re: Is Jai Eugene really better then Loston?

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benching K Williams after a 70 yard run vs Auburn

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He wasn't "benched". He was the second or third option at RB on that team and he was put in for that specific play. When other coaches do this they get credit for putting their players in position to make plays. He only had one other carry in the game. It isn't like he was a focus of the offense and they just sat him because he scored. By the way, underclassmen Scott (5), Murphy (2), Perrilloux (4), Holliday (1), and Toliver (1) also had carries in the game.

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and then Scott after gaining over 100 in the first half vs UK

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That one is a bit of a head scratcher for me also. He busted a couple of nice runs that got him most of those yards, but he did it on 4 or 5 carries. The longest run was with Perrilloux in the pistol if I'm not mistaken, so it could have just been a specific package of plays. Holliday and Murphy were both involved and got several touches each in the second half (underclassmen). And I do remember Scott getting stuffed on the last play after putting his head down and running directly into the only UK defender in the front 7 that wasn't blocked. With the number of underclassmen involved I have a hard time believing Scott didn't play more because he was an underclassmen, but I do agree he should have played more.

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Keith Zinger

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That is pretty simple and obvious. He was a better blocker than Dickson, which is also why he played so much in 2003. If they were force feeding him passes you would have an argument but total catches for the year were

Dickson 32
Zinger 3

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Damond

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I sat in Neyland Stadium and watched Kelly Washington destroy Damond & Co in 2001. It started off well, he had a pick in the endzone in the first quarter and then Washington proceeded to put up video game type numbers. Great call to leave him one on one at the end of the game on 3rd & long when we needed a stop btw

We likely end up beating UK by 30 plus had Zinger caught that damn ball. I haven't watched a replay ever of that game (and won't) but that was a sickening game in that we, for the first time all season, were not getting ANY pressure on the qb (Woodson).

As far as your comment about Keiland Williams, you have to remember at that time that he was the returning starter from the previous season (after he was finally started in the UT game). He ran well against everyone we played in '05. Right or wrong, at the time - especially after that td run against AU - Williams was still at that time who most of us believed should have been the "horse". Think back. None of us knew what Jacob Hester was going to be. Scott was considered the 3rd back on the team on the depth chart (and KW was actually first in preseason mags). I'm not saying that Hester shouldn't have been given his carries, but there is still a perplexing ordeal about why KW went from being #1 in '06 to #3/4 in '07. I realize that we were thin in the stables in '06 with Fat Broussard and Vincent, but KW came into Knoxville and gave us a breath of fresh air. At the time, it just didn't make sense. KW in '08-'09 didn't deserve to start and was not the better back. But in '07, I am not sure we gave him enough carries or misused him. Did Crowton's philosophy (or lack thereof) cause this? Was he in Les's dog house? Was he semi-hurt and we were all victims of Les Miles's "Don't Tell" injury reports? Does anyone even know?

Yes, Zinger...back to him...a great blocker. That wasn't my isssue. Why was he in the game in that down and distance situation? Element of surprise, perhaps...but he catches that ball and LSU remains #1 and likely same scenario happens, either way. I mean, we would have played in the Dome with 1 or 2 losses. It just sucked that we were that close to being undefeated and blew it to two teams that can't sniff us overall talent wise.

The best I ever saw Keiland run was as a junior in high school. His feet looked much quicker. You are right, 06 was a mess, and eventually he just got too thick imo. I don't think he, nor Scott for that matter, ever had very good vision/anticipation and that is why Hester was able to overtake them in 07. I also think that is why you saw them try to get Keiland out on the perimeter with the flare type passes (Auburn TD you mention), the option (VT 2007), and plays that were specifically designed to fit what he could do best as opposed to giving him the ball as part of the "normal" flow of the offense....if that makes any sense.

I actually liked Ridley better than Scott and Williams last year, but I would think the knee limited him....especially early.