re: Jimbo is the crazy crossroads of completely settling while paying the highest salary

spot on

quote:

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I melted in 05 when we didn’t just promote him

Melted in 15 when Jindal and F King interfered

Then melted in 16 when it wasn’t him or Herman

Now if it is him I don’t really feel anything. Growing up sucks

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This is perfect



I will say this, as confused and annoyed as I was when I first accepted that this was a possibility, I’m coming around to the idea.

I’m a “need an offense guru” guy for sure, so Riley is still my top candidate, and yes I’d even prefer Lane because goddamn if it wouldn’t be fun if nothing else. I also think he is being undersold as a long term solution that will undoubtedly keep our QB recruiting and production at an elite level and I just want to see what that would look like in Baton Rouge.


But while Jimbo admittedly needs to revamp his offense, I do think he is unquestionably very good working with quarterbacks and is also still an elite recruiter, both of players and assistant coaches. I don’t think any of that is debatable.


I think there has definitely appeared to be a sort of lethargy in Jimbo’s approach since he was left twisting in the wind by Alleva after 2015, but who doesn’t feel just a little less enthusiastic about life after running in with that dicknose??


I truly do think Jimbo was excited to come back to BR back then, and everything after hasn’t really been his best effort. And while he’s older now I still think the idea of ending his career here would be rejuvenating for him.


But most of all, when judging him against the other likely hires if Riley can’t be dragged out of Norman, it isn’t even close and I would do backflips to land Jimbo instead of Napier, Tucker, or Aranda.

Seriously, if those are the options I really don’t even see it as a competition.

While Tucker and Aranda are both lacking on resume imo, even if they weren’t the old school “hire a defensive coach to teach fundamentals” is just so outdated imo. Seriously, being completely dependent on OC hires to keep up with the evolution of CFB would just be so counterproductive to what we’ve seen LSU can do with an elite QB in a modern offense.


And Napier is some sort of mirage that people are trying to turn into Saban’s protege and I simply find that absurd. The guy was never even a coordinator under Saban for a reason, and while his results at UL certainly justify a bigger job, I honestly don’t think he’s done enough in the Sun Belt to prove he’s ready for an elite SEC program. Certainly not when being measured against Jimbo.

If he had turned UL into a perennial undefeated Sun Belt champ that was running through their conference and beating P5s while being talked about as a dark horse playoff contender the way Boise or Utah was back in the day, maybe I’d believe we have the next great coach in our backyard. But as of now I see nothing that says this is anything more than just a solid coach that has had a couple of solid recruiting classes. If Napier hadn’t spent a few years at Alabama, long after they were already a machine dynasty, he wouldn’t even be in this discussion.


So while I won’t be as ecstatic as I would have been on the last go round if Jimbo is the guy, I’d certainly be impressed by the commitment the powers that be would be making to get him here, and would welcome a true QB developer and proven winner at the highest level, and be ecstatic that we aren’t relying on a defensive minded coach to hire the right person to run the offense for him.