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Hester & Flynn debating on which play was more indicative of bigger problems
Posted on 10/12/26 at 12:07 pm
Posted on 10/12/26 at 12:07 pm
Not necessarily the plays that cost us the game, but the ones that showed our coaches and players are not in alignment (pun intended). Yet.
Hester—He thought it was the 4th and 1 decision punt. Through the lens of winning the game, he thought it was the wrong move. Win it on offense with one play for 1 yard. But through the bigger picture lens, he thought it showed a lack of trust by Lane in the players. Said the players need to earn that trust, but it’s like a chicken or egg thing, and Lane needs trust in the players has to come 1st. Like show them that you trust them even if you fully don’t yet. How much better does that OL and backfield feel about themselves moving forward if he’d trusted them to get that yard and they got it? They may even feel better about themselves if they DON’T get it. Because at least their coach believes in them.
Flynn—Could not get over all the pre-snap penalties and confusion. But the most egregious play to him, that capsulized a much bigger issue, was the delay of game coming out of a timeout. The one where Harper tried to sprint on the field late for the jumbo package. You had a timeout, you talked about what play you were running, knew the formation and the personnel it called for, have 80 coaches on the sidelines, but at least Lane, Wolford, and Craig with Charlie in the booth. And enough GAs to count to 10. How do not have all 11 guys ready to go run out there for this crucial play? Where was the communication line broken? Or did we run something we hadn’t practiced in a while? Did Harper think it was supposed to be Borderlon? If so, why? If it was supposed to be Borderlon, where was he? Was he hurt? Why hadn’t all this been relayed and communicated clearly already?
I think with Lane’s apparent attention to detail, we all thought these were not going to be issues. That the staff would be in alignment with each other and the players. That he’d be more proactive instead of reactive. But I think with so many new players, coaches, and supporting staff, it’s a lot more difficult than we considered. And there were going to be some growing pains we didn’t, but should have expected in Year 1.
And I said this Saturday night, I think Lane is figuring out and still learning how to be the head coach at a place like LSU. There’s a lot more pressure when you have better players and higher expectations. A lot more second guessing. He goes for that 4th and 1 100 times out of 100 at Ole Miss. The risk of not getting it and losing is not nearly as high there. And he’s got a defense full of playmakers that he can trust for maybe the only time in his career. Save maybe for the ‘24 Ole Miss team. And he likely trusts Baker more than he did Golding.
He can’t be as reckless at LSU as he could at Ole Miss or USF. But he also has to be who he is. There’s a balance that’s a fine line that he’s trying to figure out. And he’s still learning as a head coach in general. He needs to figure out how to win consistently on the road against inferior teams. I think he’ll get there. It may take until next year. Or the end of this year after a couple bumps and bruises. I have faith. But I think our expectations of us coming out the gate like a well-oiled machine and waltzing into the playoffs at 10-2 were unrealistic. Teams can have lots of turnover and win early. But not with this much turnover, and not this early. Just too many moving parts too fast to have expected all the operations to be in harmony.
Hester—He thought it was the 4th and 1 decision punt. Through the lens of winning the game, he thought it was the wrong move. Win it on offense with one play for 1 yard. But through the bigger picture lens, he thought it showed a lack of trust by Lane in the players. Said the players need to earn that trust, but it’s like a chicken or egg thing, and Lane needs trust in the players has to come 1st. Like show them that you trust them even if you fully don’t yet. How much better does that OL and backfield feel about themselves moving forward if he’d trusted them to get that yard and they got it? They may even feel better about themselves if they DON’T get it. Because at least their coach believes in them.
Flynn—Could not get over all the pre-snap penalties and confusion. But the most egregious play to him, that capsulized a much bigger issue, was the delay of game coming out of a timeout. The one where Harper tried to sprint on the field late for the jumbo package. You had a timeout, you talked about what play you were running, knew the formation and the personnel it called for, have 80 coaches on the sidelines, but at least Lane, Wolford, and Craig with Charlie in the booth. And enough GAs to count to 10. How do not have all 11 guys ready to go run out there for this crucial play? Where was the communication line broken? Or did we run something we hadn’t practiced in a while? Did Harper think it was supposed to be Borderlon? If so, why? If it was supposed to be Borderlon, where was he? Was he hurt? Why hadn’t all this been relayed and communicated clearly already?
I think with Lane’s apparent attention to detail, we all thought these were not going to be issues. That the staff would be in alignment with each other and the players. That he’d be more proactive instead of reactive. But I think with so many new players, coaches, and supporting staff, it’s a lot more difficult than we considered. And there were going to be some growing pains we didn’t, but should have expected in Year 1.
And I said this Saturday night, I think Lane is figuring out and still learning how to be the head coach at a place like LSU. There’s a lot more pressure when you have better players and higher expectations. A lot more second guessing. He goes for that 4th and 1 100 times out of 100 at Ole Miss. The risk of not getting it and losing is not nearly as high there. And he’s got a defense full of playmakers that he can trust for maybe the only time in his career. Save maybe for the ‘24 Ole Miss team. And he likely trusts Baker more than he did Golding.
He can’t be as reckless at LSU as he could at Ole Miss or USF. But he also has to be who he is. There’s a balance that’s a fine line that he’s trying to figure out. And he’s still learning as a head coach in general. He needs to figure out how to win consistently on the road against inferior teams. I think he’ll get there. It may take until next year. Or the end of this year after a couple bumps and bruises. I have faith. But I think our expectations of us coming out the gate like a well-oiled machine and waltzing into the playoffs at 10-2 were unrealistic. Teams can have lots of turnover and win early. But not with this much turnover, and not this early. Just too many moving parts too fast to have expected all the operations to be in harmony.
Posted on 10/12/26 at 12:09 pm to Hot Carl
punting is the right call if your defense isn't going to play soft. I wanted to go for it but we had indecision all night on short yardage plays.
Posted on 10/12/26 at 12:13 pm to Hot Carl
I think the price tag of the portal class plus the assumption that Leavitt was going to step right in as an experienced qb set the bar too high. At the end of the day, you’re correct you’re breaking in an entirely new team. The team injury to green is also huge, he’s very clearly the only guy we can trust to make a play when it’s needed in the passing game, the rest are all ideally ancillary pieces to the offense
On the 4th down call look we judge them on the end result and not the actual decision at times. His D had been playing well that half and the kicker was coming off 2 bad shanks, it’s not insane to think pinning them deep was the better move over potentially giving them good field position at home. The D didn’t do its job but the decision and thinking was sound.
If we get stuffed and lose people are jumping his arse for not trusting the D.
I would have preferred us to go for it but it’s not as easy of a decision as we’re making it out to be with the benefit of hindsight
On the 4th down call look we judge them on the end result and not the actual decision at times. His D had been playing well that half and the kicker was coming off 2 bad shanks, it’s not insane to think pinning them deep was the better move over potentially giving them good field position at home. The D didn’t do its job but the decision and thinking was sound.
If we get stuffed and lose people are jumping his arse for not trusting the D.
I would have preferred us to go for it but it’s not as easy of a decision as we’re making it out to be with the benefit of hindsight
This post was edited on 10/12/26 at 12:15 pm
Posted on 10/12/26 at 12:14 pm to Topwater Trout
I often feel that PREVENT defense is short for PREVENT a "W"
Posted on 10/12/26 at 12:17 pm to Hot Carl
Think there's something there about the trust part.
Think back to last year when Ole Miss had it 4th and 4 late vs LSU, Lane did not hesitate to go for it vs. kicking the fg, they motioned, leaked out Dae'quan Wright and picked up the first down very easily.
The down and distance were greater but the trust factor was there, interestingly enough with a QB in his 2nd start for Lane.
All trust aside, I thought that's where the game was lost as well. There had to be something there to be called to pick up 1 yard.
But Lane got extremely conservative and went away from it.
That's gonna haunt him
Think back to last year when Ole Miss had it 4th and 4 late vs LSU, Lane did not hesitate to go for it vs. kicking the fg, they motioned, leaked out Dae'quan Wright and picked up the first down very easily.
The down and distance were greater but the trust factor was there, interestingly enough with a QB in his 2nd start for Lane.
All trust aside, I thought that's where the game was lost as well. There had to be something there to be called to pick up 1 yard.
But Lane got extremely conservative and went away from it.
That's gonna haunt him
Posted on 10/12/26 at 12:19 pm to BilJ
quote:perhaps we jump on him for it if it doesn't work out, but that's who we got when we hired him, I thought.
If we get stuffed and lose people are jumping his arse for not trusting the D.
He makes those decisions in the past without hesitation, but 6 games in, I have yet to see that Lane yet.
Posted on 10/12/26 at 12:20 pm to Hot Carl
quote:
But through the bigger picture lens, he thought it showed a lack of trust by Lane in the players. Said the players need to earn that trust, but it’s like a chicken or egg thing, and Lane needs trust in the players has to come 1st. Like show them that you trust them even if you fully don’t yet. How much better does that OL and backfield feel about themselves moving forward if he’d trusted them to get that yard and they got it? They may even feel better about themselves if they DON’T get it. Because at least their coach believes in them.
Love 18, but this is circular.
You could say Lane was showing faith in the defense and those players, not necessarily not trusting the offense.
Can’t get into the weeds like that imo.
For me it was all about the feel of the moment. With the crowd and refs and another good offensive coach on the other sideline, I don’t want them getting the ball back and I want to end it right there.
One yard away. End the game.
Defense can still stop them if we don’t get it (maybe THATS showing confidence in the defense AND offense lol), but offense can 100% END. THE. GAME.
I’m taking those odds in that setting every time.
quote:
Flynn—Could not get over all the pre-snap penalties and confusion. But the most egregious play to him, that capsulized a much bigger issue, was the delay of game coming out of a timeout.
Ok 15, this is a legitimate gripe.
I don’t like all the lining up and faking going for it only to take delays or TOs either.
But I do think this is a matter of the culture still being established. In year 2, 3, beyond, everyone within the program will be so much more familiar with Lane’s formations, personnel packages, timing, and philosophy etc that mistakes like these will be much more rare imo.
At least that’s the hope of course.
But yeah those penalties cost us against Kentucky, they will kill is against Bama UT etc.
This post was edited on 10/12/26 at 12:23 pm
Posted on 10/12/26 at 12:21 pm to The Egg
Really I think not going for it against ole miss deep in their territory was worse just because you were up against Chambliss. I don’t mind as much thinking your D should be good enough to stop UK.
I don’t agree with baker going prevent there when they only needed to get in FG range vs a TD. The clock stops for first downs so the idea of getting them to burn clock is flawed, you didn’t even do good there since they still had time to get a few cracks at the endzone
I don’t agree with baker going prevent there when they only needed to get in FG range vs a TD. The clock stops for first downs so the idea of getting them to burn clock is flawed, you didn’t even do good there since they still had time to get a few cracks at the endzone
Posted on 10/12/26 at 12:22 pm to Hot Carl
I do wonder if the general sloppiness also played into not going for it on 4th and 1 that game. I mean it was just mental mistake after mental mistake. Imagine the meltdowns if we botch a 4th and 1 play and turn it over on our side of the field.
I think some of us could live with a turnover on a play we execute and just dont get it, but there was so much sloppiness that game if we botch something on a 4th and 1 play there, people would absolutely have lost it and say why the TF would go for it when the defense in the 2nd half up to that point was actually playing well.
That all being said, Lane needs to just be Lane and do what he does moving forward. Clearly trusting Blake was not the move at the end there. They had 97 seconds and started at their own 19 yard line with ZERO time outs, they were in FG range with 30 seconds left on the clock. Absolutely disgustingly bad defense to end the game. They didnt get into a single 3rd and long situation that entire drive.
I think some of us could live with a turnover on a play we execute and just dont get it, but there was so much sloppiness that game if we botch something on a 4th and 1 play there, people would absolutely have lost it and say why the TF would go for it when the defense in the 2nd half up to that point was actually playing well.
That all being said, Lane needs to just be Lane and do what he does moving forward. Clearly trusting Blake was not the move at the end there. They had 97 seconds and started at their own 19 yard line with ZERO time outs, they were in FG range with 30 seconds left on the clock. Absolutely disgustingly bad defense to end the game. They didnt get into a single 3rd and long situation that entire drive.
Posted on 10/12/26 at 12:22 pm to Topwater Trout
The defense we played on the final series was atrocious. No pressure brought and sat back in a soft zone. Made zero sense.
Posted on 10/12/26 at 12:23 pm to The Egg
Well I think leavitt doing something stupid the drive before that could have cost you the game was a factor there. That one didn’t end up costing us points but should have
Posted on 10/12/26 at 12:23 pm to Hot Carl
I think the team’s apparent preparation from the first game to now has definitely regressed.
The team that showed up for Clemson was one of the best prepared LSU teams Ive ever seen.
Now it seems they are doubting themselves and their own eyes every play
The team that showed up for Clemson was one of the best prepared LSU teams Ive ever seen.
Now it seems they are doubting themselves and their own eyes every play
Posted on 10/12/26 at 12:24 pm to Hot Carl
quote:
Ole Miss or USF.
*FAU
Posted on 10/12/26 at 12:25 pm to Hot Carl
quote:
And I said this Saturday night, I think Lane is figuring out and still learning how to be the head coach at a place like LSU.
nah
The decision to punt wasn’t a mistake. It was absolutely reasonable.
The decision to punt is troublesome though. It reveals what the staff thinks of its ability to line up and get tough yardage.
Our fan base is pretty ignorant. They see running yards and assume our OL can push people around. That hasn’t been the case. And more concerning is we often are letting inside DL break free into the backfield. That we have been as effective as we have is a credit to the scheme. But that totally different than running it when everyone knows you are going to run it.
We struggled with the Kentucky DL. Anyone who watched the games could see it coming. It wasn’t as bad as Ole Miss. But the OL as a whole has a ways to go.
The offensive coaching has been very good IMO. It has navigated our real issues very well. And we have improved even without being full speed.
Posted on 10/12/26 at 12:27 pm to Topwater Trout
When has punting and relying on ur defense ever worked 
Posted on 10/12/26 at 12:27 pm to Hot Carl
Don't overlook the targeting non-call. It didn't affect the outcome but I would syre like to see Sankey's phone records during that review. I don't like the targeting rule but that was a textbook example that is called everytime. And in-game interference by Sankey would be a pretty big problem.
Posted on 10/12/26 at 12:27 pm to moneyg
And that’s the other thing, we have not done well in short yardage situations this year to assume that converting there was a given or the likely outcome is being a little dishonest.
Again I don’t disagree with going for it there but understand the logic
Again I don’t disagree with going for it there but understand the logic
Posted on 10/12/26 at 12:30 pm to thunderbird1100
quote:agreed. We only rushed 3, at least at the beginning of UK's final drive. Gave up easy completions.
Absolutely disgustingly bad defense to end the game. They didnt get into a single 3rd and long situation that entire drive.
UK moved the ball from their own 19 to our 23 in 5 plays - and they all were easy completions.
I've never understood the soft defense. Maybe if UK was on their own 19 with 20 seconds left. But they started their drive with 1:29 on the clock - that's an eternity.
You HAVE to be aggressive on defense in that situation. How a DC making millions doesn't understand that is beyond me.
Also, can't Kiffin get in Baker's ear and tell him to NOT play soft?
Posted on 10/12/26 at 12:31 pm to BilJ
quote:
If we get stuffed and lose people are jumping his arse for not trusting the D.
This is the truth!
My problem with the play calling wasn’t the decision to punt, which is close to a 50/50 call. I did not like the second down call, which was very unlikely to gain yardage but is what you run when you want to make sure the clock runs. The clock had way too much time to be a factor. I think there was about an 80% chance that we convert for a first down, on that second down play, if we threw for it against that Kentucky defense that was selling out against the run. And that would have ended the game.
Posted on 10/12/26 at 12:35 pm to BeepBopBoop
quote:that was like a night and day difference between the two teams. I’ve never seen anything like it. After the first Clemson game, I thought, man, we finally got a good team and then actually they did it again against Texas A&M too, well-played game with very few penalties and well-coached. Then they come along and lay an egg. Just doesn’t make much sense.
I think the team’s apparent preparation from the first game to now has definitely regressed. The team that showed up for Clemson was one of the best prepared LSU teams Ive ever seen.
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