re: Coach Kelly told us that this roster has holes at the beginning of the season.

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Sure did but we have an insufferable fanbase with unrealistic expectations.

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I think it's reasonable to expect the defense to not miss 34 tackles or receivers catch passes with no defender within 15 yards.

That's a coaching issue, not talent. Players not lined up or not knowing the scheme has nothing to do with talent. By game 5, nearly half way into the season we shouldn't see these mental mistakes. Talent is not where it should be, but the main problem with these types of issues is coaching and I'm saying that as a Kelly supporter.

He was honest about it. This team still has major holes in it, but some within our fanbase seem to overlook this.

Recruiting on the defensive side of the ball leaves a lot to be desired. If that doesn’t change, I don’t see BK having the type of success here that I originally thought he might have.

He should have done something to address then

Kelly wasn't hired to win FRICKING NOW! he was hired to rebuild a program that had been decimated. he then proceeds to lose his defensive team captain, Brooks, who was responsible for overseeing a secondary full of young players and transfers that had never played together. Then he loses his Dline coach. Anyone who thinks this has no effect on the defense is ignorant. Now he needs to find a way to fix it but problem for BK is he overachieved last year. There were plenty of people who thought 9-3,8-4 was a reasonable expectation this year. Hopefully Jenkins helps out on the Dline but without a defensive team leader, which we don't have right now, it will be difficult. Someone needs to step up. Maybe Jefferson or Weeks will bet hat guy but he definitely needs to give them the majority of the PT along with Womak. Jones has been a huge disappointment.

KELLY IS THE HOLE.

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KELLY IS THE HOLE.

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It's his second year and the expectation is to have sophomores playing at a high level and contributing

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You think LSU fans were the only ones with high expectations for this team? We were ranked the #5 team in the country prior to the season in a poll that is decided by national CFB media members.

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Because of what we returned and what we did last year. Going into last year most talking heads had us winning 5-6 games and we ended up winning 9 with a W vs Bama. Most people thought we could build upon that which we have offensively but again we have had to replace a decent amount of defensive guys that have not panned out like we had hoped.

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Totally unrealistic expectations for this year.

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Why were they unrealistic?

LSU returned a very experienced QB. Alabama, Georgia, Florida, Tennessee, just in the SEC had new QBs. Outside the SEC teams like Ohio St and Penn St were bringing in new QBs. Hell, LSU returned an entire starting line up offensively.

LSU returned both coordinators from last season. Georgia didn't. Alabama didn't. A&M didn't.

Everyone knew there would be more questions on defense than offense. But EVERY TEAM has uncertainty somewhere going into a season. LSU had a LOT less than many other teams...which is why they were ranked 5th and projected as a potential playoff team.

Expectations are relative to the competition as a whole. Given that, the expectations for this LSU team were in no way unrealistic. Saying otherwise is simply revisionist history trying to justify the failures (on defense) by the staff and players thus far.

The thing is that even with the concerns on defense going into the season if LSU were just average defensively they would be at least 4-1 (with 4 double-digit victories) and possibly 5-0 (They were leading FSU at the half). They haven't even come close to that low bar.

I don't know what is more pathetic. The LSU defense, or the people trying to justify things in hindsight saying "well, we knew it was going to be this bad". BULL shite!