made it over here. Too bad. I was hoping to pose that question before any ill will got started. I honestly want your oppinions on the original question..... not some of the nonsense posted after the question. The question is basically how do you think you will make it through these 3 raod games ( AU, UGA, and FL ) with the target on your back? *** Just my two cents...... I think Randall will have matured enough not to have a repeat of the 2002 AU game. It was obvious that he was not prepared, and was somewhat shell-shocked...... I don't see that happening again. I think that LSU will try and attack our perceived weakness and cater to your early season strength.... the running game. If you can mount an running attack, JF will work in enough play-action, etc to make us have a long day. I had originally catered to the thought that you coming to our house with a new QB would be a task possibly too tough to overcome. I don't know anymore. The more I read about your defense and the emergence of a running game makes me harkon back to the golden rule of football..... if you can run the ball and stop the run, you will win 9 times out of 10. Why we have a chance to win: 1. home-field.... believe it or not we are a rowdy bunch too ( just without the cussing and pi$$-throwing :wink:. Hey it was a joke... lighten up.) This will be a test to Randall. Will he have flashbacks of 2002, or will he buck up and become a leader. *** Folks, this facet of the game is one you need to take heed to. This could be the difference in another great year or a disappoining one. *** 2. New OC. Remember our offense last year? Don't. That is history. A new look on offense might provide the mix of better percentage plays + unpredictability that can put enough points on the board to win. 3. There's not really a 3, two just didn't look convincing enough. :grin: O.K. Try and leave your AU hatred 2 feet from the key-board. Can you give me some reasons you think you can make it through these road games ( namely AU ) unscathed? It would be helpful if you could possibly provide positions with returning starters or quality experience..... after all that is really the bread and butter of most successful teams. BloodTypeORANGEandBLUE
Honestly, I see AU keeping it close in the first half because of the crowd, but we will pull away and win by 10. GA is going to be a battle and probably will come down to a field goal. GA is looking for redemption and are playing at home. Also, there is a possibility (notice the word) that the players may feel that we own GA and may come out flat. FL is the one game that worries me. Zook is an idiot, but he has some talent on that team. I am more worried about Crowder causing fits with the running game and forcing Randell to throw the ball. If Randall gets rattled then we are done. I say we will go 2-1 on the road
I don't see Auburn's offense being this completely new & amazing thing because of this new unproven OC. I think we can make it through that game, but I think it could be close depending on how well Randall, or whoever is QB, plays. I think GA will be our hardest game, and if we want to win - it is going to take our A game no doubt about it. Especially if we have to beat GA twice again. I don't see Saban making the mistake of allowing our team to think we own GA - he's a better coach than that. Florida is a hard game to predict because they play so incosistently, it could be a cake walk, but more than likely it will be a very tough game. I think it will come down to how we handle the QB Leake.
Marcus Randall has to be good enough not to lose games for us. That's all Matt Mauck had to do last year (and he came close to doing us in with key interceptions against OM and OU.) Our running backs and OL will be outstanding. Look for Skyler Green to make noise anytime the ball touches his hands (either as WR or PR.) Our WR corp has talent to spare, but is inexperienced. Our TE David Jones has the ability to be all-SEC, and I believe we'll utilize him a good deal early in the season to compensate for inexperience among our WR's. I'm a little curious about why AU fans are so certain that their 3rd OC in 3 years is going to suddenly add flavor to your vanilla game with his "Gulf Coast Offense." Our secondary should be ready for that, and perhaps the team that walks away with the INTs this time at JH will be the LSU Tigers. Our DL will need to replace Chad Lavalais and Marquise Hill, but we return starters Marcus Spears and Kyle Williams. Our linebackers should be quite good, anchored by Cameron Vaughn and Lionel Turner. I think most LSU fans will be quite happy if we can take 2 out of 3 during that stretch, and I believe the AU game is important because we'll want to win the first one, plus you guys are in the West. If we do win all three of those contests, we may well be headed to Miami in January.
I posted this reply on the AU board: Four comments: 1. It is a mistake to expect a big drop-off from LSU this year. The defense will be better and possibly the best in the country and the offense will be very competitive in the SEC. The coach ain't bad either. 2. LSU has a rough road schedule, but that's what it takes to rise in the subjective polls. LSU is unlikely to go undefeated, but they ain't going to lose all three key games, either. Georgia is the biggest threat. 3. The SEC is probably going to be a race between LSU and Georgia, with Florida and Auburn having opportunities to be spoilers. Auburn fans have reason to be optimistic with a favorable schedule and big games at home. 4. Lots can happen, but LSU is the Defending National Champion until somebody beats them. I'll add this, since an AU poster suggested that Nick had commented that LSU's linemen had gotten fat in the off-season. 5. LSU has the most honored strength and conditioning coach in the country. LSU players undergo year-round conditioning which gets more intense during the off-season. None of Nick's teams have ever reported out-of-shape in August. Ever. Nick has a pro-style attitude about players doing their jobs. All 27 new signees made grades and are eligible. Anyone reporting out of shape is endangering his scholarship, since Nick is still oversigned by several bodies to make the 85-limit in August. I wouldn't count on seeing an under-conditioned LSU team in the fall. Now, Nick has been known to keep the opponents guessing, so I'd take that comment, if true, with a large pinch of salt. Nick learned how to poor-mouth from the Bear, just like every other coach.
Thanks, the talent Saban has brought to your program is pretty impressive. I don't mind that the majority of LSU fans are overlooking us as a stumbling block. If I were in your shoes I might do the same especially after last years game. To fully understand why we look forward to the new OC you would have to understand just how foolish our Offensive Co was last year. Take for instance the USC and GT game. The way USC beat us was by slanting to our strong side...... because they saw that we always ran to the strong side. They slipped one linebacker to the weakside for containment. We never caught on. He even made the comment he didn't know how to block the slant. Long story short..... GT did the same thing to us an won. It isn't that Borges is the best OC in the world...... he will just look like it compairing last years offense to this years. ( Trying not to count my chickens before the hatch.) One other thing, we have game-breakers. We just didn't put them in the best possible situation to utilize their abilities. ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Don't take this game lightly. We are a talented team who has a chip on our shoulder. Dispel last years convincing victory. We will not be the same in either demeanor nor execution. Win or lose I am REALLY looking forward to the game. The build up is tangible. Prob 2 undefeated teams, our first SEC game at home, yours on the road, hostile environment, revenge on the minds of Randall and us. It should be a slobber-knocker. BloodTypeORANGEandBLUE
I don't believe there are too many tiger fans worried about the Auburn game. I think we are going to waltz into Auburn, AL and dominate the Auburn warhens like they never have been dominated on their home field before. Yes, it’s true; LSU is for real! And you’ll believe it too, after we demolish your warhens.
I've found that most fans who either overhype their team or underestimate anothers would fall on the side of not giving credit to the victor if they happen to be the opposition. Of course, there are always exceptions.
