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Arnsparger - History Lesson
Posted on 7/16/14 at 10:13 pm
Posted on 7/16/14 at 10:13 pm
30 years ago this season Bill Arnsparger coached his first season at LSU. He stopped the roller coaster of the Stovall era.
One of the fruits of his brief tenure was the paradigm shift. Before Bill, "success" was beating our rivals (OM and Tulane) and getting a good bowl bid. With him, "success" became synonymous with "championships." And in 1986, we won our first SEC championship since '70. The importance of this cannot be emphasized enough.
Unfortunately, he only coached 3 seasons ('84-'86). Two side notes: never lost to Bama and never won a bowl game.
Just thought I'd pass this on to the Rant.
One of the fruits of his brief tenure was the paradigm shift. Before Bill, "success" was beating our rivals (OM and Tulane) and getting a good bowl bid. With him, "success" became synonymous with "championships." And in 1986, we won our first SEC championship since '70. The importance of this cannot be emphasized enough.
Unfortunately, he only coached 3 seasons ('84-'86). Two side notes: never lost to Bama and never won a bowl game.
Just thought I'd pass this on to the Rant.
13
Posted on 7/16/14 at 10:15 pm to AlwysATgr
Jeff Wickersham!
Posted on 7/16/14 at 10:40 pm to AlwysATgr
I will always remember the Arnsparger years as a rebirth of the program and was very disappointed when he left.
Posted on 7/16/14 at 10:46 pm to AlwysATgr
He won with Stovall's players!
Posted on 7/16/14 at 10:47 pm to evansky
Arnsparger also recommended Archer over Spurrier then went and hired Spurrier at Florida 
Posted on 7/16/14 at 10:50 pm to SG_Geaux
Was definitely a defensive mastermind , but he could sure be an arse ...
Posted on 7/16/14 at 10:53 pm to AlwysATgr
He also hated recruiting so much that it directly impacted LSU into the 90's (he won with Stovall's talent), highly encouraged the hiring of Archer over other candidates including Spurrier, took the AD job at Florida & hired Spurrier within three years.
But yeah, he won us some championships.
But yeah, he won us some championships.
Posted on 7/16/14 at 10:54 pm to AlwysATgr
quote:
Unfortunately, he only coached 3 seasons ('84-'86). Two side notes: never lost to Bama and never won a bowl game.
Dude fricking hated bowl games for some reason.
Hell of a coach, but a quirky arse dude.
Posted on 7/16/14 at 10:59 pm to Y.A. Tittle
My brother played for him and liked him a lot better than Archer. The sugar bowl was lost before it begin as they were playing for nothing.
Posted on 7/16/14 at 11:03 pm to TutHillTiger
Quirky wasn't really speaking to likability.
Posted on 7/16/14 at 11:07 pm to AlwysATgr
Couldn't recruit for shite
Posted on 7/16/14 at 11:14 pm to robins08
He was an arse, but a hell of a coach.
Posted on 7/16/14 at 11:16 pm to LSUTigers1986
Couldn't recruit? Somebody on his staff recruited well. When he left after '86 the cupboard was chocked full.
Posted on 7/16/14 at 11:25 pm to AlwysATgr
Yeah, recall that season:
The opener T @ UF, a nail bitter W over good Zona team in TS, Big W @ USC that was not as close as score, The L to Irish in TS that was not as close as score, a nail bitter W @ Gumps, the inexplicable L to Bond @ Moo St., the Huskers bring the wood @ SB, ugh!
We thought this was a pretty good season though with promise for the future!
The opener T @ UF, a nail bitter W over good Zona team in TS, Big W @ USC that was not as close as score, The L to Irish in TS that was not as close as score, a nail bitter W @ Gumps, the inexplicable L to Bond @ Moo St., the Huskers bring the wood @ SB, ugh!
We thought this was a pretty good season though with promise for the future!
Posted on 7/16/14 at 11:34 pm to jhhingle
'84 was an ok yr. Probably should've beat UF (Betanzos) missed a short FG that would've won it. We were thin at DL. Lost Barbay for the yr vs UF. Lost Henry Thomas for the yr vs ND. Andolsek was starting at DL as a true FR.
Arnsparger had some heartbreaks in the FG game ea yr. Vs UF in '84, Ronnie Lewis vs Bama in '85, and Browndyke vs OM in '86.
Arnsparger had some heartbreaks in the FG game ea yr. Vs UF in '84, Ronnie Lewis vs Bama in '85, and Browndyke vs OM in '86.
Posted on 7/17/14 at 3:26 pm to AlwysATgr
He interviwed for the Fla. A.D. job while still coaching LSU. That went over like a lead balloon.Good Ol' Smoke said once that he flew with Skip to recruit a multi sport ball player & on the 2 hr flite going and coming Skip never spoke one word to him. Quirkly is being polite. Great coach but an a-hole as a person.
Posted on 7/17/14 at 3:54 pm to Keltic Tiger
Arnsparger recruited and signed my dad out of John Curtis in '85. Great coach and always thinking forward.
We should have kept him as AD and maybe he would have hired the guy he really high on to coach here and that was Spurrier.
We should have kept him as AD and maybe he would have hired the guy he really high on to coach here and that was Spurrier.
Posted on 7/17/14 at 3:56 pm to Keltic Tiger
a very good coach who did us a good bit of good..but overrated by many a rantard...got waxed in all 3 bowls, did win with mostly stovall players, left for uf after lying about talking to them, wife was a total prima donna who was very high maintence for the ath dept, lead to archer being hc.....but thats just the bad-he did do plenty of good
Posted on 7/17/14 at 4:09 pm to AlwysATgr
He hated recruiting. He won with Coach Stovall's players and set up Mike Archer as his replacement. He talked to powers at LSU to spurn Steve Spurrier and then took the AD job there and promptly hires the coach who he said wasn't good enough to coach at LSU. And bring out those who disagree. The talent he inherited, played in the NFL. Many of the players he left Mike Archer, wouldn't have made the roster at Tulane.
Posted on 7/17/14 at 4:35 pm to AlwysATgr
quote:
he only coached 3 seasons ('84-'86).
Yes, and he coached his last season here with the Fla. AD job firmly stuck in his back pocket. imo
Other than that, "Papa" was a pretty good coach at LSU.
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