247sports - Teams that are rising & tumbling

We coming!!

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The Tigers have several things working against them heading into the fall. First, they return an SEC-low 48 percent of their production. Second, the quarterback situation (among a few other positions) is unsettled. Third, the offensive play-calling of Steve Ensminger is an unknown to this point. Fourth, and perhaps most importantly, LSU’s schedule is doing it no favors. Within the first three weeks of the season, LSU will face both Miami (at AT&T Stadium) and Auburn away from home. The Tigers also drew Georgia and Florida in the cross-divisional slate.

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Well, when you put it like that it sounds kinda gloomy.

I prefer the version of us winning the national championship with an unknown QB coming in to save us.

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the offensive play-calling of Steve Ensminger is an unknown to this point. 

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I completely and utterly disagree with this point. He showed he can call plays. I think what's in question is his ability to construct an offense and then teach that offense to the players.

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This remains an ultra-talented roster, and there’s no question that LSU is good enough to overcome these odds.

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With good coaching, yes.


But don’t tell that to the CheeriOs. Miles left the program in shambles and O winning 8 would be a miracle!!!

Just the facts, and I'm not attempting to be sarcastic in any way. Just providing unvarnished counterpoints to the article.
- Replacing OFF COORD. It happens. HC and OC are not on the same sheet of music. We are not the first team in CFB to do this after 1 year.
- Team finished 9-4 last year. Lost to a Troy team (yeah, covered ad nauseum) and N.D. on a last-minute fluke pass/tip play. Overall SEC might have been down, but our 6 wins (other than UF & AUB) in the SEC were decisive by 15 points or more.
- Via 247sports we finished #15 in recruiting last season. I don't think many expected us to get Foster at QB (since we have two young guys on the roster) and Goodrich was a toss up. Surtain was certainly the surprise, no doubt. No way to sugar coat it. You add Surtain to our class last cycle and we rise from #15 to #7. Bama conversely w/o Surtain falls to #14.

If the team does struggle (7-8 wins) I hope CEO is held accountable. The 2019 recruiting cycle is obviously HUGE for LSU. Win (10 wins or more), and they will come. Trend downward, and the other programs will pick it apart exacerbating and real/perceived issues IRT roster talent.

Regardless of Joe Burrows choosing LSU I believe this team will do better than what the pundits predict. Not a CEO sunshine pumper or hater, but a LSU fan who thinks the coaches and players will play with a chip on their shoulders, compete in every game, and win more games this season than the 'experts' expect. Just saying.

We’ve been the team on the descent for like 5 years now per these types of articles

Starting to think that the program has taken a step in recent years. Maybe it has something to do with O being hired.

2018 will be a Top 4 class

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Obviously, this projection would change a little if someone like Joe Burrow parachuted onto campus. However, it wouldn’t change a lot

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That's the way I see it. I give one extra win, so I'd expect 8-4. 7-5 with Burrow would be grounds for O's termination.

The defense could be the best Aranda has had here simply because for the first time while, LSU looks like they could be a force along the interior DL. Also, the one real bright spot in the spring game was that Chaisson and Moore looked pretty good on the edge. If injuries don't creep up at CB, LSU could be a REALLY good defense.

That would at least give the offense a CHANCE. But right now everything on that side of the ball is a huge question mark. There's no RB on the roster who you know for sure can be a game breaker. The WR group looks awfully talent and versatile, and for the first time since at least 2013 (if not before) LSU is going to HAVE to throw the football (even if out of necessity). Still, no one (besides Giles at TTU) has done much when it mattered. QB is a BIG question mark. The OL may be really good inside, but the tackle spot is worrisome. Bring all of that together with an unknown at OC and there is reason to seriously doubt going into the season LSU.