Previewing last year's favorites for 06

Here's a very, very good article where Lindy breaks down all the little things that top teams have and why last year's preseason favorites shouldn't be this year's. He goes on to say that USC, Texas, Ohio St, and LSU all have major rebuilding to do and most of us will likely end up outside of the top 10. A very bold statement, but he does a good job backing it up.

http://www.lindyssports.com/content.php?id=180

Louisiana State: Nobody doubts Les Miles' ability to coach football. But given the importance of developing continuity and rhythm in a team's offensive and defensive units during the Spring, it is critical to note that the Bayou Bengals were simply unable to achieve either due to the vast scale of the current rebuilding project and the absence of so many of the pieces of the puzzle due to injury this offseason.

Heading into Spring, LSU had to replace four offensive linemen (including freshly-minted NFL rookies LT Andrew Whitworth and RG Nate Livings) and three defensive linemen (including both DT's, Claude Wroten and Kyle Williams, who were each selected in the most recent draft [3rd and 5th rounds, respectively]). In all, the Tigers lost seven offensive starters and six defensive starters making its rebuilding effort formidable at best.

The project was made infinitely more difficult by the large mass of injuries which hit the team this Spring. Coach Miles estimated that 11 or 12 starters were missing from the Spring Game. Four of the tailbacks at or near the top of the depth chart missed all or part of spring (Alley Broussard, Justin Vincent, R.J. Jackson and FB, Steven Korte). That left Jacob Hester to take the majority of snaps with the first unit. Assuming any combination of the others heal in time for fall and earn snaps with the first unit, Hester's carries will have done little to help the offense develop the aforementioned continuity and rhythm.

Even worse is the log jam at quarterback. It is possible that last year's starter, Jamarcus Russell, who missed the entire spring, will return from injury this fall. As with the tailbacks, Russell's return will ruin whatever continuity and rhythm was generated by the patch-work offensive unit during spring practices.

For all that appears, the Tigers will start their offensive preparation from scratch this fall. Not the ideal way to attack an upcoming season when odds are already stacked against you by simple virtue of your membership in one of the nation's toughest conferences – the SEC.

Fortunately for LSU, several youngsters on defense made great strides this spring, including DT Marlon Favorite. Unfortunately for LSU, while they open the season with a cakewalk match-up at home against Louisiana-Lafayette (though, it should be pointed out that the Ragin' Cajuns are the defending Sun Belt Conference champions), their breather is short-lived as they then host Arizona before traveling to Auburn for their conference-opener. They will have little time to develop their offensive personality before being put to the test by a feisty Mike Stoops-led Wildcat defense and a blazing-fast Auburn defense led by new coordinator, Will Muschamp (he of former LSU Head Coach Nick Saban's staff with the Miami Dolphins).

With trips to Gainesville and Knoxville mixed in along with LSU's annual contests against Alabama and Auburn, the Bayou Bengals will not escape conference play unscathed. Defense will keep them in games but they will not be able to dominate the line of scrimmage early enough to beat Auburn and the sheer lack of experience will not be enough to carry them to wins on the road in The Swamp and at Neyland Stadium. Like USC and Texas and Ohio State, odds are strong that LSU will not finish 2006 in the Top 10.[/QUOTE]

 

Not true. Unless I read it wrong. LSU retains its OC and this is not the staff's first season at LSU. We also have a lot of our skill offensive players returning. I don't know why we would start from scratch when we're chock-full of returning talent. Gee! That's a novel idea! Let's completely eradicate everything we've worked on the last few seasons and start from scratch!!! Wow!!! Who are these pundits?

 

Here's my theory on it....

We finish the regular season 10-2, with the two losses at Florida and Auburn, we definately finish the season in the top 10 because of our bowl game match-up.

However, we are less likely to finish a top 10 team with an 11-1 record, say, with a single loss to Florida. This leaves our post-season games as vs Florida (probably, if they beat us), and then a possible BCS game. In order to finish in the top ten, we would need to either win both games, or lose the first, and DESTROY whoever it is in the bowl game (see Peach Bowl).

I hope my thoughts aren't too random here. :yelwink2:

 

I'd rather win the West and take our chances in the SEC CG and a possible BCS Bowl.

 

Its an interesting article, and he could be right. But he does mostly focus on the negatives. He did not mention the quality of the young kids we will call on to step up, including redshirt and freshmen running backs if needed. Its good to read an article like that to bring some balance to us, who see lots of life through purple colored glasses (come on, you know you do!).

 

It's not like he's picking on LSU - he included, USC OSU & UT. And yes, he focused on the negatives but that's why I enjoyed the article so much. I don't need to read somebody pump sunshine up LSU's butt. I want to know our weaknesses just as much as our strengths. He makes good points about our shortfalls and what we don't have going for us, but he over exaggerates them in order to make the article have a little shock appeal. To predict that USC, UT, OSU & LSU will likely not be top 10 is a very bold pick, probably even made knowing he would be wrong.

 

LSU is going to be good enough to be 12-0 if the the breaks come our way. We could also be 9-3. The schedule is tough. I am thinking 12-0.:thumb: :usaflagwa :laflagwav :geauxtige :thumb:

 

Interesting, though I think he overstates the impact of "distractions" at USC.

Of the SEC teams, I guess I like Auburn's chances as well as anyone (Florida's schedule---first 5 of 6 at home, but facing Auburn, LSU and Alabama backtobacktoback is a tough deal) to be the "best record" choice in the SEC.

Aubie gets Fla, LSU, Georgia at home---but I as an LSU fan sure like that "ambush"-looking Oct 28 (Thurs) game on the road against Spurrier at S. Carolina.

All in all AU has a nice schedule, nicely paced w/ no tough OOC games. For their sake, if they go 12-0 they better be the only or one of two at the most undefeateds...else they'll get bumped out of the BCS title game w/ that weak OOC slate.

Again.