My main concerns for next season are: LB & CB starters, they will be good, but will they be good enough? And also depth at these positions is an even bigger concern. Depth at QB is also a concern. LSU won the NC this past season because we had the depth to get past a whole lot of injuries. Unless we're incredibly lucky next year, I don't think we'll have that kind of depth across the board. Senior leadership. The talent is there, this past season had guys who had been there before & helped us pull out those close wins. Will this team have the same heart? The NC hang-over. I read an article where Tommy Moffit says that we're still working hard in the weight room despite winning the NC. That's good, because I remember Saban being very dissapointed in our conditiong before the '04 season. The schedule. We play at Auburn, Florida, South Carolina & Arkansas - with Georgia, Alabama, and Ole Miss at home. I see 5 ranked teams there, with preseason top 5's. Look at the games LSU lost last year, UK & Arkansas - the games we were most banged up for after a series of tough games. This coming year doesn't look to give us any easier of a stretch to me. Overall, I'm still predicting 10-2 right now (before spring practice), just like I have the past two years.
Which 5 teams do you see as being ranked? Not to argue, but I don't see 5 ranked teams in the ones you listed. AU-Top 25 UF-Top 10 UGA-Top 5 Bama-MAYBE top 25 IMHO, MSU has a better shot at a ranking than Ole Miss, Arky, or USCe.
I think USC will be ranked, as well as Bama, with MSU maybe there briefly but not long. I expect Ole Miss & Arkansas to give people fits, but not be consistent.
AU, USCe, UGA, FLA, Bama, --Miss St reaches top 25 after bowl game. AU looks to have the weapons to run a new offense next season. Their new QB is supposed to be a hell of an athlete. Looks to have a few WRs step up too. I say we split between UGA/FLA and 10-2/9-3 finishing #8 or #9. We'll see.. i'd love to have another run at the title.
I'll have to go study a little more on USCe, but as of right now...I think you guys are giving them a little too much credit. They're pretty much horrible...yet a couple of you have them ranked. I also question whether AU will even be ranked...although I know that's a stretch on my part. I do NOT think they have the athletes in place to run the spread...and even if they do...it's all new to them. But moreso, they lost Muschamp...and they did NOT upgrade in that department. I think they will struggle...they will certainly not improve from last season. As CParso stated, health will be key for LSU...but I'm making this prediction based on everyone staying healthy. LSU 10-2/11-1 SECW Champs Top 5 team Bama 8-4/9-3 AU 8-4/7-5 MSU 7-5/6-6 Arky 5-7/4-8 OM 5-7/4-8
The omission of Pittman was a total accident...but I left off the others because I knew a lot of people wouldn't even know who they were. Ooo, crap...I left off Quinn Johnson too!:huh: Nobody tell them I left them off...please!:shock:
I tend to agree. I think Ole Miss will be better than State this year. Not sure if they break the top-25, though.
