Everyone loses a game to a lesser opponent. This situation reminds me of the Saints a couple weeks back. They were down 20-0 to the Bears, make a run, and win the game. The next week, they played 0-4 Detroit and lost. Last week we went into halftime down by eight, made some adjustments, and won the game. This week we lost to a team that was out to get us. It is obvious which team came out to play those days and you can draw a parallel between the Saints situation and that of LSU. I don't think all the blame should be placed on Randall. Did the defense show up? Where was Domanick? There's no doubt in my mind we'll be in ATL for the second straight year. Look at this game like Ole Miss last year; the game we lost, but the game that set us straight.
Re: lol LOL! There are none so blind as those who will not see. Dansby on the blitz, he jumps up to block the pass from Randall and, OH MY GOD! He intercepted it! 31-7 31-7 31-7 31-7 31-7 31-7 31-7 31-7 31-7 31-7 31-7 31-7
Blame Randall? Yeah that was Brady James that threw the ball up for grabs every time we crossed the fifty. I'm not giving up on Randal but pretending that his poor decisions didn't have a lot to do with the loss is dishonest. After DD fumbled the defense held them to a field goal attemt, big momentum for LSU and it was talking the air out of the crowd. Then Randall throws the ball to who? Even late in the game, after four turnovers by the offense, and playing the entire first half on our end of the field, .Auburn still had less than 200 yads of total offense. Yet he turns it over again. What do you expect from a defense that is battered and bruised and short two starters. Randalls mistakes helped keep DD bottled up all day. Auburn was playing on such a short field that DD was seldom able to field a punt to return and the KO were in the endzone. Great job by Auburn to play to our weaknesses.
Actually the defense gave up around 290 yards. They also gave up 31 points, but the offense did give them the short field to work with. But hell, it's the kid's second start and first road start. Remember Rohan's first start at Auburn? 41-7. Whether or not Randall was throwing the ball well has no effect on how DD, or the o-line for that matter, plays. If the ground game would have been working, it would have been used. Auburn showed up and we did not. It's gonna work out. Be patient. It will be good. WE WANT FUN!!!!!!
I also remember Tommy Hodson's first start. He was a redshirt freshman playing vs a top ten team the first game of the season. We upset that team 34-17. 290 yards in the game, at least 90 of that was in the fourth quarter. I don't know of a team that can line up and rush the ball vs a good defense without a threat of a passing attack.
Don't fool yourself...turnovers matter. They matter tremendously. They changed the game completely. You don't gameplan all week considering the possibility that we would commit 5 turnovers. Coach Saban puts a premium on field position and the turnovers today destroyed any hope of good field position. DD and the o-line never got a chance to get the running game going consistently because of the constant turnovers and poor field position. I'm not placing blame on Randell because, as you have said, he was starting his first road game in the SEC, but the defense did all they could do under very adverse circumstances. Let's not forget that the other team had a good plan today also, and received more breaks than they dreamed of Friday night before the game.
For the record, Auburn had 321 (216 rush, 105 pass) yards of total offense to LSU's 242. But the key stat was definitely the 5 turnovers.
Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying Randall is as good as Rohan, but last year against Arkansas, Rohan threw four interceptions and we still won the game. Simply put, Auburn showed up and beat the crap out of us. They were smelling death.
