re: Is this the roughest football offseason for LSU fans in a while?

Yes, largely because I don't really think there is much to look forward for the first time in many years, outside of the simple fact that it's exciting to watch LSU play football.

I guess what I mean is from what I hear around town it seems to me that there are no high expectations this year and the average LSU fan feels they have no more to look forward to than the average Kansas St, UCLA, or Maryland fan. Maybe we'll win a few big games, probably we won't but it will be fun to watch the team.

The last few years there were higher expectations. However, unlike those other schools, at LSU low expectations don't correlate to accepting mediocrity -- everyone knows what LSU is capable of and are pissed they are under performing.