My thoughts on week 2 (long)

Thoughts from week 2:

History is said to repeat itself. And it may be that LSU is destined to play BCS championship games in New Orleans. And you know what? I’m ok with that. If we play for a national championship every four years, I’ll be a happy man. Winning one every four years is a bonus. That being said, I think this team is about two years away from being on that level again.

These first two games of the year are eerily similar to the entire 2004 season. We’re winning, but they sure don’t seem pretty to the naked eye… First game of the 2004 season, LSU was the defending national champion (though as Carl Dubois reminded us, Saban said we weren’t defending anything), playing an Oregon State (PAC-10) team that we weren’t supposed to kill, but a team we were supposed to handle. What happened? - a very frustrating and, if we’re being honest, damn lucky win. What happened after that? - A season of very frustrating wins, and even more frustrating losses (9-10 to Auburn and 16-45 to Georgia.) Mind you, we beat Vandy that year with the great and holy Saban. But folks, we beat them 24-7. Take away a bad snap tonight, and somebody please tell me the difference in the games. ONE… freaking… point - AKA - no difference. We beat some teams that year by big margins, but we didn’t DOMINATE the way LSU fans had come to expect. We only beat Troy 24-20. I remember sitting in the stands with my dad. He said the exact same things he and many others are saying now; “We’re winning. Yes. And even though the stats and scores don’t show it, GOSH these are some FRUSTRATING wins.” We were loaded with talent that year too, with some questions at key positions.

Fast forward to now. Seems like we’ve been here before. We traveled to Washington (PAC-10) last weekend and beat a Huskies’ team that I think end of the year records will show was a pretty good team. In case you haven’t heard, they snapped their losing streak today against Idaho, 42-23. But the one word, amongst the many, to describe last week’s game is FRUSTRATING. The defense, don’t get me started. The offense, I believe the word used was, vanilla. They attributed it to the play calling. LSU didn’t want to show much. They didn’t have to break open the play book to beat Washington. LSU was saving Russell Shepard. Etc., etc., etc… Fine.

What’s the word for the offense this week? Because, I don’t think it was the play calling this time. We put up 23 points, but it could have and should have been more. My biggest concern right now is the play of the big guys up front. They don’t seem to be getting it done, and the competition is only going to get tougher the rest of the year. We’re not able to run anything up the gut right now. I understand teams are stacking the box trying to make Jefferson go deep; but I still think we should be able to get some kind of push, and we’re not. On the pass blocking side of things, I can’t remember seeing Jefferson go deep at all this year. Several times tonight, he dropped back and was scrambling almost immediately. Some of this is on Jefferson and the vision he stills needs to develop, but a lot is on the O-line. They need to do a better job. Most everything else I see brings me back to 2004. LSU fans are going to have to go through some growing pains with their quarterback this year. I know that’s what we were supposed to be doing last year, but this was only Jefferson’s 4th start. You can see it in some of his throws that he’s got some work to do. But I love this kid, and think our future is very VERY bright with him back there. Think of Jamarcus in 2004. Rough around the edges, but loads of talent, he just needs some time to develop. (and before anybody jumps on me for this, I’m not saying JJ is nearly as gifted as JR, but I do think the JJ has loads of talent that, once developed, is going to be something special)

I told friends all week I was going to withhold judgment on the defense until after the game this week. For the most part, I liked what I saw. We gave up 210 yards, as opposed to 470. Vandy converted 4 of 15 third downs instead of the 11 of 19 Washington had. And if we could WRAP UP!... those numbers would be even lower. I think The Chief is going to do just fine in Baton Rouge. People were ready to run Pelini back to the Big XII after his second game for LSU, and that turned out alright I think. Give it a few more weeks, and the defense (including the d-line) is going to be solid heading into Georgia. We just need to have a little patience as the players and coaches get used to each other.

With that said, when all is said and done this year, I could see LSU heading to Florida for New Years Day. Orlando or Tampa, I’m not picky. I see 11-2 as a legit possibility, with 2 losses to Florida. And believe me, I HATE saying that, but Florida is so damn good this year. They’re the USC of 2005, and I mean that with all the Texas implications you can think of.

Apart from Ciron Black, I don’t see the key leadership that we had in 2003 or 2007. Again, I think we’re about 2 years away from that. Russell Shepard will be a junior. His talent is already off the charts (I can’t wait to see him fully unleashed). But if what they say is true about this kid, and by all accounts it is, his leadership ability and heart is rivaled only by some guy named Tebow. Jefferson will be a senior and our latest #1 recruiting class will be juniors and redshirt sophomores. I think our offense and defense will be something to behold next year, and I could be a year off in my two year prediction. But watch out for LSU in the 2011 season, because I see it ending once again in New Orleans. And like I said before, I’m fine with that.

A few other thoughts:
*LSU fans need to lighten up. Yes, we are LSU. Yes, we have LOADS of talent. But damn, we can’t win everything every year. Florida, USC, LSU, Ohio State, Oklahoma, Texas, and now Bama (and 2-3 others in any given year) are all LOADED with talent. (We have to play two of those teams on that list every year.) We can’t all win it all every year. Somebody has to lose. Every fan base has the same gripes about the under-utilization of talent. That’s why we play the game. Enjoy it, and stop expecting the world just because we are LSU. If we’re going by talent levels alone, USC would have more national championships by far, than anyone else this decade. But last I checked, they only had one. Also, LSU isn’t the only team that struggles. Alabama didn’t pull away from FLORIDA INTERNATIONAL until the 4th quarter tonight. Ohio State lost and struggled against Navy. Oklahoma lost last week. Georgia lost to OK State who went and lost to Houston. It’s called parity. It’s the ups and downs of college football, and that’s what makes it so great.

*For years, the SEC west either went through Auburn or Baton Rouge. I know it’s painful to say, but things have changed. For the last two and at least for the next few years, it’s going through Baton Rouge or Tuscaloosa. Basically all that’s changed, is the Alabama location is a little more northwest.

*Ole Miss is in the picture again. But remember, they’re Ole Miss. They have these types of years every so often. They had one in 2003. Let them get it out of their system, and they’ll be back to the same old Ole Miss we know and love.

*Tennessee - ha ha!

*ULL - congrats on the win. I mean, it wasn’t Texas A&M all over again, but it wasn’t Southern either. You’re 2-0 coming into Baton Rouge. You should nice and unbearable this week. Enjoy it, I guess. It doesn't happen often