Random Thoughts on LSU's Season

         
       
          What a season it was for LSU!  Regular season, anyway.
     13-0 record against one of the toughest schedules any team has
     ever faced.

          Before the season, looking at the schedule and how many
     starters were lost from last year on defense, I would never have dreamed
     that LSU would win every game ... but one.

          Unfortunately, that one game was the most important, and the
     Tigers fell woefully short.  They were out-played, out-coached, out-
     smarted, out-everythinged.  Take any statistical category, and LSU
     came out behind in each one.

          As much as it hurts this Tiger fan to admit, Alabama was just
     better any way you look at it.  They had a gameplan offensively
     that must have surprised Coach Les Miles, coming out throwing
     the ball 24 times in the first half.

          Alabama seemed to be in Tiger territory the whole game, while
     LSU crossed the 50 only once the entire game (and once there, went
     backward, with QB Jordan Jefferson losing the ball on fourth and 18).

          However, this game was won on defense.   LSU was inept, befuddled,
     unable to get anything going offensively.  Less than 100 total yards of offense, and
     only five first downs for the entire game is almost unthinkable.

            *********************************************************

         
          THE PLAYERS

          *Jordan Jefferson - Where to start on this young man.  It was just plain
     ugly.  Going back to his freshman season, being thrown into the starting job
     because of injury, he's been a lightning rod for LSU fans.

          His sophomore season was his best, causing Tiger faithful to think maybe
     he could finally be turning the corner and becoming a good QB.  However,
     his junior year was a disaster, as LSU was ranked last in passing TD's in the
     nation.

          Then came the fight before the '11 season began and the indefinite suspension.
     Looking back at the situation now, I believe it would have been better if Jefferson had
     never been allowed back on the team.  Who knows for sure what would have
     happened, but LSU was rolling along just fine with Jarrett Lee at QB.


          *Jarrett Lee - Lee was also thrown into a difficult situation in his redshirt
     freshman season, and threw 16 picks, with seven returned for touchdowns.
     When he lost his starting job to Jefferson, most would have probably left to
     find another place to play, but he stuck it out.


          Throwing 13 touchdown passes and only one interception through the first
     eight games this season, it seemed Lee had finally arrived.  Then came the first Bama
     game, and the two interceptions that doomed the rest of his season.  By this time
     Jefferson had been back for several weeks, seeing more action in each game.

          Jefferson replaced Lee and led the Tigers to a hard-fought 9-6 win,
     although Jefferson did nothing especially well in the game.  But now the job
     was his, and it seemed Coach Miles was determined to let him keep it no
     matter how poorly he played.

          In my opinion, Lee had played well enough to see more playing time after
     that first Bama game.  When Jefferson led the Tigers to zero first downs against
     Georgia in the SEC title game, Lee should have gotten another chance, but it
     was not to be.

          THE COACH

          *Les Miles - I've never been a Les Miles hater, but he has caused me to wonder
     what in the world he's thinking and doing sometimes.  The clock issues with Ole Miss
     and Tennessee, made me think maybe it's time for a new coach.

          Then, the way LSU  was out-played and out-coached in the championship game
     last Monday, just reinforced that thinking.  I know Miles has an incredible winning
     percentage and a national championship, but that game was an embarrassment to
     him and to all Tiger fans.

          One has to laugh to keep from crying at such a pathetic effort.  The defense was
     OK, but the offensive game plan and execution was pitiful, but the Tigers were still
     running a fullback dive  on third and three and trailing by 15 points late in the game.
     The running game had gone nowhere the whole game, and the offense needed a spark
     from someone.

          Obviously, Lee needed to come in the game for Jefferson, but Miles, for reasons
     only he knows, refused to budge.  Shoot, I would have tried Mettenberger, because it
     was obvious Jefferson couldn't get the job done.

          I know Miles is not going to be fired, considering his long term contract, but it's
     so frustrating watching the offense struggle year after year.  It seems the offense plays
     scared, trying not to make a mistake instead of playing with abandon.

          Fortunately, Jefferson has played his last game in a Tiger uniform, and the QB
     situation seems to be in better hands for the near future.  Of course any change at that
     position would be an improvement considering how poorly the QB play has been for
     the last few seasons.


          I would love to see a Chris Petersen (Boise State's innovative offensive minded
      coach) type come to Baton Rouge, but I know that's not going to happen.  I'm just tired of
     seeing a struggling offense keeping the team from reaching its potential.


          ***************************************************************

          Losing that championship game, after a 13-0 start, was especially difficult to
     stomach, especially losing to Alabama.  All my life I've heard people say, "It's only
     a game," but to me it's always been more.  If I'm a fan, I want my team to play well
     and win, but this season has caused me to see that maybe it is "just a game," and I
     shouldn't take it so hard when my team loses.

         
          So now, the Saints are next, playing San Francisco on Saturday afternoon.
     I'll see how my new way of thinking goes while I'm watching that game.

          "It's just a game."     "It's just a game."