I like the optimism, but IMO this season looks more similar to 2009 than 2011

2009 - coming off an 8-5 season that included some UGLY losses (UF, UGA, Ole Miss) and a close home loss to Bama

2015 - coming off an 8-5 season that included some UGLY losses (MSU, AU) and a close home loss to Bama

2009 - New DC formerly of another SEC school

2015 - New DC formerly of another SEC school

2009 - Soph as starting QB after making 1 start the previous year (Jefferson)

2015 - (likely with AJ arrest) Soph as starting QB after making 1 start the previous year

2009 - coming off a season where LSU finished unranked

2015 - coming off a season where LSU finished unranked

2009 - 3rd year on staff for the OC (2 previous years featured one really good offense and one not so great offense)

2015 - 3rd year on staff for the OC (2 previous years featured one really good offense and one not so great offense)

2009 - long road trip to a struggling BCS program (Washington)

2015 - long road trip to a struggling BCS program (Syracuse)

Besides all of that, in 2011 a 5th year Sr. with significant playing experience was waiting to step in after the arrest of the projected starting QB. This year were looking at a true Soph with minimal playing experience stepping in for what will likely be a suspended starter. There certainly is some young talent on the 2015 roster, but the young talent in 2010 was part of a very good 10-2 team that had only road losses to the eventual national champs and a good Ark. team that went 10-2 the next season. Many people saw the potential of the 2011 team coming. LSU started the season at #4. The 2015 team has a lot of questions that still need to be answered and like in 2009, LSU will start the season ranked somewhere in the mid-teens.