9-10-09: Washington Recap. Vanderbilt Preview.

9-10-09: Washington Recap. Vandy Preview.


The Stats:

Score:

LSU - 31
Washington - 23

Rushing / Passing / Total Offense:

LSU – 149 / 172 / 321
Washington – 157 / 321 / 478


WARNING: What you are about to read is an honest, objective, analysis of the Washington game. I’m not going to pour on the pessimism, nor am I going to spew a million excuses. Those who are expecting, and hoping for, a Les lashing should probably stop reading now. However, if you’re a logical and sensible follower of college football…read on.

I don’t want to sound like a complete homer, but I feel that I cannot follow the lead of the local media and the sentiments of the LSU fan base. After re-watching the game twice, all I want to say is “CALM DOWN PEOPLE!!” What you witnessed on Saturday night was in no way alarming. Washington had a huge emotional advantage in this game and it showed. They made LSU look a little flat, but the Tigers still found a way to win. That’s what good teams do.

The defense looked bad. No question about it. LSU gave up 478 yards on defense and 25 first downs. Washington was 11/19 on 3rd down and 1/1 on 4th. LSU didn’t even force a single 3-and-out series. But I’m not going to define the defense by the manner in which they play this game. Remember, Bo Pelini had a similar rough start when he arrived. Re-watch the game and you’ll see the scheme wasn’t bad. A few well-timed screen plays and some horrible tackling really hurt LSU. LSU got great pressure in the backfield all night.

One thing to be concerned about is the defensive ends. LSU lost containment several times. Many times, the defensive ends would intentionally take a skinny route to the backfield, leaving the end wide open for the linebacker to step up and take the lead blocker. This puts more pressure on the cornerback to shed blocks and make plays. As we saw, Hawkins struggled with this on the defensive left side. On the right side, Petterson sheds blockers as if they weren’t there, and this is why most of the big plays this season will be on Hawkins. I think Jai Eugene may be a better fit at this position because of his physicality, not coverage skills.

I think we can all agree that the LSU offense performed well. The Tigers averaged more yards/play than Washington but only ran 48 plays compared to Washington’s 83. The offensive game plan was very simple. This was done to give Jefferson a better chance to have a good game. Right now, it’s not about racking up huge stats. It’s about getting Jefferson comfortable in this offense. The playbook will surely open up, and become more balanced, as the season progresses. The down side to this approach is that it makes it much harder to get into a rhythm and drive the ball down the field. This means more pressure is put on the defense since they’re on the field longer.


Quick Hits:

Special Teams looked good, except for the punter. Helton needs to step it up.

Patrick Peterson is the best cornerback I’ve ever seen at LSU. He was making plays all over the field.

LSU played a very disciplined game. Very few penalties. (3 for 35 yards, 15 of which was on a bad call)

LSU did not have any injuries, although Pep Levingston may be slightly hurt.

Jefferson wisely threw the ball away on several occasions. Were you watching Jarrett Lee?

Oops…

Charles Scott had a rare fumble. Can’t do that in a close game.

Richard Dickson dropped a touchdown pass in the endzone.

Ciron Black had a costly penalty on 3rd and goal from the 2 yard line. However, Jordan Jefferson messed up the snap count.

Terrance Tolliver dropped a pass for a first down.

Final Thoughts:

It wasn’t pretty, but LSU still rolled out of town with a W. Furthermore, the game was never in doubt. Not 1 single time did I think LSU would lose that game. To the fans who flipped out during the game, please be aware that your lack of football knowledge and perspective showed big time. Keep your heads about you people. The sky is not falling. However, if we do not see steady improvement in the next few weeks, feel free to freak out as much as you want. I’ll be right there with you!

Game Balls:

Jordan Jefferson: 11/19 for 178 yards, 3 TD, 0 int. Very good game.
Jacob Cutrera: 5 tackles and 29 yard pick 6.
Patrick Peterson: 9 tackles and many great plays.
Terrance Tolliver 4 catches for 117 yards, 2 TD

Honorable Mention: Keiland Williams, Drake Nevis

Needs improvement:

Les Miles/John Chavis: Coach better.
Derrick Helton: Punt better.
Chad Jones: Tackle better.
Chris Hawkins – You need to learn how to shed a block. Teams are going to start picking on you if you don’t get better at this.


Oh Les…

Lester, why did you call timeout before halftime? This bonehead move gave Washington 2 extra plays and they turned that into 3 points. That was dumb!


Whack Stat:
Washington rolled up nearly 300 yards in the first half. That’s Whack!!


Never Again:
I’ll never listen to another broadcast by Mark Jones and Bob Davie. This has got to be the worst broadcast team ever assembled. Great job ESPN.



VANDERBILT PREVIEW:

Vanderbilt @ (11) LSU
Baton Rouge, LA
6 pm
ESPN U


Point Spread:
LSU -14.5


Head Coach:
Bobby Johnson


Record: 1-0
Week 1: Defeated Western Carolina 45-0


Know thy Foe:

Vanderbilt is historically the bottom dweller of the SEC East. The worrisome thing about Vandy is that they always seem to have at least one big SEC upset per season. Last season, Vandy won 5 games as underdogs. Since 2005, the Commodores have beaten 4 SEC teams that were double-digit favorites.

Vanderbilt always starts off the season strong. For example, last season they started 5-0, but finished the season 6-1. The reason they do this is because they’re not able to recruit depth due to their academic standards. Since they typically start strong, LSU better not come out flat for this one. Furthermore, they return 18 starters from last season in which Vanderbilt won their first bowl game in 53 years against Boston College.

The strength of the Vandy offense is the run game. Last week they had two rushers with over 100 yards. The starting quarterback is Mackenzi Adams and he runs a lot of no-huddle offense. Therefore, Chavis better get the plays in quick this week. Mackenzi Adams is not a great quarterback so don’t expect to see him go all Jake Locker on the LSU defense.

Vanderbilt has a decent defense led by a very good linebacker corps which has an All SEC linebacker and a Freshman All-American linebacker. Like last week, LSU will be able to move the ball IF they balance out the rushing/passing plays.


Game Prediction:

Vanderbilt has only had 2 winning seasons in my lifetime, however, don’t let that fool you into believing LSU will win this game with ease. The Tigers will need to play very good football to beat the Commodores.

My prediction: 31-20


Flyover:
If you’re going to the game, don’t be late. If you’re late to your seats, you may miss the flyover which is scheduled for pregame this weekend. Keep your eyes to the north since they usually fly north to south.


Games of the Week: (Predicted winners in CAPS)

Clemson @ GEORGIA TECH (Thursday night)
South Carolina @ GEORGIA
Notre Dame @ MICHIGAN
USC @ Ohio St.


Lock of the Week: (0-1)
Fla International (+34) @ Alabama


See you next week! Geaux Tigers!!

THURSDAY ! THURSDAY!

THURSDAY!!


Now that the season has started, The Samson Report will be making the switch to Thursday morning.

2009 Season Preview / Washington Preview

9/2/09: 2009 Season Preview / Washington Preview


Strike up the band…its game week! I don’t know about you, but it was a lot easier getting out of bed this week. I’ve got an extra bounce in my step and I can’t stop watching highlight videos on youtube. If this season doesn’t start soon, I may need an intervention.

Since I’m a week behind, I’ll preview the entire season and then I’ll preview the Washington game. I’ve already written about the new coaches, the new players, and the depth chart; so now it’s time to talk about the schedule and make some dangerous predictions. Of course, these predictions are subject to change and immune to hindsight criticism.

Here’s the Schedule:

Week 1: @ Washington
Week 2: Vanderbilt
Week 3: ULL
Week 4: @Mississippi St.
Week 5: @ Georgia
Week 6: Florida
Week 7: OFF
Week 8: Auburn
Week 9: Tulane
Week 10: @ Alabama
Week 11: LA Tech
Week 12: @ Ole Miss
Week 13: Arkansas

LSU’s schedule sets up perfectly for a young, developing QB. We’ve got 4 relatively easy games leading up to our first real test. However, the SEC gauntlet waits in week 5. Any unanswered questions must be answered before we leave town for Athens. After the UGA game, the Tigers will return home to prepare for seemingly the biggest game of the season against Florida. While this is not true, the hype for this game will be huge. LSU’s off week comes in week 7 this year. The timing of this off week can be good and bad. Good because we’ll need the rest after two tough weeks. Bad because the team will want to get back on the field quickly if they suffer a loss to Florida. After the off week, LSU’s remaining tough games are a little more spread out, and not nearly as intimidating as 4 consecutive SEC games. Road trips to Tuscaloosa and Oxford will decide the SEC West. Now, let’s take a closer look at some of the more intriguing games of the season.

Up first are the Washington Huskies. This game is extremely similar to LSU’s first road game in 2003 when the Tigers traveled to Pac 10 Country to play Arizona and put a beat down on the Wildcats, 59-13. Like ‘Zona in ‘03, Washington is a team on the rise, but they’ve got a lot of rising to do before they can compete with LSU. LSU will once again be in redemption mode after a disappointing season. I look for this game to be dominated from the first whistle. LSU will be very impressive and the fan base will be buzzing with optimism. While this optimism should be tempered by a little rationality, the impressive performance will be undeniable.

The next game of note is against Georgia. The Dawgs are going to look a lot different this season without Stafford and Moreno. I really feel that this game will be an eye opener to the country that LSU is a very strong team; DAMN strong as some might say. Even if they don’t win, LSU can make a strong statement that they are a contender. This game will set the tone for the season.

LSU and Florida could easily enter the game on October 10th undefeated. Either way, this game will certainly receive a tremendous amount of hype. At this point, most people think Florida will win, but I wouldn’t be surprised if this attitude changes as we get closer to game time. I definitely think LSU has a good chance to win, but if we lose it won’t be the end of the world. If we take care of business against teams in the west, we’ll get another shot at the Gators in Atlanta.

Auburn is down right now, no doubt due to the rise of Alabama. They’ll be debuting a new coach in Gene Chizik. I’m not sure that this hire was right for Auburn, so I don’t see any significant improvement in this program for at least 5 years. They’ll give LSU a good game, as they always do, but LSU should win this game with relative ease.

Tulane is a joke, and if LSU would revoke the 10 year football contract, Tulane athletics would probably go the way of their engineering program. Down the tubes. I don’t think it should be LSU’s responsibility to pass out welfare checks to all of the smaller state schools. By the way, did you notice that we play 3 of them this year? I don’t like it.

Alabama. Oh Baby! This is the game that I have circled as the biggest game of the year. If you don’t know what the stakes are for this game, then you haven’t been paying attention. This is a must win if we want to have a great year instead of a good year.

No, I didn’t forget about Ole Miss. I know that they’ve been the trendy pick to win the SEC West. Well I’m not buying it. Despite having a good QB, a good coach, decent talent, and a favorable schedule, the Rebels have not yet earned their place at the top. They don’t know what it’s going to be like to have a target on their backs. The last time they were in this position, they fell flat on their face. Or should I say, Manning fell flat on his back. The good news is that Houston Nutt has Ole Miss relevant again. The bad news is that they will not be overlooked by anyone this season. To be fair to the Runts, they do have an outside chance to go to Atlanta this season for the 1st time. Don’t look for it to happen though.

The Arkansas game from last year still has me pissed. However, LSU’s defense will not have another melt down this season and LSU should win this one, although it’ll be a tough one as usual.

Every indication from practice is that this team is vastly improved in areas that tripped up the Tigers in ’08. The problems have been fixed. Specifically, the play of QB’s Jordan Jefferson and Jarrett Lee has improved significantly since they left the Georgia Dome. Also, the defense has its swagger back. No more crazy substitution packages, no more out-of-position defensive backs, no more easy defensive reads for opposing offenses, no more mismatches, no more Mallory, no more Peveto.

Maybe I’m an eternal optimist, or maybe I’m viewing the world through my gold colored glasses, but I have big expectations for this team. By most people’s estimation, there is as much talent on this team as there has ever been at LSU. The coaching staff is greatly improved. The quarterbacks are more experienced. Senior leadership is back. The “MOJO” has been positive during the offseason and LSU is still benefiting from positive momentum created in the Chick-fil-a bowl win.

I’m going to go out on a limb here… LSU will win 11 games this season. No, I’m not drunk. Here me out. The tigers will split the Georgia/Florida games and they’ll split the Alabama/Ole Miss road games. LSU will win all of the games that they “should” win. Therefore, my prediction is 10-2 for the regular season. Time will tell if this will be good enough to play Florida in the SEC Championship game. If they do, this could be the most watched game of the entire season for any team. Instant classic. A blowout bowl win, which has become a Miles trademark, will put the win total at 11. This will generate the perfect blend of pre-season hype that LSU will need to make a run in 2010.

Bowl Possibilities:

I’m almost sure that we’ll see an SEC team in the National Championship Game in Pasadena. This leaves the Sugar Bowl as a very possible destination for an at-large SEC team or an SEC Championship loser. If I had to guess now, I’ll put LSU in the Sugar Bowl against Oklahoma St.

Now, let’s look at the game on Saturday…

(11) LSU @ Washington
Husky Stadium
9:30 PM
ESPN

Point Spread:

LSU (-17.5)


Head Coach:

Steve Sarkisian (1st season as UW head coach, former OC at USC)



Know thy Foe:

Washington did not win a single game last season, and they have lost an amazing 21 of their last 23 games. They have not had a winning season since 2002. The 2008 Huskies are the only team in Pac-10 history and the only team in the country to finish the season without a single win. However, this program has already hit rock bottom and they’re moving up. With new HC Steve Sarkisian, the Huskies could be a very respectable team by the time they make the return trip to Death Valley in 2012.

The Huskies return their starting QB Jake Locker, who is a very good quarterback. He compares favorably to Vince Young. He is big and mobile. Locker is very dangerous if he has running room. LSU will need to be very quick to the ball when they see him tuck and run, which will happen a lot. I think he’ll be the leading rusher for U-Dub. The key to stopping Washington is to make Locker one-dimensional and make him put the ball in the air. His passing stats shouldn’t be great but they’ll be respectable. One thing is clear; the Huskies will not line up and move the ball on LSU with any consistency. Washington may even try a few trick plays to catch LSU off guard. In fact, I’m calling for a halfback pass back to the quarterback, probably sometime in the first quarter.

Rain is forecasted for the game Saturday, so I think that favors Washington slightly (although the field is not a grass turf, it is field turf). However, that may be the only thing that favors the Huskies. Usually I do an in-depth comparison of the LSU defense vs. the UW offense and vice-versa. However, such a breakdown is completely unnecessary for this game. Suffice to say that, on paper, LSU is far and away the dominant team. Once the game is secured, LSU should use this opportunity to get a lot of players on the field. I have a few true freshman that I’ll be looking for.


Game Prediction:

Tigers win big. The game will be out of reach by the middle of the 2nd quarter. After halftime, LSU experiments with a few new players and this will allow Washington to make the score respectable. Unfortunately, this big win will fly under the radar nationally. Everybody in the country who went to sleep in the first quarter will see the score in the paper Sunday morning and not realize that LSU could have won by many more points.

LSU – 38
Washington – 14


Games of the Week: (Predicted Winners in CAPS)

LA Tech @ AUBURN (-13) (Sunday game)
Georgia @ OKLAHOMA STATE (-5.5)
Virginia Tech vs. ALABAMA (-7)


Lock of the Week!

LSU (-17.5)


Upset Special!

None this week.


Whack Stat!

Washington has NEVER played a Div. II team.

8/19/09 Depth Chart Review

8/19/09: Depth Chart Review


Key Losses:

Demetrius Byrd, WR
Herman Johnson, OL
Quinn Johnson, FB
Brett Helms, OL
Cold David, K
Darry Beckwith, LB
Marlon Favorite, DL
Tyson Jackson, DE
Kirston Pittman, DE
Rick-Jean Francois, DL


Linebackers: (Preseason Grade = B)

At linebacker, LSU returns two starters in Kelvin Sheppard (Sam LB) and Perry Riley (Will LB). Senior Jacob Cutrera (Mike LB) has also made 5 starts during his career. Converted safety Harry Coleman has made the move to strong side LB last spring. Coleman, who led the team in tackles last season, will bring a lot of speed to this position and I would expect that Coleman will win the Sam position from Sheppard in fall practice. Chavis understands the need for speed at this position, and he’s known for converting safeties to linebackers. Filling in the two-deep, LSU has a lot of good young talent including Ryan Baker, Barkevious Mingo, Kevin Minter, and Kyle Prater.


Defensive Line: (Preseason Grade = C)

On the D-line, LSU returns a 6th year senior at the tackle position in Charles Alexander. He was granted another year of eligibility due to injury. The other tackle spot is still up for grabs. Senior Al Woods and Junior Drake Nevis will battle for the starting spot, but both will see a lot of playing time. My guess is that Nevis will be the starter, and Woods will come in to relieve both tackle positions to keep fresh legs in the game. There’s not much depth at D-line, so a few injuries could put LSU in a real jam. Filling in the depth chart is JC transfer Akiem Hicks, RS freshman Cordian Hagans, and true freshmen Chris Davenport and Josh Downs. Once a perennial strength, the D-line is now LSU’s biggest vulnerability.

Replacing both defensive ends, including the #3 overall pick in the NFL draft, Tyson Jackson, won’t be easy. The defensive ends will most likely be Rahim Alem (Sr.) and Pep Livingston (Jr.). Both of these guys did great things in limited action last season. I’m not worried about the starters; however, every single backup at this position is a freshman. Talented…yes. But still very inexperienced. Two young players that stand out are Sam Montgomery and Michael Brockers.


Defensive Backs: (Preseason Grade = A)

The defensive backfield was rated as second worst in the conference in 2008. LSU intercepted only 8 passes, down from 23 in 2007. The D-line production was down as well, which gave opposing QB’s more time to throw. Combine this with softer coverage and an inability to check-off to different looks, and it’s not hard to see why LSU’s defense was not very good last season. Patrick Peterson will be the starter at one cornerback spot. The other will probably be Chris Hawkins, but don’t be surprised if Jai Eugene is in the conversation. All 3 of these guys are considered “shut-down” corners. They can be put on an island and play man defense without any problems. Brandon Taylor is also in the two-deep at the corner position. At free safety, you’ll see Chad Jones. This is his natural position, and he should flourish after playing most of 2008 at dime back. Senior Danny McCray and Brandon Taylor will vie for the nickel spot. It seems though, that new defensive coordinator John Chavis and new defensive backs coach Ron Cooper prefer a cornerback type player at the nickel spot, so that’s not good for McCray. The strong safety position will be filled by either Ron Brooks or Karnell Hatcher. Both of these guys are young, but very talented. Ron Brooks really emerged at the end of last season, and made some big plays on special teams. True freshman Craig Loston may get some playing time if they don’t put a shirt on him.


Offensive Line: (Preseason Grade = A)

On the other side of the ball, LSU looks to have one of the best O-lines in the conference. Although LSU did lose two senior starters in Helms and Johnson, left tackle Ciron Black turned down the NFL to return for his senior season. He is now projected to be taken in the first round of the draft. The left guard position will be filled by Josh Dworaczyk, a very talented sophomore. Replacing Helms at the center position will be either Patrick Lonergan or T-Bob Hebert, son of the Cajun Cannon. Hebert is still recovering from a torn ACL, but his rehab has gone very well and I project him as the starting center going into the season. At right guard will be Lyle Hitt, a very experienced back up who will get his chance to start. Junior Joseph Barksdale will man the right tackle position with plenty of experience. The two-deep roster has Greg Shaw and Alex Hurst at tackle. The second team guards will be Will Blackwell and Thomas Parsons.

LSU is very deep at tight end. Senior Richard Dickson, 2nd Team All SEC, is the clear-cut starter. Unless he gets hurt, he WILL set new LSU tight end records for receptions, receiving yards, and touchdowns. This is probably the deepest position on the team with backups Mitch Joseph, Tyler Edwards, and DeAngelo Peterson very capable of playing if needed.


Quarterbacks: (Preseason Grade = C+)

At quarterback, Jordan Jefferson will get a chance to start the season. However, Jarrett Lee WILL BE counted on at some point. And, I’m fine with that. Lee got a bad rap last season, but he didn’t play that bad for a freshman. Unfortunately, his mistakes were very costly and conspicuous. Everyone remembers his 16 interceptions, including 7 for touchdowns, but does anyone realize that he completed 53.2% of his passes and had a QB rating of 116.93. That’s not bad for a freshman in the SEC. In fact, those numbers were good enough for 6th best in the conference last year. Jordan Jefferson had a completion percentage of 49.3% and a rating of 112.87 in his limited action. The real difference between the two is the turnover/TD ratio. Jefferson’s ratio is a 0.25, while Lee’s ratio is over 1 (1.14 to be exact). If Lee can find a way to reduce the interceptions, and get a little more mobile, he could be a very good QB. Jefferson is the man to beat this season, and I’m excited to see how much he’s developed since the Chick-fil-A bowl. Also getting some PT at QB will be Russell Shepard. His greatest asset is his legs, and I’m sure Crowton is drawing up some nice plays for him. Chris Garrett will probably get a redshirt, but he will be a very solid backup one day. Both Shepard and Garrett participated in spring practice.


Wide Receivers: (Preseason Grade = A-)

The wide receiver corps will be led by Brandon Lafell, who briefly entered the NFL draft last spring before withdrawing his name. Lafell has shown steady improvement every season, and he will be the #1 option for the first time in his career. If Lafell has a good season, he’ll be a first round draft pick next April. The #2 guy will be Jr. Terrance Tolliver, who has made modest contributions since his heralded arrival at LSU as the #1 receiver prospect in the country coming out of high school. Another player who shares that distinction, Rueben Randle, will fill the #3 spot as a true freshman. For LSU to have a good season, both of these guys need to step up and play to their potential. RJ Jackson, Chris Mitchell, and Chris Toliver are very good receivers and will all see playing time this season.

LSU will have a lot of options for the slot receiver. In the past, we’ve seen Crowton utilize Trindon Holliday and Richard Murphy. This season, you can add Russell Shepard to that list. Shepard will be an exciting player to watch when he gets the ball in his hands. I’d love to see Shepard run the Skylar Green special, the slip screen. It’s an easy pitch and catch for a young QB and it gives the receiver some space to dance.


Running Backs: (Preseason Grade = A+)

LSU likes to use a lot of backs. Over the last 8 seasons, LSU has had 7 different players finish the season as the leading rusher. Only 1 of those players, Jacob Hester, repeated the next season as the leading rusher.

“Chuck the Truck” is the clear starter at tailback. Charles Scott (Sr.) rushed for over 100 yards in 6 of the first 9 games in 2008. He averaged 109 yards/game going into the 10th week of the season, when LSU’s offense fell apart. He finished the season with 1174 yards and 18 TD’s. He’s looking to give LSU back-2-back 1000 yard season for the first time since Kevin Faulk got 3 in a row from 96-98.

Keiland Williams (Sr.) is in his money year, and I hope he can hit the hole hard and break some tackles this season, or he’s not going to be drafted very high. His speed and quickness are NFL caliber, but his toughness is questionable. He is very timid with the ball in his hands. He has one more season to live up to his potential.

The rest of the group includes Trindon Holliday (Sr.), Richard Murphy (Jr.), and Michael Ford (Fr.), although Ford may redshirt this season.

At fullback, there is a lot of competition. Sophmore Steven Ridley is almost fully recovered from a knee injury he suffered in spring practice. Ridley is more of a tailback than a fullback, but fullback is probably where he sees the most playing time. He will compete with Junior Richard Dugas and true freshman Dominique Allen, who is an absolute beast at 255 lbs.



Upcoming Pre-season Reports:

8-26-09: 2009 Season Preview & Fall Camp Update


10 Days till Kick-off!!

8/12/09: Coaching Changes

Les Miles cleaned house on the defensive side of the ball after the2008 season, and we all know why so no need to re-hash those painful memories. Needless to say, the changes were mandatory, as far as the LSU fans were concerned.

Also, it should be pointed out that Les Miles handled the whole situation PERFECTLY. I don’t want to go into all of the details, but the way Miles conducted the firing/hiring process is the reason why he is more respected as a person than as a football coach.

As a coach, however, Miles went out and got some of the best coaches available, though he missed out on Ed Orgeron. Although it wasn’t a good fit between LSU and Orgeron right now, I hope that one day he is on the LSU sidelines. Here’s a brief description of the three new coaches on the defensive side of the ball.

JOHN CHAVIS, Defensive Coordinator

Age 52.
Nickname – “The Chief”. He is the only Native American coordinator or head coach in major college football and the NFL.
Played DL at Tennesse in late 70’s.
Chavis has been the Volunteer defensive coordinator since 1995. Since then, his defense has ranked in the top 4 in the SEC 10 times.
Chavis coached the linebackers at Tennessee for the past 19 years.
He is known for developing great linebackers. Since 1997, Chavis has coached four 1st Team All Americans at the linebacker position.
In 2006, Chavis was named the Assistant Football Coach of the Year by the American Football Coaches Association.
Chavis runs the 4-3 base defense.
Chavis was one of the first coordinators to use the zone blitz.
In 2008, Tennessee was ranked #2 in the SEC and #3 in the nation in total defense.
In 2008, Tennessee only allowed 263.5 yards/game.
In 2008, Tennessee was #2 in the SEC and #4 in the nation in pass defense allowing 160.4 yards/game.
Chavis was replaced by Monte Kiffin, father of new Tennessee head coach Lane Kiffin.

RON COOPER, Defensive Backs

Age 47.
Played for Jacksonville St. University in the early 80’s.
Ron Cooper comes to LSU from South Carolina, where he’s been coaching since 2004.
While Cooper was at USC, the Gamecocks ranked #1 in the SEC and #2 in the nation in pass defense allowing just 160 yards/game.
Cooper also has served as head coach of the following schools: Eastern Michigan University (1993-1994), University of Louisville (1995-1997), and Alabama A&M (1998-2001).


BRICK HALEY, Defensive Line

Age 43.
Played LB for Alabama A&M from 1984-1988.
Haley was most recently the defensive line coach for the Chicago Bears for 2 seasons.
Haley was inducted into Alabama A&M’s Hall of Fame.
He was the football MVP in 1988 and won the Inspiration Award in 1987 while at Alabama A&M.
Last season, Haley’s Bears ranked #5 in the league in rushing yards allowed per game.
In 2007, the Bears finished 6th in sacks.
He has SEC experience as MSU d-line coach from 2004-2006.
Haley has served as Defensive Coordinator at Baylor and Troy.

Tiger Trivia:

1. How many consecutive games did Andrew Whitworth start during his career?
2. What is the only number to be retired by LSU?
3. In 1986, LSU coach Bill Arnsparger resigned to accept what position?

Next week, it starts to get real. I’ve got a good report coming that will be everything you need to know about who’s playing where and who might surprise us. (Of course, if you read my report, it won’t be a surprise to you!)

Upcoming Pre-season Reports:

8-19-09: Depth Chart Review
8-26-09: 2009 Season Preview. Fall Practice Update.

Answers:

1. 52
2. 20
3. Athletic Director at Florida

2009 Recruiting Recap

LSU closed out a difficult season with one hell of a recruiting class. Ranked #1 by some, and #2 by others, this 2009 recruiting class may prove to be as good or better than Saban’s best recruiting classes in 2001 and 2004. We shall see. As with every class, there is always a small handful that stands out. I’ve highlighted 5 of those players with asterisks, and given a little more detail on them below. I think all 5 of these guys have a good chance to eventually go in the first round of the draft.

Last week, the poll question asked what is more important, good players or good coaching. Most people agree that it’s the players that matter most. Good coaching gets the most production from each player, but you can’t make chicken salad from chicken crap. It’s no coincidence that the teams that consistently recruit the best players have the most championships. Get used to these new names, because you’ll hear them a lot over the next few years.

Michael Ford: Running Back

Voted as a Parade All-American, Ford finished his high school career with 20 straight games of 100+ yards. In his senior season, he had 9 games of 200+ yards. With 2,447 yards as a senior, he broke the single season rushing record at Leesville High, a record that was held by former LSU Tiger Cecil Collins.
He was hurt much of his junior year of high school, and only played in 3 games. As a result, he didn’t get as much national attention as he would have otherwise got.
If I had to compare him to another LSU running back, it would be Charles Scott. Both guys are very well rounded and smart. They both hit the hole very hard and never go down on first contact. Neither possesses amazing top end speed, but they have enough quickness to make people miss. I have all the confidence in the world that Michael Ford will be a great one. It will be very interesting to see if Ford receives a redshirt this year. I think he’s ready to play, but we have a lot of good talent at that position right now.

Craig Loston: Safety

This guy is a sure bet. As a Parade All-American, he was ranked as the #1 Safety prospect in the nation by several recruiting services. His natural ability is on the level of two other LSU defensive backs, Chad Jones and Patrick Peterson. He will need surgery on his wrist, so he may miss the beginning of the season.
The only downside is that he may not have enough smarts to be a leader in the defensive backfield. I’ll wait and see, but it’s not good that the guy is still struggling to get cleared by the NCAA clearinghouse. Although clearance is expected to happen in a few weeks, he has not been able to work out with the team this summer so that may set him back. Because of the injury and the bad grades, I would expect a redshirt for Loston.

Sam Montgomery: Defensive End

Each recruiting class has a few surprises. The surprise pick up of 2009 was Sam Montgomery out of South Carolina. Montgomery was an unexpected pick-up late in the recruiting season. No doubt that Chavis had something to do with this. He is a speedy defensive end with enough size and strength to play early. With the recent transfer of Sidell Corley, this is a position of need for LSU, and he will get playing time this year. By next year, he’ll probably be a starter. Quickness is crucial for the defensive end position, and he has a lot of it.

Rueben Randle: Wide Receiver

As the #1 wide receiver prospect in the country, RR made us sweat it out last recruiting season. He delayed his commitment until national signing day, and strongly considered the Crimson Tide of Alabama. In fact, Les Miles was put in a very difficult position, and was forced to rescind the scholarship offer to DeAngelo Benton to secure Randle. Benton ended up at Auburn, but I didn’t like the way that situation played out. RR, a Parade All-American and All-USA selection, is the best wide receiver prospect that LSU has had in a very long time, so I think the end justifies the means in this case. Randle is the one true freshman that I think will have the biggest impact on the 2009 season. He won’t make a Julio Jones type impact, but he will contribute a lot. He has great hands and great size. He is a very smooth and fluid runner and his speed is very deceptive (think Tyrell Pryor but faster). This guy is a 1st rounder if I’ve ever seen one.

Russell Shepard: QB/Ath

If you don’t already know who this guy is, then where in the hell have you been for the last year. Shepard, another Parade All-American, is the crown jewel of the 2009 class. All the things that they say about Shepard are true. He is lightning fast, shifty, elusive, and smart. He is a unique combination of Pat White (dual-threat QB), Tim Tebow (leadership), and Reggie Bush (quickness). He will play this year, but his position is unknown. He may have a limited QB package, but he’ll more than likely play as a slot receiver this season. Besides his extraordinary athleticism, his leadership abilities may be his most outstanding quality. As a high school senior, he took it upon himself to contact the best players in the country and recruit them to LSU. He had a major impact on several LSU recruits, including Craig Loston who is his cousin. He has an infectious confidence and a magnetic personality. He is the whole package and many consider him a once-in-a-decade recruit. Expectations couldn’t be higher for Mr. Shepard, no matter what position he plays. Wherever he ends up, he’s sure to break ankles for many years to come. He enrolled at LSU in January and took part in spring practice.

Some other signees that deserve honorable mentions are Barkevious Mingo and Chris Davenport on defense, and Chris Faulk and Chris Garrett on offense. Drayton Calhoun and Morris Claiborne may get an opportunity to return punts this season.

Who we lost out on:

DeAngelo Benton - Auburn
Janzen Jackson - Tennessee
Dexter Pratt – Oklahoma St.

Looking ahead to 2010:

The 2010 class is shaping up nicely. Currently, LSU has 21 commitments and is ranked as the #2 class in the nation. While I don’t expect LSU to hold on to this ranking through signing day, LSU will finish with a Top 10 class and maybe a Top 5 class if they can get a few of the big fish in the pond. 2010 is considered a down year for LA high school talent, so Miles & Co. have been pulling recruits from all over the southeast and midwest. Next year however, the LA talent is expected to be very, very deep and LSU should finish with yet another Top 3 class in 2011. The rich get richer in the world of recruiting.

Tiger Trivia: (answers at the bottom)

1. Who holds the school record for most passing yards in a single game? How many yards?
2. Who holds the school record for most rushing yards in a single game? How many yards?
3. Who is LSU’s all-time leading rusher with 4,557 yards?

Sorry for the late post. I've been having computer problems. Thanks to Jason Brakel, my one man IT department for helping my get my computer back online.

Upcoming Pre-season Samson Reports:

08-12-09: Coaching Changes
08-19-09: Depth Chart Review
08-26-09: 2009 Season Preview. Fall Practice Update

31 Days till The Battle in Seattle!!

Answers:

1. Rohan Davey (528 yards)
2. Alley Broussard (250 yards)
3. Kevin Faulk

2008 Football Season Recap

7/29/09: 2008 Football Season Recap

Game 1: LSU def. Appalachian St., 41-13
Game 2: LSU def. North Texas, 41-3
Game 3: LSU def. Auburn, 26-21
Game 4: LSU def. Miss. St., 34-24
Game 5: Florida def. LSU, 51-21
Game 6: LSU def. South Carolina, 24-17
Game 7: Georgia def. LSU, 52-38
Game 8: LSU def. Tulane, 35-10
Game 9: Alabama def. LSU, 27-21 (OT)
Game 10: LSU def. Troy, 40-31
Game 11: Ole Miss def. LSU, 31-13
Game 12: Arkansas def. LSU, 31-30
Bowl Game: LSU def. Georgia Tech, 38-3

As we count down the days until September 5th (T-minus 38 days), I think that it is my duty to recap the good and the bad from last season. Let’s start with the good…

The Good:

· LSU actually traveled to Auburn, AL and was able to overcome the referees and a late game deficit to win the game in dramatic fashion. However, this win proved to be fool’s gold for LSU fans as Auburn went on to a 2-6 SEC record and 5-7 overall. Still, it was a good win.

· Freshman phenom Patrick Peterson stepped up and did a solid job at cornerback. He will be an All-American and a first rounder before his career is done.

· Near the end of last season, we saw the emergence of Jordan Jefferson. The true freshman displayed a natural instinct to make plays. His form was raw and unpolished, but he impressed me with his poise and vision. Because of this, he will enter fall practice as the #1 QB. The sky is the limit for JJ, but I still want to see how he performs against an SEC defense.

· LSU continued its bowl game dominance as they put another beat down on Georgia Tech, 38-3. The Yellow Jackets entered the game as an unknown, running the out-dated triple option offense. With 3 weeks to prepare, LSU’s soon-to-be-ousted defensive coordinators were up to the challenge and put together a terrific game plan. However, it wasn’t enough to save their jobs.

· Despite a disappointing season, the coaching staff was able to secure the #1 Recruiting class in the nation for 2009. I will dedicate an entire report to this subject next week.

The Bad and the Ugly:

· LSU’s defensive coaching staff was a huge disappointment all season. LSU’s defensive backfield had more holes than a donut shop. Sometimes, I think Les Miles has holes in his head for promoting from within.

· The quarterback play was atrocious. Jarret Lee, although only a RS freshman, could not handle the pressure as the starting QB. His never-ending parade of interceptions for touchdowns was enough to give Jamie Howard a chuckle. I think Lee could be a good quarterback, assuming irreparable harm was not done to the guy’s psyche last season. I can’t imagine how it must feel to incur the wrath of the entire LSU fan base. If he can bounce back from this, he will be an asset for the next few years. Andrew Hatch, now back at Harvard, was called on to take the pressure off Lee, but he belongs on the scout team, not running a Crowton offense for LSU. With Andrew Hatch as LSU’s best option at QB for much of the season, is it any wonder why we went 8-5?

· LSU lost to Ole Miss… At home... By a lot of points. Enough said.

· LSU trailed Troy 31-3 midway through the 3rd quarter. That should never happen. However, the Tigers scored 37 unanswered points to pull off the miraculous win, so maybe this should be in the previous section. I’m proud to say that I was there to witness the greatest comeback in LSU history.

· LSU gave up 50+ points twice. Once to Florida and once to Georgia.

· LSU fell out of the AP poll for the first time since 2002.

What does it all mean Basil??

Ok, we had a bad season. It happens. No excuses, no apologies. My poll question last week asked who should bear the responsibility for the poor season in ‘08. The response was overwhelming; but after tallying all 5 votes, it’s clear that the assistant coaches are to blame. I agree, however, my opinion is that Miles should ultimately be accountable for the assistant coach hires. Nobody would disagree with that, especially since Miles has received so much credit for the good hires that he’s made in the past (Crowton, Pelini). Miles made the decision to promote Peveto and Mallory. To his credit, Miles has admitted and corrected this mistake.

The momentum pendulum swung the wrong way in 2008. One problem compounded another until the train ran off the track. For example, we know about the problems on offense and defense, but what were the underlying causes? The passing game was terrible, so opponents stacked the box to shut down the run game. With 8 people in the box and no passing game, LSU had a lot of 3 and outs. This kept the defense on the field too much and caused the defense to fatigue quicker. This, along with poor coaching, is the reason it always seemed like we were out of position. When you’re always out of position, good teams will exploit you. When you’re being exploited, you lose all confidence and desperation sets in. When you’re desperate and playing from behind, you start putting the ball in the air to catch up. When a red-shirt freshman is asked to throw this much, it leads to a lot of interceptions, and pick 6, and finger pointing, and upset fans, and so-on and so-on. It’s a vicious cycle that wasn’t broken until bowl season. Hopefully, the Chick-fil-A bowl is evidence that the pendulum is headed back the other direction.

Last season really demonstrated the “weakest link” theory. LSU has some of the most premier athletes in the country. When the Tigers walk out on the field, they can match up with anyone. Furthermore, the athletic department spares no expense to attract the most qualified coaching staffs in the country. It only took one or two weak links to bring down the entire season. The good news is that corrective action has been taken so that we don’t go through the same misery in ’09. We’ll be back. One bad season is not enough to eradicate a decade’s worth of progress. LSU is an elite program, and will be for a long, long time.

Hindsight Lessons Learned:

· Miles should have pulled the red shirt from Jordan Jefferson much earlier than he did.

· Miles should have manned up and hired a real defensive coordinator (obviously).

· Danny McCray had a very hard time with man-on-man coverage.

· Linebackers are not as fast as running backs. Who’d have guessed???

· Houston Nutt has outcoached Les Miles the last two years, with two different teams.

· Some LSU players gave up last season (cough…cough…Demetrius…cough…Byrd…cough).

· LSU is not as deep at D-line as we thought.

· Although an MVP in ’07, Ricky-Jean Francois was a bust. He should have stayed one more year.

· Senior leadership was hard to find last season.

· Nobody in the defensive backfield had a clue (mentally).

· When it rains, it pours.

Interesting fact:

After peaking at #3 in week 5, LSU finished the 2008 season unranked. The last time LSU finished the season unranked (2002), they won the National Championship the very next season (2003). Also, in 2003 they were pre-season ranked #15, which is about where they’ll start the 2009 season. That’s a good omen.

NEW!!! Tiger Trivia: (answers at the bottom of the report)

1. Who was the leading rusher in the 2003 season?
2. What year did Tiger Stadium open?
3. LSU didn’t sell-out a football game until what year?
4. How many times has LSU won the SEC Championship?
5. In the 2007 season, how many top 25 teams did LSU defeat for a new school record?

One more week…

The long, sport-less summer is almost over. Fall practice starts next Wednesday. Finally, some LSU football news to get us through to September.

Call for Tickets:

We still need more tickets for the Georgia game.

Here is a list of the upcoming pre-season reports:

8/05/09: 2009 Recruiting Recap
8/12/09: Coaching Changes
8/19/09: Depth Chart Review
8/26/09: 2009 Season Preview. Fall Practice Update

Don’t forget to vote in the poll questions. I want better participation this week you slackers!!

Along those same lines, some people had trouble leaving comments last week. I think that problem has been fixed. I left better instructions below.
See you next week. Geaux Tigers!!

Answers:

1. Justin Vincent (freshman)
2. 1924
3. 1958 (against Ole Miss)
4. 10
5. 7

Welcome Back Samsonites

7/22/09: Welcome Back Samsonites

Hello Tiger Nation and welcome back to The Samson Report. I know I’ve been gone for a while, so let me give a big “GEAUX TIGERS!” to all of the loyal followers of The Samson Report. All 5 of you!

This report will be short and sweet, but next week I’ll start breaking it down!

Now, let’s quickly reflect back on the past 20 months since the last report:

· LSU wins 2007 Football National Championship. Les Miles gets some crystal hardware to go along with his impressive record.

· Bo Pelini leaves for corn land, and Les Miles makes the biggest mistake of his coaching career by promoting the duo-of-dumb. The LSU defense under Doug Mallory and Bradley-Dale Peveto sucked a fat one!

· Ryan Perrilloux can’t get control of his deep-seated stupidity, and it costs him his position on the LSU team. It will also cost him dearly when he’s drafted into the NFL. Goodell is already having nightmares about this guy.

· Stepping in for the departed RP, sophomore Jarret Lee sets an all-time galactic record for pick-six in a season. Talk about a Whack Stat!!

· Because of the last few bullet points, LSU stumbles to a disappointing 8-5 record. Reality hits LSU fans in the gut like a late-night Louie’s omelet. If you don’t know what I’m talking about, don’t ask.

· Temporary bowel relief comes in the form of another blowout bowl win. Georgia Tech gets blown off the field, and LSU fans get a glimpse of the next potential superstar, Jordan Jefferson.

· Miles rights his mistake, and John “The Chief” Chavis is named Defensive Coordinator. More about him later.

· LSU signs the top recruiting class in the nation. Good job Lester!

Ok, that’s enough. Time to look ahead to the ’09 season. Here’s the schedule.

09/05/09 – LSU @ Washington
09/12/09 – Vanderbilt @ LSU
09/19/09 – ULL @ LSU
09/26/09 – LSU @ Miss. St.
10/03/09 – LSU @ Georgia
10/10/09 – Florida @ LSU
10/17/09 – OFF
10/24/09 – Auburn @ LSU
10/31/09 – Tulane @ LSU
11/07/09 – LSU @ Alabama
11/14/09 – LA Tech @ LSU
11/21/09 – LSU @ Ole Miss
11/28/09 – Arkansas @ LSU

The New Format…
Here’s how it’s going to work. Every Wednesday morning, The Samson Report will be updated. The streamlined once-a-week report will cover the previous game in detail and look ahead to the upcoming matchup. I’m going to scale back the statistical analysis a little, and offer more personal opinion. Why? Because every time I talk football with someone, they ask me what I think about the game. They don’t ask me how many receiving yards the second string tailback has, or what the opposing cornerback runs in the 40. But don’t panic you stat junkies; I will continue to provide the important “water cooler” stats.

As always, your participation is encouraged, so feel free to inject your dim-witted opinions by leaving a comment. Just be sure to leave your name so we can make fun of you. Just kidding (Not really). I know some of you love to argue with each other, so feel free. Just remember, your mother may be a closet Samsonite, so keep it relatively clean. No F-bombs! No trump-cards! No derogatory references to anyone’s ancestry!

Also, I’ve been asked several times about guest columnists. The Samson Report is an interactive, open forum so freelance columns are always welcome. The Samson Report is better when everyone gets involved. So get off your lazy ass, gather your opinions, and send me a report.

Do you think Jarret Lee is still a good QB? Write a report!
Do you hate Les Miles? Write a report!
Do you hate the new scoreboards, and wish LSU would stop adding on to the stadium? Write a report!

By the way, all of the preceding opinions belong to Samson Report followers, you know who you are.

Road Trip!
Also, it’s time to start making plans for Georgia. I will be in Athens for the weekend of October 2-4. I have 2 tickets already and a hotel in Athens. Keep your eyes and ears open for more tickets. Let me know if you want to make the trip. Come one, come all.

Before I go…
Although this forum concentrates on the football team, I would be negligent if I didn’t say congratulations to the LSU baseball team who brought home another trophy from Omaha. Life is better when LSU baseball is winning. I am a little bitter that work obligations kept me from making the trip to Rosenblatt AGAIN this year. Why do refineries have to catch on fire the week before we leave?? If it happens again next year, “ We don’t need no water let the ***** ****** burn! Burn ****** ****** Burn!!!”

Here is a list of the upcoming pre-season reports:
7/29/09: 2008 Football Season Recap (painful but necessary)
8/05/09: 2009 Recruiting Recap
8/12/09: Coaching Changes
8/19/09: Depth Chart Review
8/26/09: 2009 Season Preview. Fall Practice Update

45 Days and Counting!
See you soon!

2008 BCS National Championship Game

January 7, 2008
BCS National Championship Game
(2) LSU vs. (1) Ohio St.
New Orleans Superdome
Fox 6:30pm

Point Spread:
LSU (-4)

Once again, LSU will be playing for a national championship inside the Louisiana Superdome. LSU enters the game with 2 losses, a first for the BCS title game. Ohio St. is 11-1. The only loss for the Buckeyes came against Illinois. This will be the third meeting between these two teams and the first in nearly 20 years.

The game will be played in New Orleans. This is a slight advantage to LSU but probably not as much as people think. The crowd inside the dome will be 65-70% LSU fans but OSU will have a good crowd. They travel very well as a fan base. In addition, a lot of the more boisterous LSU fans will be watching this game from home because most of the tickets went to the big money, social tiger fans. I have a lot of issues with the ticket situation but don’t get me started.

LSU is just a 4 point favorite over the vengeful Buckeyes who embarrassed themselves and their conference just one short year ago against the Florida Gators. The Buckeyes were not as bad as they looked. Unfortunately for them, they were not mentally prepared for a team like Florida. They read too many newspapers. Is there a better way to avenge that loss than to beat LSU, another speedy athletic SEC team? I don’t think so. They get a second chance so you can bet they will be entering this game with a different mindset... angry, determined, and disrespected. For this reason, I’ll give the Buckeyes the motivational edge in this game. This is a very important factor in this game because the Bucks have more to lose than LSU. OSU feels like their backs are against the wall and they will come out fighting like rabid dogs. If LSU cannot match their intensity, OSU will bite them in the butt. But make no mistake, LSU will be motivated and focused on winning the National Championship as well. I’m sure Les Miles would love to put a beat down on his arch rival from years past.

LSU will enter the game very healthy for the first time in a very long time. The injuries to Beckwith, Dorsey, Flynn, Holliday, and Williams have had time to heal. OSU has had an additional two weeks to recover and will be in great health as well. Neither team has any contributing players suspended (yet) so that is good news. We’ll see what happens once the teams are let loose on Bourbon St. where it is very easy to find trouble. The LSU team has done the Bourbon St. thing before so hopefully it’s out of their system.

Know thy Foe:
Ohio St. won the BCS National Championship in 2002 against Miami on a very, very controversial pass interference call. Miami seemingly won the game in overtime and started to rush the field before being called for pass interference against an Ohio St. receiver. I have seen the play many times and I think it was a bad call. The defender did not interfere with the receivers’ ability to catch the ball. He just missed it. It was borderline though and it could have gone either way. Ohio St. eventually won that game to upset the Hurricanes. Whoever wins the game this year will be the first 2-time BCS National Champion.

This season, the Buckeyes have played a very back-loaded schedule. It wasn’t until week 9 that they played a team capable of beating them. Overall, their schedule was not as challenging as LSU’s schedule. Of course, not many schools can say that they played a tougher schedule than LSU. The tough schedule and all of the close games will benefit the Tigers during this game.

Head Coach:
Jim Tressel

Week 1: Defeated Youngstown St., 38-6
Week 2: Defeated Akron, 20-2
Week 3: Defeated Washington, 33-14
Week 4: Defeated Northwestern, 58-7
Week 5: Defeated Minnesota, 30-7
Week 6: Defeated Purdue, 23-7
Week 7: Defeated Kent St. 48-3
Week 8: Defeated Michigan St., 24-14
Week 9: Defeated Penn St., 37-17
Week 10: Defeated Wisconsin, 38-17
Week 11: Lost to Illinois, 28-21
Week 12: Defeated Michigan, 14-3
Week 13: OFF
Week 14: OFF

The Speed Myth:
I am getting really tired of all of this speed talk, and I’m an SEC fan. Can you imagine how much the OSU fans must be sick of it? The Big 10 is slow. The SEC is too fast for the Big 10. OSU can’t keep up with LSU. LSU will win with superior speed. Blah Blah Blah. Is it LSU that is disrespecting OSU and the Big 10? No! This myth is being propagated by the talking heads on ESPN. But in this case, perception is reality and OSU will try to take out their frustrations on LSU. Here are the facts… BOTH teams are fast. This is Ohio St. we’re talking about, not Akron. The Buckeyes pull some of the best players every year from across the country. Their position players are very comparable to ours, although their depth may not be. The offensive styles in the Big 10 are very traditional, leading people to believe that they are slow. They don’t spread the ball out as much which showcases the speed of your backs and receivers. Is it true that the SEC may have more overall speed than the Big 10??? Of course, but OSU is the cream of the Big 10 crop. They’ve got the weapons. If we rely on speed to win this game we will be in big trouble. This game will be more about health than speed.

LSU Offense vs. Ohio St. Defense:
Ohio St. has the #1 ranked defense in the country, for good reason. The OSU defense gives up an average of only 225 yards per game. Only 77 of those yards are allowed on the ground while 148 are through the air. The offensive output for LSU is significantly better than that so it should be an interesting match up. The Buckeyes have looked vulnerable to the spread offense and a mobile quarterback (see Illinois game). LSU has both.
Vernon Gholston at the defensive end position will be giving LSU a tough time all night. I don’t think Carnell Stewart will be able to block him by himself. Flynn and Perrilloux must be aware of him and step up in the pocket to make the throws. The strength of the Buckeye defense is the backfield. Malcolm Jenkins and Donald Washington are better cover corners than LSU has seen all season. Passing yards may be tough to come by for the Tigers. James Laurinitis is the leader of the OSU defense at linebacker. He is a good linebacker but I don’t see him having a great game against our offensive style. OSU will need him to cover sideline to sideline and I don’t think that is his style. He’d rather go head to head in the hole than chase you down. Don’t count him out though because he is one of those players who is always around the ball making plays. Hester will have trouble running the ball this game because OSU is used to the pound-it-out offenses of the Big 10. I would like to see Charles Scott get a lot of carries in this game because I think he has better vision than Keiland Williams. OSU is most vulnerable on the outside and the run from the spread formation. They will give up containment. It could be a good night for Holliday if he takes the reverse. On third downs when LSU needs a go-to play, I think Richard Dickson should get the ball. He may have the best hands on the team and he’s a tough runner after the catch. The tight ends will be an important key to this game whether it’s blocking Gholston or releasing for the screen pass.

Flynn or Perrilloux?
The official company line from the athletic department is that Flynn is near 100% and is throwing the ball very well. But I am not completely sold. A lot of people with reliable sources have been reporting that Flynn is not throwing the ball nearly as strongly as he was before the shoulder injury. They are saying that Flynn’s injury is not progressing as fast as they had hoped. Either way, I think we will see a healthy dosage of Ryan Perrilloux. His performance in the SEC Championship game certainly proves that he can be very effective in big games. I hope both guys get a chance to lead the Tigers to a few touchdowns.

LSU Defense vs. Ohio St. Offense:
Ohio St. averages 397 yards of total offense per game. Like LSU, they are very balanced with 200 yards rushing and 197 yards passing.
LSU’s biggest problems have come against mobile quarterbacks. Luckily, Todd Boeckman is built from the same mold as Jamarcus Russel. At 6’-5” and 235 lbs, he’ll run only if he has to and he’s not too good at it compared to a true running QB. Also like Russel, his strength is throwing the long ball. Boeckman relies on his arm and will stay in the pocket all night. He has been inconsistent this season and is prone to interceptions. He has thrown 12 interceptions and 23 touchdowns. Still, he has amassed a 64.5% completion percentage and his pass efficiency rating leads the Big 10 and is 13th nationally. Boeckman has had a pretty good junior season for OSU but his last two games of the regular season were very bad.
Ohio St. has a running back that is one of the best in the country, Chris “Beanie” Wells. He is the very definition of an all-purpose back as he can do it all, and he does it very well. He is the best Buckeye running back since Archie Griffin, the only player in college football history to win 2 Heisman trophies. Wells will be a Heisman candidate next season as a junior. He will run between the tackles all night behind a very big offensive line but probably won’t test the LSU perimeter too much.
The stable of OSU receivers is led by Brian Robiskie and Brian Hartline. They really only throw to these two guys though. I don’t know why they don’t utilize other receivers more. Robiskie and Hartline are reliable receivers, but not game changers. They do not strike fear into opposing defenses.

Keys to the Game:

When you get to the red zone, you must score touchdowns. If you settle for field goals, you will lose. OSU has only given up 15 touchdowns this season so it won’t be easy.

Win on 3rd downs, both offensively and defensively. This is kind of a no-brainer but I think there will be a large number of 3rd down plays due to the quality of both defenses. OSU converts 47% of their 3rd down plays while allowing opponents only 31%. This game will be won on 3rd down.

Put pressure on Boeckman. If you give him time to throw the ball he can hurt you deep. If he is constantly under pressure, he doesn’t have the ability to make plays. Hit him in the mouth a few times and get in his head. Force him to make hurried decisions and he cannot perform. He is vulnerable. He is the weakest link and LSU must exploit it.

Game Prediction:
LSU matches up very well with the Buckeyes. The reverse cannot be said about Ohio St. They don’t see spread offenses very much in the Big 10 and their defense is not set up favorably to stop LSU’s multi-faceted attack. Offensively, OSU should be pretty easy to figure out for the LSU coaches. Tressel may even try a few gimmick plays but they probably won’t have much success.
I think Ohio St. will take an early lead and LSU will have to come from behind. Luckily, LSU has done that several times this season. Statistically speaking, LSU will run for 200 yards or so and pass for another 200 thanks to a few big plays. I think the LSU defense will give up lots of yards in the first half. They finally get to Boeckman in the second half and make OSU very one dimensional. Beanie Wells will have a good night rushing for 125 yards or so. Boeckman will pass for 150, mostly in the first half. Total offense for OSU will be around 330 yards.

I’ll take LSU – 30, OSU – 21

Whack Stats:
OSU has scored a touchdown in 138 straight games.

Coaching Change:
As you know, Bo Pellini will lead the LSU defense in the final game even though he is the head coach at another school. Unlike some people, I like this move and I think it will work out for us. Les Miles has not yet hired a D-Coordinator for next season nor has he provided names of possible replacements. However, a lot of people think a deal has been made to bring in John Tenuda. Tenuda is currently the Interim Head Coach at Georgia Tech where he also is the defensive coordinator. He is known to have a complex defense with a lot of blitz packages similar to a Saban style defense. He is a very good coach and I would be very happy if he were at LSU. The only bad thing about him is that he will be taking a head coaching position within the next 5 years. He was a candidate to be promoted to the head coach at Georgia Tech and his name has surfaced for a few jobs like UCLA. I think its good policy to bring in the very best coaches, even though you know they’ll leave. They come in hungry with something to prove and they deliver. Fisher, Muschamp and Pellini will all be head coaches in the near future and they were great coaches while they were here.

Thanks to Buckeye Adam Alber for providing a very good summary of the Ohio St. team.

Les Miles Report Card

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

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!!!

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.