It looks like most fans were just waiting for the game to end so they could get knee deep into a QB controversy. There always seems to be a QB controversy at LSU. The thing is everyone seems to be over looking a great defensive performance by the tigers. The field is soaking wet, you had a great offensive team on the field, and the "D" kept us in the game. With the turn overs on offense this thing could have gotten out of reach early. I believe as we get deeper into the season we will all recognize this game as a very good defensive game on both sides of the ball. The offense will and always does improve alot after the 1st and 2nd game. :geaux: :thumb:
Well, their tight end ate our lunch. But other than that, the defense looked to be in good hands to me. Some dropped interceptions, not a lot of push on the line, but the field was in horrible condition--as muddy as I've ever seen it. I think this defense is going to be highly ranked again this year. The OSU quarterback threw for 4,000 yards last year and is going to play in the NFL. Offense needs some work, but this was not the usual opening cupcake to work out your problems on. We had very few penalties, but Randall had a TD pass called back on one. Again, the muddy field negated LSU's team speed and the receivers dropped too many. The cuts that Vincent made on turf in the SECCG and Sugar Bowl that sprung him for big runs couldn't be done in the mud. Both QB's kept their head in the game despite struggling and scored touchdowns. Nick and Jimbo will tune this engine, but the offense will come around. Now, . . . the special teams scare me. We didn't get any big returns and fumbled one. Coverage teams looked good, but the kicker couldn't hit a field goal and the first punter had a horrible night. Jackson showed some poise when he mishandled a high snap but recovered it and got the punt off with a man in his face. Special teams could lose us a game or two this year.
IMO, the reason we couldn't get any returns was, as you mentioned, the field was sloppy, negating Greene's speed, plus he is injured. He couldn't do the things he normally does.
They were also kicking the ball to the sidelines to virtually take the Skyler Green factor out of the game.
Field goals seem to be one the most exciting moments, huh anxious moments, in a LSU football game. Have we ever had anyone kicking at 90%. Field goals scare me to death. I know Saban has to be agonizing over this.
I saw a lot more missed tackles and much more arm-tackling out there than I'm used to seeing from a Nick Saban defense. I realize conditions may have played a role in that, but OSU was playing under the same conditions, and they didn't seem to have any problems wrapping up. And we're talking about guys like Webster and Turner who are usually very sure tacklers. Hey, I put it down to first game jitters. You make your most improvement in a season between weeks 1 & 2. :thumb: :lsug: :thumb: :lsup:
The D played pretty damn well considering our O went 3 and out for most of the game. They kept getting stuck with a short field early on with the 2 turnovers. They held a future NFL quarterback to 2 regulation TD's, one on a 20 yard drive. The only rushing OR St. got was on one long counter. The D will be alright. This game just had a funky mojo from the get go with the delay, and the slop, and the fumbled kickoff. Who knows how the QB situation will play out. I do know that our quarterbacks are competitors and will only get better. Another thing, at least we had the sack to schedule a BCS conference team in our opener. And we won. If you remember we didn't exactly play well last year against ULM in the opener. Mauck was like 30% passing in that game with a stupid pick. We struggled against a 1-AA team last year too and that was a championship club. If we were facing a BCS team in either one of those games we might have lost. This team will be OK. NOW GIVE ALLEY BROUSSARD SOME FRIGGIN CARRIES, JIMBO
Now you're talkin' There ain't a damned thing that the offense can't fix next week ... :thumb: Too many chicken littles runnin' round worrying about our OL :dis: We need a damned punter ... that Fisher choked again ... after 1 mediocre punt and 1 good one ... he serves up a 12-yard gift :dis: Those 35 yard punts Jackson puts out there ain't gettin' it done. The two missed FGs from past 40 are excusable on a field like that I simply cannot believe LSU doesn't have a walk-on punter that can snap 'em out there ... LSU needs to burn a scholly and get a world beater on campus ... this is a good year for punters and kickers in high school
I am not sure anybody wanted a QB controversy. Randall made it himself. I dont mean this in a bashing Randall way but there just isnt anyway else to put it.
I didn't see any QB controversy when Matt took over the team. Our D really couldn't play much better when you consider the sloppy field and it was our first game of the year, they also played most of the game btw. I'm not surprised that we didn't get any good returns as the field was too sloppy. The thing that scares me is the kicking game. Didn't CJ kick some kickoffs out of bounds??? I'm not as worried about FG's because the field was sloppy and even the OSU kicker missed 3 extra points. Another thing that scares me is the O-line because of timely penalties that hurt us last nite. It was suppose to be the strong point but sometimes our QB's had time and sometime they didn't. Then again could the field condition play a role in this? I hope we can play in better weather the next few weeks so we can find some answers.
