By this time next year will we be in better or worse shape...

We will be in worse shape.
The team will have a good season, yet still underachieve. This will buy Les even more time as Head Coach, prolonging the National Media's view on LSU as a good but not great program.

Worse. 7-4 and in a worse position to hire a coach due to the revelations that come out over the next year about this failed attempt.

We will be starting a coaching search, after a 7-5 regular season.

Since we will be prepping for the SEC Championship game, I would say better.

quote:

---

If we don't adress the DL, LB, and OL needs, we will be worse.

---

Our DL will be much better than this year because everyone will be a year older. All should return.

LB could be a huge issue. If Beckwith goes ro we will not be able to man a 4-3 defense unless we get extremely lucky with a couple of freshmen.

OL? Seriously? We had a very good OL this year, and we are stocked with young linemen. No worries there aside from the ubiquitous concern about how quickly they jell.

If Pocic and Beckwith stay and Gordon gets a 6th year, then we improve. The defense will have more depth and experience. The young guys really showed up in the A&M game. If the defense can get back to being top half of the SEC (which we should expect just based on more talent combines with the most experience we will have had since 2011 and 12, no matter what you think of Steele), and the special teams improve, they will help the offense out a lot.

If Pocic returns and can move to tackle, we are in good shape up front. He is the key. We have solid depth at center and guard, and we should have continuity at guard, and possibly at RT if Hawkins returns.

People knock this line because of the last 4 games and I get that, but remember what a question mark it was supposed to be before the season. 3 guys shuffled and 2 freshmen starting. All of the quality backups were underclassmen. I know they struggled late, but we've had to play a lot of these guys younger than I'm sure the staff would prefer because thanks to Stud's lousy recruiting, we didn't have near enough bodies. Grimes has fixed the recruiting end of things, and now he had a full compliment of his guys. Next year we should see the proof.

Also, don't underestimate the positive effect of getting Dillon Gordon back for a 6th year. If the offense is still based around the I, then he will be critical, especially when we need that important short yardage gain.

If most of the juniors stay, we will have the most experienced team top to bottom that we've seen since 2011 and 12. LB will be the only position where young guys are going to be pressed into service out of sheer necessity. Even on the D Line, they will only have to play the best of the incoming guys to have a bigger rotation to keep guys fresher.

I'm not even going to speculate on the offense except to say this. Every new OC has had a good to great first year. Crowton and Cam were great. Studs was more just good to very good. I know all soon fell into the Miles abyss of conservatism in year 2, but if a new guy can just make some modest improvements in the pass game, LSU could be very good next year, in spite of all the coaching issues and such.

I'm not talking about winning titles. I'm not even talking about number of wins. I just think the team will be better all around, but especially on D and Special Teams, than it was this year. At the very least, I think if Miles makes an ok OC hire, he will survive next season without controversy.

Also, I get the frustration with the "we're young, next year arguments." I think next season is the end of that. Like I said before, LB is the only position with that issue, and the staff is loading up to correct it as we speak. The staff has recruiting balanced out except one place- QB. Hope they can figure that one out.

Mediocre

quote:

---

Harris will have a big year and if he does not go early

---

The '16 team is almost certain to be better by default.