Gotta disagree with you here. I'm not one to discount Cox, but Russell has more experience & better physical qualities. I'd give LSU the edge here - even looking at it objectively. Right now, Auburn has a big advantage with running backs. That might be different by the game, but since I'm not psychic - I have to give Auburn the edge here by a large margin. Lafell was a redshirt last season BTW. We've heard good things about him from practice though so it'll be exciting to see what he can do. Expect Doucet to be a much more consistent 3rd option at WR this coming season and less dropped balls by the entire unit. For now, I will give Auburn the edge because we do not have a proven return man, but I expect that to be different come game time. We have a better punter & kickers IMO.
I am a pessimist by nature when it comes to Auburn football. If I get to feeling too good, something seems always seems to burst my bubble. That said: You have a great "backup" QB. I can't forget that Cox has had medical issues in the past and that I have seen nothing from our backups that instill any confidence in me. I haven't felt really good about an Auburn kicker since Al Del Greco. What gives me hope is that Coach Yoxall is still wearing his Capital One Bowl pass. That means we will not be taking anything for granted this year.
Also remember that Early is just now learning the position. He wasn't a WR coming out of high school. I'd think he's surpassed the learning curve by now.
That's exactly why I'm not sold on Doucet. It's takes years of good coaching to be able to master precise route-running and to have the presence to "read" and adjust a pattern on the fly. Larger, more physical receivers don't necessarily need to master this skill because they bring other skills to the matchup. (e.g the mismatch of a TE on a smaller LB) Perhaps more than any other skill position other than QB, there is no substitute for game experience in the development of a WR. Even if you streeeeeeetch to assume that Doucet has adjusted to catching the ball in full stride (which i imagine is even more difficult for him that slower receivers), it doesn't spell success in the SEC. Spurrier was/is a master at recruiting receiver talent that had already shown the mental grasp of route-running and check-down adjustments. He has previously described this as an "art" rather than purely a skillset. Spurrier's receivers at UF rarely had the fastest 40-times, but they were always adept at finding a hole .....something a less experienced player simply isn't capable of mastering without years of experience. JMO, but if Doucet was going to master this skill, I believe he would've shown a greater rate of improvement than what we witnessed in his playing time last season. I suppose you could use the spring game as an indicator, but i rarely put much weight on spring game results alone, and to be honest I don't recall seeing much of him in the spring game footage.
yup, and so was Doucet. Taylor started 3 yrs as a HS QB and 4 seasons as a CB. He was recruited as an "athlete". Both players are gifted. but do you not see the difference? Courtney Taylor was redshirted in '02 and broke in as a starter in the middle of the '03 season. He is currently a Senior and 3-year starter at wideout, so that makes 4 seasons of coaching at the collegiate level with an athlete that "gets it" from the quarterback's perspective. Doucet started 3 games as a pure freshman in '04 with 18 catches for the season, and showed some spotty play last season. It's just a difference in experience...... CT's been doing it a little while longer
I didn't have time to justify my predictions earlier... but predictions aren't what's important here. This is a game with WAY too many variables which is why I started this thread after it's been talked about so much in other threads... I like hearing everyone's perspective--it gives me a new way to look at things, and as an aspiring sports journalist, that is important. Having said that I think that LSU may squeak out a win (only going with LSU because I'm a fan and it's too close to call) due to either special teams or big plays. I don't think LSU will be clicking on all eight this early in the season, but there ARE some proven six cylinders out there too. :yelwink2:
Makes sense, but I'd say two and a half years or so of good coaching should be enough to bring a receiver up to speed. As I really don't think that high school players get very much good coaching, just the experience of running routes and catching balls.
I have to disagree with you mainly because we have had 2 receivers drafted in the 2nd round of the NFLD who were RB's as freshman at LSU. I'm talking about Devery Henderson and Josh Reed. I think Reed as a sophomore was already lighting it up. He was actually known as a good route runner and Devery was really physically gifted but not physically large. I really believe that it had to do with the qb's throwing the ball to them and the quality of the passes thrown. Doucet still made some great catches for us last year. Obviously the ASU game but I remember a pass JR threw behind ED in either the Florida or Auburn game and he made a great catch. Anyways, going into his 3rd year ED should be fine and make some big plays if JR improves his accuracy.
