouge
8 pm ESPN
Point Spread:
LSU (-11)
Know Thy Foe:
Head Coach – Tommy Tubberville
Auburn is a serious contender for the West. They are a legitimate threat to LSU. They stumbled twice early this year, but have since found some consistency on offense and have stopped turning the ball over. They are not the same team that lost to Mississippi St.
Auburn is 2-0 in road contests this season. They have won their last 8 SEC road games going all the way back to the 2005 LSU-Auburn game where LSU won 20-17. They have won their last 9 matchups with Top 10 opponents. That should tell you something about Tubberville’s ability to prepare his team for the big games. And this one is HUGE!
Week 1: Defeated Kansas St., 23-13
Week 2: Lost to South Florida,26-24
Week 3: Lost to Mississippi St., 19-14
Week 4: Defeated New Mexico St., 55-20
Week 5: Defeated Florida, 20-17
Week 6: Defeated Vanderbilt, 35-7
Week 7: Defeated Arkansas, 9-7
LSU Offense vs. Auburn Defense:
Defense is the strength of this Auburn team. Auburn is second in the league in total defense behind LSU. Quentin Groves, the anchor on the d-line, will be back for this game after missing the last two with a foot injury. Last year, Auburn held LSU to its fewest points in the Les Miles era. Auburn has held 17 of its last 20 opponents to 20 points or less. Like LSU, they are very balanced on defense and they will be coming after the quarterback. The offensive line better be prepared for a blitz scheme like they’ve not seen yet this year. Mushchamp and Tubberville will find ways to disrupt our offense. They have a knack for attacking your offensive strengths. Don’t forget, this team has already shut down Tim Tebow and Darren McFadden. It will be a physical game when LSU’s offense is on the field.
I expect a much better performance from Matt Flynn this game with the return of his safety net, Early Doucet. Flynn will once again feel comfortable throwing the ball and his confidence should re-emerge. Brandon Lafell didn’t handle the spotlight very well while Doucet was out, but he should slide back to the #2 guy and fulfill his role nicely. Will Arnold will also be healthy but I’m not sure how much he’ll play after missing over a month of contact. Hopefully, we’ll see a Crowton offensive game plan instead of the Miles game plan that we saw at the end of the Kentucky game.
Auburn Offense vs. LSU Defense:
Auburn’s signal caller is Brandon Cox, a 3rd year starter. Cox has shown moments of brilliance and he’s looked kinda bad. In that respect, he’s much like Flynn. Their stats are very similar as well. Brad Lester is Auburn’s starting tailback and R. Smith is Auburn’s leading receiver. The Auburn o-line is very young and they might line up a true freshman across from Dorsey. That would be a huge mismatch I don’t care how good he is. Dorsey will probably be double-teamed as usual. This offense is not as good as the last two that we’ve faced. Cox is not a good scrambler so we should be able to put pressure on him and get a few sacks. But I said that about Woodson too. We need to turn up the heat on our rush defense!
Game Prediction:
LSU is still in great position but we have no room for error. If we lose to Auburn, we probably won’t make it to Atlanta and you can forget about another national championship. Auburn has a lot to play for as well so both teams should be equally motivated. The winner of this game has a clear lead in the west. In the last 7 years, the winner of this game has made it to Atlanta 5 times. Furthermore, the home team has won this game each year in that same 7 year span. The last 3 games have been settled by a total of 8 points.
This will be a tough fight. Tubberville is a very good gameday coach. He’s got a lot of deception between those huge ears. He’s cocky, he’s annoying, he’s Tubberville. He’s the kind of coach you’d just love to run up the score on. Unfortunately, that won’t happen. LSU will maintain a 1 possession lead throughout most of the game and score late to put it away. LSU’s home winning streak is extended to 18 games.
I’ll take LSU – 24, Auburn – 10.
Week 8 Games of the Week: (Predicted winners in CAPS)
Mississippi St. at (9) WEST VIRGINIA
(21) Tennessee at ALABAMA
(14) SOUTHERN CAL at Notre Dame
Miami at FLORIDA ST.
(10) OREGON at Washington
(1) OHIO ST. at Michigan St.
Lock of the Week: (2-3)
(15) Florida -7 at (7) Kentucky
Kentucky will lose this game for the same reason they beat LSU. The crash after an emotional high! Plus, Florida was off last week and they’re still pissed off about the LSU game. I would bet the farm on this game if I were a gambling man, which everyone knows I am not.
Upset Special: (3-2)
UCLA over (12) California
The Name Game:
This is a series that has been punctuated by a lot of crazy games. The interception game, the Earthquake game, the Barn Burner game, the Cigar game, the Band Punter fight game, Refgate, and last year’s Grand Theft Auburn. What will happen this year?
Did you hear?
In a recent press conference, Tubberville is already talking about how his team will not get any calls inside Death Valley. Excuse me, but your team has STOLEN the last two games at Auburn. The inequities inside your stadium have been very well documented. Not to mention that LSU has gotten the stinky end of the stick this year when it comes to penalties. Pot meet Kettle! Shut the hell up EARS!
(4) LSU vs. (17) Auburn
Death Valley, Baton Rouge
8 pm ESPN
Point Spread:
LSU (-11)
Know Thy Foe:
Head Coach – Tommy Tubberville
Auburn is a serious contender for the West. They are a legitimate threat to LSU. They stumbled twice early this year, but have since found some consistency on offense and have stopped turning the ball over. They are not the same team that lost to Mississippi St.
Auburn is 2-0 in road contests this season. They have won their last 8 SEC road games going all the way back to the 2005 LSU-Auburn game where LSU won 20-17. They have won their last 9 matchups with Top 10 opponents. That should tell you something about Tubberville’s ability to prepare his team for the big games. And this one is HUGE!
Week 1: Defeated Kansas St., 23-13
Week 2: Lost to South Florida,26-24
Week 3: Lost to Mississippi St., 19-14
Week 4: Defeated New Mexico St., 55-20
Week 5: Defeated Florida, 20-17
Week 6: Defeated Vanderbilt, 35-7
Week 7: Defeated Arkansas, 9-7
LSU Offense vs. Auburn Defense:
Defense is the strength of this Auburn team. Auburn is second in the league in total defense behind LSU. Quentin Groves, the anchor on the d-line, will be back for this game after missing the last two with a foot injury. Last year, Auburn held LSU to its fewest points in the Les Miles era. Auburn has held 17 of its last 20 opponents to 20 points or less. Like LSU, they are very balanced on defense and they will be coming after the quarterback. The offensive line better be prepared for a blitz scheme like they’ve not seen yet this year. Mushchamp and Tubberville will find ways to disrupt our offense. They have a knack for attacking your offensive strengths. Don’t forget, this team has already shut down Tim Tebow and Darren McFadden. It will be a physical game when LSU’s offense is on the field.
I expect a much better performance from Matt Flynn this game with the return of his safety net, Early Doucet. Flynn will once again feel comfortable throwing the ball and his confidence should re-emerge. Brandon Lafell didn’t handle the spotlight very well while Doucet was out, but he should slide back to the #2 guy and fulfill his role nicely. Will Arnold will also be healthy but I’m not sure how much he’ll play after missing over a month of contact. Hopefully, we’ll see a Crowton offensive game plan instead of the Miles game plan that we saw at the end of the Kentucky game.
Auburn Offense vs. LSU Defense:
Auburn’s signal caller is Brandon Cox, a 3rd year starter. Cox has shown moments of brilliance and he’s looked kinda bad. In that respect, he’s much like Flynn. Their stats are very similar as well. Brad Lester is Auburn’s starting tailback and R. Smith is Auburn’s leading receiver. The Auburn o-line is very young and they might line up a true freshman across from Dorsey. That would be a huge mismatch I don’t care how good he is. Dorsey will probably be double-teamed as usual. This offense is not as good as the last two that we’ve faced. Cox is not a good scrambler so we should be able to put pressure on him and get a few sacks. But I said that about Woodson too. We need to turn up the heat on our rush defense!
Game Prediction:
LSU is still in great position but we have no room for error. If we lose to Auburn, we probably won’t make it to Atlanta and you can forget about another national championship. Auburn has a lot to play for as well so both teams should be equally motivated. The winner of this game has a clear lead in the west. In the last 7 years, the winner of this game has made it to Atlanta 5 times. Furthermore, the home team has won this game each year in that same 7 year span. The last 3 games have been settled by a total of 8 points.
This will be a tough fight. Tubberville is a very good gameday coach. He’s got a lot of deception between those huge ears. He’s cocky, he’s annoying, he’s Tubberville. He’s the kind of coach you’d just love to run up the score on. Unfortunately, that won’t happen. LSU will maintain a 1 possession lead throughout most of the game and score late to put it away. LSU’s home winning streak is extended to 18 games.
I’ll take LSU – 24, Auburn – 10.
Week 8 Games of the Week: (Predicted winners in CAPS)
Mississippi St. at (9) WEST VIRGINIA
(21) Tennessee at ALABAMA
(14) SOUTHERN CAL at Notre Dame
Miami at FLORIDA ST.
(10) OREGON at Washington
(1) OHIO ST. at Michigan St.
Lock of the Week: (2-3)
(15) Florida -7 at (7) Kentucky
Kentucky will lose this game for the same reason they beat LSU. The crash after an emotional high! Plus, Florida was off last week and they’re still pissed off about the LSU game. I would bet the farm on this game if I were a gambling man, which everyone knows I am not.
Upset Special: (3-2)
UCLA over (12) California
The Name Game:
This is a series that has been punctuated by a lot of crazy games. The interception game, the Earthquake game, the Barn Burner game, the Cigar game, the Band Punter fight game, Refgate, and last year’s Grand Theft Auburn. What will happen this year?
Did you hear?
In a recent press conference, Tubberville is already talking about how his team will not get any calls inside Death Valley. Excuse me, but your team has STOLEN the last two games at Auburn. The inequities inside your stadium have been very well documented. Not to mention that LSU has gotten the stinky end of the stick this year when it comes to penalties. Pot meet Kettle! Shut the hell up EARS!
Monday, October 15, 2007
Bluegrass Misery
Week 7: October 13, 2007
(17) Kentucky defeats (1) LSU, 37-43
Commonwealth Stadium, Lexington, Kentucky
Game Recap:
So, LSU takes one on the chin. It happens. The recipe for upset was set up perfectly, as described in my last report. That doesn’t make the loss any easier to take, but it shouldn’t have come as any big surprise. There is only so much gas in the tank, and LSU was running on fumes after pushing themselves to the limit vs. Florida. The way that I see it, LSU’s loss was 3 part:
Part 1: The Flags
I thought LSU killed themselves with HUGE penalties in the game. I think all were legitimate, but I also think the ref’s were a little trigger happy against LSU. We were flagged 12 times for 103 yards. It is often said that a penalty can be called on every play, depending on the prerogative of the referees. Maybe so, but LSU certainly was NOT the beneficiary of any game changing penalties, while UK had about 3 or 4 go their way that had a serious impact on the outcome. That’ll happen more times than not when you’re playing a close game on the road. This is not “THE” reason why we lost.
Part 2: The Gameplan
The offensive and defensive game plans were not appropriate, and it showed. Where was the blitzing? Where were the confusing defensive packages that other qb’s have had trouble recognizing all season? Woodson simply walked up to the line, read the defense, audibled, and marched the ball all over LSU. LSU didn’t check out of any defensive schemes when it was clear that Woodson was reading us like a novel. Every time Woodson checked at the line, I knew that something bad was about to happen. Offensively, we abandoned what was working. I don’t know why we didn’t see more from Charles Scott in the second half. He averaged 13.4 yards per carry. In the second half, he saw the ball only twice for 3 yards. Where was Ryan Perriloux and the new looks that he provides? What was going on with the game management at the end of regulation? The coaching staff dropped the ball this game and Miles took credit for the loss after the game, as he should have.
Part 3: The Players
The players had a bad game, plain and simple. I don’t think any player would be happy with their personal performance. The game was full of mental errors, lack of intensity and focus, especially on offense. Kentucky was hungry and wanted it more than LSU. As the cheer goes, “You gotta want it, to win it!”
Still, with all of that, LSU had plenty of chances to win the game. There are about two dozen “If’s” that we can look back on as missed opportunities. Doing that, however, will only drive you crazy.
So what’s next???
Well, Auburn is next. You must have a short memory when you win, and when you lose. Put this loss behind you and realize that Auburn can, and will, beat you if you don’t flush this loss and move on. Don’t make the same mistake twice. This Kentucky loss has added some fuel to the tank and the upcoming bye week should top it off heading into the home stretch of this season.
Game Stats:
Rushing: LSU-261, UK-125
Passing: LSU-142, UK-250
Total: LSU-403, UK-375
Game Ball:
Charles Scott. Good game on offense and special teams. He is becoming the most consistent player on the team. Did you see him hit those holes in the first half? Impressive!
The worst part…
The worst part of any loss is listening to some of the fans. Every fan base has a doomsday crowd that emerges after a loss. So many people suffer from a lack of perspective and common sense it makes me sick. Some people always have to whine and complain about something. The “I told you so” crowd always comes out in force to make themselves heard. If there is one type of person in the world that I hate, it would be the person that, deep down inside, wants LSU to lose so that they can bitch and complain on Monday morning. These are the know-it-alls that take a contrarian view point on every topic to try to lend credibility to their “superior knowledge.” My goal is to always see both sides of an argument. If I criticize the players or coaches, I’ll be the first one to praise them when they succeed. After all, The Samson Report is the home of “objective” homerism. You must be fair. I don’t listen to people who are so one-sided. Your opinion is crap to me!
The type of fans that I respect are the ones that had a good attitude on Monday morning. The ones that realize that everything is still well within reach if you bounce back and continue to work hard. I like the people that know the grass is not always greener; the ones that respond to adversity with character. What type of fan are you? Are you Chicken Little? If so, Shutup! Stand up! BE A TIGER!
Week 7 Games of the Week:
Oregon St. def. (2) California, 31-28
(4) Boston College def. Notre Dame, 27-14
(6) Oklahoma def. (11) Missouri, 41-31
Penn St. def. (19) Wisconsin, 38-7
(22) Auburn def. Arkansas, 9-7
Wake Forrest def. (21) Florida St., 24-21
BCS Mess:
The BCS Poll was released for the 1st time this season. Despite a disappointing weekend, LSU is in great shape to make a run the title game. LSU comes in at #4 due to the quality of teams LSU has played thus far. We are the highest ranked team with one loss. LSU is #5 in most other polls. Here is the BCS Top 15:
1. Ohio St.
2. South Florida
3. Boston College
4. LSU
5. Oklahoma
6. South Carolina
7. Kentucky
8. Arizona St.
9. West Virginia
10. Oregon
11. Virginia Tech
12. California
13. Kansas
14. Southern Cal
15. Florida
2007: The year college football goes psycho!
Take a good look at the polls. What’s going on? This season has been crazy. The Top 10 teams have been shuffled more times than a deck of cards. The NC race is still wide open. This is how college football should be. It’s not as fun when 1 or 2 teams stay on top all season long like years past.
Closing Thoughts:
It’s never as good as it seems when you’re winning and it’s never as bad as it seems when you’re losing. Most people understand that you can’t win every game. College football has its ups and downs. This is what it’s all about. Embrace it. Geaux Tigers!!
Thursday, October 11, 2007
Cat Fight!
Week 7: October 13, 2007
(1) LSU Tigers at (17) Kentucky Wildcats
Commonwealth Stadium; Lexington, KY
2:30 CBS
Point Spread:
LSU (-9)
Know Thy Foe:
Head Coach: Rich Brooks
Kentucky plays basketball, not football… until now. Under Rich Brooks, Kentucky has seen unprecedented success on the gridiron. Are they worthy of the top 10? No. It is my opinion that Kentucky was a little overrated last week at #8 due to a weak schedule. They did beat Louisville but that win has lost a lot of credibility since Louisville also lost to Syracuse. At #17, I think they are appropriately ranked, but they are still dangerous; perhaps more so. If I had to summarize the Kentucky team in one quick sentence, I’d say they have a great offense but an equally bad defense. They will not contend for the SEC East, much less a BCS bowl game.
Week 1: Defeated Eastern Kentucky, 50-10
Week 2: Defeated Kent St., 56-20
Week 3: Defeated Louisville, 40-34
Week 4: Defeated Arkansas, 42-29
Week 5: Defeated Florida Atlantic, 45-17
Week 6: Lost to South Carolina, 38-23
LSU Offense vs. Kentucky Defense:
This will be a huge mismatch. LSU should have no trouble putting points on the board against the Kentucky defense. It is more like a Big East defense. And with the return of Early Doucet, LSU will once again have a reliable receiver and team leader. LSU’s offense will roll up big numbers this week.
Kentucky Offense vs. LSU Defense:
Kentucky boasts the best offense in the conference, or at least the most productive. Kentucky is led offensively by senior Andre Woodson. He is 135/207 for 1536 yards. Woodson’s favorite target is Keenan Burton. Even though Woodson has the best stats in the conference, I don’t think he is as good as Tebow. For one thing, he can’t run and he’s only a threat in the passing game. One dimensional QB’s are now a thing of the past in college football. Running the ball is also a strength for the Wildcats. Rafael Little is the leading rusher and is very good. He’s already rushed for 682 yards on 107 carries.
Game Prediction:
LSU is coming off a huge emotional win at home against Florida. Conversely, UK is coming off their first defeat of the season at the hands of another SEC East foe. Kentucky will be hungry for this one, while LSU may still be wrapped up in the emotion of last week. The East is still wide open and Kentucky will be fighting for a chance to go to Atlanta. Kentucky fans must be thinking, “Why not us?” I don’t think they will make it to the SEC CG, but they still control their own destiny with upcoming games against LSU, Florida, Georgia, and Tennessee. Still, grandiose delusion can carry a team for a while so expect big things from Kentucky. I’m not going to call for the upset, but LSU better watch out for this one. Keep in mind that LSU barely escaped Lexington the last 2 times they’ve played there. And those UK teams were not nearly as good as this one.
I’ll take LSU-33, Kentucky-20
Week 7 Games of the Week: (Predicted Winners in CAPS)
Oregon St. at (2) CALIFORNIA
(4) BOSTON COLLEGE at Notre Dame
(11) Missouri at (6) OKLAHOMA
(19) Wisconsin at PENN ST.
(22) Auburn at ARKANSAS
Purdue at MICHIGAN
Georgia Tech at MIAMI
ALABAMA at Miss. St.
Oklahoma St. at NEBRASKA
Lock of the Week: (1-3)
Virginia Tech (-13.5)
Upset Special: (3-1)
North Carolina over South Carolina
Is it just me?
I’ve noticed a lot of fans have been overlooking this game against Kentucky. Everyone wants to talk about the Florida game. You know, the “best game ever played in Tiger Stadium!” Instead of looking ahead, we are actually looking back. Nobody has said too much about the Wildcats. Usually I judge the team’s readiness by the fans. The fans provide a surprisingly accurate macrocosm of the team. If the fans are excited, so is the team. If the fans are flat, the team will be flat. It’s just human nature. If that holds true this week, the team has overlooked the Wildcats and we are primed for a colossal loss. Let’s just forget about the Florida game until after the season is over.
Did you know?
LSU is the only team in the preseason top 10 without a loss. There is a lot of parity in college football this year, especially in the SEC. Consider this… LSU beat Mississippi State, Mississippi State beat Auburn, Auburn beat Florida, Florida beat Tennessee, Tennessee beat Georgia, Georgia beat Alabama, Alabama beat Arkansas which lost to Kentucky which lost to South Carolina which lost to LSU, which beat Florida.
Geaux Vote:
Election Day is October 20th this year. Yes, the day of the Auburn game. Absentee voting is open until tomorrow (Saturday) for those of you that would rather tailgate than wait in line at the voter’s booth. The Samson Report officially endorses Mr. Bobby Jindal for Governor.
Speaking of voting…
I posted a poll question in the right column. Vote or Die!
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