Does anyone have any idea the state of mind of this team? Are they having any fun? Too frustrated? Afraid to make a mistake? Carefree attitude? Unhappy as hell? Having a great time? I have no clue. It's been difficult to get a read about the team's on-the-field attitude. I mean, they appear to be focused and ready to go, but what, if any, is the character of this team? Does anybody know? Love dem tigers!!!
It will be interesting to find this out by the end of the year. I have a feeling that there is something that just isn't right on the offensive side of the ball with the way the offense has been this year. Maybe some of the players aren't listening or paying attention to the coaches?
As pointed out by many here, it seems the leadership role provided by Lavalais, Mauck, Clayton, Hunt, et al last year just hasn't been filled.
I am just confused as to why someone like a Ben Wilkerson or Lionel Turner did not step up and assume these leadership roles on their side of the ball, respectively.
This team will finish 9-2 with losses only to Top-10 teams and will go to a major bowl and finish in double digits. We can't win the NC every year. Many folks around here never sat through six straight losing seasons in the 90's. I did. Two early losses took us out of the SEC race and enthusiasm is down among the fans and on the team, but this is a good year for LSU. Curley Hallman would have killed for a 9-win season.
Makes you realize how much luck it takes for you to win a NC; especially playing in the SEC. If LSU would have lost to a team in the West versus losing to Florida in the East we would not of made the BCS championship game. This year Auburn will have played the toughest schedule (IMO) and still need luck to get into the Orange Bowl. If USC, Oklahoma and Auburn are undefeated USC and Oklahoma are going and Auburn will get screwed. At the beginning of the year if you told me the Tigers would be 9-2 and playing in a new years day bowl I would be content. I would have preferred 10-1 with another SEC championship and a BCS bowl. But like Red said... 5 years ago I just wanted a competitive team. The trend since Charlie Mac left was for us fans to begin talking about a new coach every 5 years or so. This time we are bitching about a 9-2 team. :grin:
