re: Looking for help on why LSU fell off in 1974, Veer etc

Anyone who saw Tulane slap LSU around in the Dome in '79 could figure out why Cholly had to go. It was 24-13 and could have been 44-13 if LSU hadn't battled like heck to keep it close. They were physically outmatched - by Tulane! That LSU team played with maximum effort for the old man that year but talent wins most of the time and LSU no longer had it. Mac was not getting the players and LSU should have made the move earlier. He was well liked in the profession though and given two extra years to finish up as president of the national coaches association. It was a nice move on LSU's part but it did not help the program which was going nowhere under Mac.

As far as the veer T was concerned Mac had almost been beaten with one of his best teams the year before by the Dietzel coached South Carolina team running the veer with QB Jeff Grantz. Grantz was a lesser imitation of Mike Miley. Mike would have been one of the best in the country as a SR. LSU had been completely befuddled by the offense and Mac became enamored with it. Scoring 16 pts total in the last three games, all losses with a shutout by Tulane, helped him make the decision. Unfortunately Miley went baseball. Billy Broussard became the #1 QB but he wasn't Miley and the veer didn't suit him. He and KO Trimble platooned all season and alternated botching option handoffs and fumbling when they weren't sending floating passes downfield. The RB's helped with the fumbles too. It was the "turned over" season and Mac went back to his old (really really old) O the next season.

The veer was just the catalyst though. The talent slide under Mac had already begun.