Let me say this...Nate Livings will be the Jack Hunt of LSU in 2005... I say this because... In 2003, the biggest question mark on defense was the play of the safety, Jack Hunt. After Damien James flew the coop because he couldn't stop blowing dank and getting stoned to the bone, it was obvious that a quality talent that could not only hit and cover, but call out the defense and put our corner's into the right coverage schemes was VITAL to the success of any Nick Saban built defense. Hunt was not ready at the time of his insertion in that role, which was the stretch run-post Mauck injury 2002. In the offseason, not only did his field awareness improve, but his size, strength, and speed improved as well. He became a vocal leader for the LSU secondary (Name the ONLY starter out on defense in the Florida game, and how many games we lost with him IN the lineup-starting?), and grew into the position in amazing fashion. I feel the same way about Livings last year and going into the '05 season. He cost LSU tremendously in the passing game. He was an absolute WASTE OF SPACE AT RIGHT TACKLE LAST YEAR. He was actually quite decent run blocking, and that's always been his forte, if you ask me. But, in pass pro, this guy was the one you saw at Spring Break in 1998...You know the guy...White chest, no tan whatsoever, white SPF 50 sunblock on his beak, trying to holler at the all the ladies, only to get sand kicked in his face by the guys that spend all year in the gym for that one freaking week... In other words, he got punked out EVERY TIME HE TURNED AROUND. He was a major failure. Not a disappointment. A FAILURE. He must-and will be counted on-to improve a massive amount. Niswanger or the young Ryan Miller/Doug Planchard two headed monster will take over at center. I have a feeling that Will Arnold will be an All-SEC guard next year. If Niswanger is at center, I forsee Terrell McGill taking over at the other guard position. If either Planchard/Miller take over, Niswanger will man the other guard position opposite of Arnold. What all that interior line talk boils down to is that we're stuck with Livings at Right Tackle next year...and if he doesn't improve, we might just see a repeat of protection breakdowns and continual problems in the pocket for LSU quarterbacks. Oh yeah, and if McGill doesn't get his head on straight in the offseason, a guy that has NFL starter talent will probably be all-SWAC by the end of next season. Word is that the only problem with McGill is that he knows how talented he is...Mental lapses are a constant... Anyone remember the late timeout on a crucial 4th down late in the final stanza in the Capital One Bowl? It was because Terrell McGill thought-for some strange reason-that LSU didn't need a guard for that play... For how stomach-churning that period of the game was, Nick Saban & Stacy Searles reaction to McGill was totally priceless... Searles slow mo reaction was totally lip-readable to McGill as he ran towards the sideline after running out too late, after Russell burned a timeout... "That's just great, Terrell...That's just ****ING great!"
