The 2001 Team

That Auburn game was awesome... I will never forget the Clayton hit, the dickhead Auburn kicker, and how unbelievable it felt that LSU was actually going to represent the West in Atlanta. I wish I could explain that feeling to my Ole Miss friends.

Also, I wish they would bring back those shiny uniforms.

That team had a lot of heart. Played above its talent level in many games... particularly against Tennessee in Atlanta. That was my all-time favorite season at LSU, ever. More than 2003 or 2007, because the late winning streak to finish the year was like a drug after the 90's. All the accomplishments happened in a consecutive three game period... first Division title, first conference title in 13 years, first Sugar Bowl title in 32 years. That taste of winning was so refreshing and you knew the program had a bright future.

Two years earlier we had gone 3-8. I remember seeing how Stoops took OU from 3-8 to 8-4 and then a national title... I remember thinking that perhaps we would do the same in year 2 of Saban. Didn't quite happen, but I suppose we got the next best thing.

Unimpressive as it sounds now, I remember how huge that 42-0 win in Starkville seemed, because SEC road wins were hard to come by of late, and it had seemed so long since we were that dominant in an SEC game, much less a road win. Besides, up until that point State had been somewhat relevant.

In 2001 our front 7 on D was pretty good, but we didn't have the caliber of defensive back to run Saban's aggressive scheme. Once we eventually got those recruits, Saban reigned in the offense and let the defense win the games. It's interesting to see the difference between 2001 and 2003, and how the different sides of the ball carried the teams.

By the way, who the hell made the decision to get rid of those shiny uniforms? I loved those uniforms.

The thing that stands out most in my mind is how those Auburn figs got shite thrown in their face when Corbello converted that onside kick.

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My freshman year at lsu. After the SECCG we ran out to highland and stopped traffic and started jumping on cars. It was the shite.

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Immature college geeks, don't you love'm!

That was a fun season...it began the turn of LSU Football.

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We're still looking for Josh Reed. Still

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Still the single most impressive performance by an LSU receiver I have ever seen. I would say by any player but I still think the performance by Cecil Collins against AU is the best ever.

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on "Saban 'da genius"?

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Your hate for Saban is getting pretty stupid. BTW the 2001 team at the end of the year IMO would have beaten Miami!!!!!

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Wasn't the most talented but damn that defense played like fricking mad men.

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I wouldn't exactly say "wasn't the most talented."
That team had definitely the best combo of linebackers, and arguably the best 2 linebackers, that LSU has had this decade.
Jarvis Green is still playing for the Patriots.
Howard Green hung around the NFL for like 5 years.
Ryan Clark still starts for the Steelers.
Damien James was a great safety.
Marquise Hill was a stud.
Marcus Spears too.
Chad Lavalais too.
I think Jeremy Lawrence was the best "3rd best" linebacker we're had on any team since then.

That defense wasn't exactly a bunch of scrubs.

Notice that besides James and Clark, no one you mentioned was in the secondary. The corners that Saban inherited were weak and it showed that entire year. Yes, they were the two starting safeties, but then they get tired. So you have to sub in someone else. LSU fans don't understand the concept of depth. We have to go over this every single day it seems- someone thinks because a few players on that defense, some 3 years later, played in the NFL, that the team was "loaded".

Hill and Spears were true freshmen in 2001, so you'll have to forgive Saban if those players didn't make more of a splash. The talent was okay... the 2001 defense played about to its potential, for the most part. Furthermore, I'd say several of those players got a chance at the NFL strictly by virtue of the year or two Saban got to spend with them, and how respected Saban's defensive players are by the NFL. In other words, had some of those players finished out their careers under DiNardo/Tepper, I don't believe they get looked at by NFL scouts.