Let’s re-visit the 2016 football team

Outside of the RBs, the offense left a lot to be desired. The defense was nasty though.

quote:

---

The defense was nasty though.

---

Championship level defense that rarely gets talked about.

Lost to Wisconsin, Auburn, Bama, and UF. That defense held every one of those teams under 19 points.

Elite Defense.

QB play was mediocre at best.

quote:

---

That season was so disappointing and it really is sad for that team because they had a lot of special talent.

Going into summer all we heard was Les was handing the keys over and we would throw the ball more… all to literally watch 100 toss dives against UW in Lambeau.

Les deserved the firing for just outright lying to the fan base all summer after that

---

Yep.

Les was carried off the field in his "last game" as LSU's coach the prior season, only to remain the HC because there wasn't a consensus agreement to fire him. It was one of the most bizarre happenings in LSU football history. The fans, players, and even the coach himself thinks it's his final game...only for the AD (who was working to fire him) to triumphantly proclaim Les will remain the HC 20 minutes after being carried off the field.

The thought was that Les got the message significant enough to finally break his stubbornness going into what looked like a really good team in 2016. That all came crashing down in 2-3 quarters in Lambeau field. Nothing had changed. I remember walking out of the stadium with pissed off LSU fans everywhere. Local HS kids were handing out free chapstick (Carmex was the game sponsor). One LSU fan took one and threw it on the ground saying "I don't want any fricking chapstick!" I felt bad for the poor girl who gave it to him. She had no clue that was several years of frustration being let out on her.

I also went to the Auburn game that season. Both fanbases looked at it kind of a "the loser wins" type of situation in that a loss would accelerate the coach being fired (Auburn fans wanted Malzahn gone). It was a classic "Les game" in his final game. LSU dominated that game defensively. AU didn't score a TD. But like every Les game for the better part of a decade LSU's offense would fail to capitalize on chances to control the game because of the ridiculous risk-averse approach. Then, with their backs against the wall, the offensive approach would come out of its shell to respond...only to totally mismanage the end, leading to a chaotic finish.

Les was NOT a bad coach. But ultimately he was his own worst enemy because of his stubbornness. That was the difference between he and Saban. For the most part, LSU and Alabama were on equal footing from 2009 - 2012 (maybe a few years later). However, Saban was willing to adapt to a changing game. Even if he didn't particular like the changes. Les flat out refused all the way to the end.

This was supposed to be Travonte Valentine's breakout year

I know he didn’t play very well, but Brandon Harris is a good dude. Met him a few times while at LSU and he was very nice/down-to-earth. Hope he’s doing well.

quote:

---

I know he didn’t play very well, but Brandon Harris is a good dude. Met him a few times while at LSU and he was very nice/down-to-earth. Hope he’s doing well.

---

He's making a million bucks as the GM of Texas football. Seems like hes doing alright.

quote:

---

the Bama game in ‘16 was very competitive and that defense was very very good

---

until Alabama's last drive of the 3rd that bled into the 4th quarter, the game honestly was more of a defensive standstill than the 2011 game. Game was scoreless both teams had fewer than 150 yards of total offense, and both teams only had 6 first downs in the game before that drive.