He was definitely outcoached and you are correct that LSU had him rattled and maybe threw him off his focus on what adjustments he needed to make at halftime. Before this game, I had Stoops and Saban on an equal plane, but now Saban has proved that he is the best coach in the land. In player development, game preparations and game day decision making, there is none better.
Thank goodness Nick Saban is able to focus on what is important. Development of each player on and off the feild. When he says he doesn't concern himself with rankings, I tend to beleive him. He is a special person, who can really focus on how to be successful rather than things the media and fans like to talk about.
Stoops is now showing his lack of maturity. Saban is 10 years older and maybe 20 years more in maturity. That half-time explosion from Stoops and now this, shows how prideful and insecure he really is. I wonder how much his brother leaving will affect OK success in the future?
I just read an article that Stoops said their catering staff is #1... He's really cornering the market on #1 claims. I still think LSU has the #1 waterboy class coming in this year, no matter what Stoops says. Aside from the National Championship, he's claimed #1 in everything. I swear, it must be easy to just say you're #1 than to go out and actually prepare and work hard to get there.
I agree that it's odd for a coach to be discussing recruiting rankings ... that's something for the fans to have fun with. Those of you who saw Saban's press conference heard him talk about how LSU may be in the position of signing less than 25 players the next couple of years. Of course, it all depends on how many players transfer, leave school early, etc. If that does happen, then we won't be as high in the recruiting rankings ... this is what happened to OU this year.
I think in this case, watch for LSU to do what USC did year and just real in all the big fish. Saban is the master.
I really don't think Stoops focuses on these things but he sure as heck likes to talk about them to the media so you can imagine what he says to his assistants. Of course he didn't really say they were number one I think he gave that to USC but he did say they were number 2. He must have thought about how he sounded when he added that LSU, UM, etc. also had good classes.