re: I thought Loston was supposed to be a head hunter?

LSU's defense, secondary in particular, was always fond of the fling your body into the opponent and not wrap up.

quote:

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He wrapped up Gurley pretty darn effectively on the play Gurley twisted his ankle during the tackle. Caused a fumble out of bounds though.

You guys are brutal. While agree his cover skills are not great, he is a better player than the rant depicts here.

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agreed. Yes, there is a perceived drop-off in how well he is performing. Maybe it's due to the type of defense LSU is running and the way opponents are attacking the sidelines as someone suggests on pg 1; maybe it's a result of the targeting rule; maybe it's due to injuries; maybe a combination of the above. Regardless, I think everyone is over-reacting.

It's very typical of people here to try and turn things black & white (pun very much not intended). It's just that people insist on saying if a player isn't playing great, he sucks. The truth is somewhere in the middle.

My football knowledge is nominal. My take: he's a good player, and he is not a bust. I do think the factors I listed in the previous paragraph are hampering his perceived performance, all of which are exacerbated by the lack of penetration/disruption by the defensive line and linebackers which allows: 1) opposing running backs more room to either take the edge or find a wider crease and angle away from him, 2) gives qbs all the time they need to give their receivers better opportunities to maximize after the catch yardage, and 3) receivers have more time to shake the corners and safeties and end up having room to maneuver and avoid the big hit.

I know Loston was a preseason selection for post-season honors. At this point, I doubt he's on track to make all-SEC, but I don't think it's truly a failure on his part. I think it's a symptom of the way the defense is playing on the whole.

It is impossible to know ahead of time how the defense will evolve over the season. It has shown flashes of brilliance in the first few games, but has also shown a tendency to become a little soft and reactive with a lead. Every season is different. In 2007, the defense was absolutely fearsome until the Auburn game, then got progressively softer towards the back end. Perhaps this season, the young players will become savvier with experience and Chavis will start turning them loose a little more.

I don't see a point in bashing Loston or others after the fact, however much I may have yelled at my television in the heat of the moment. He's still a good player with the potential to be very good, and to be a part of a special season.

Here's to hope.

(and I mean reasonable hope, not the complete dismay or unrealistic optimism some have here.)

Bet you suck at your job too