re: RIP Bill Arnsparger

RIP Bill.

Thanks for your coaching efforts at LSU.

shite happens. Bill coached most of his final yr. at LSU with the Fla. AD gig firmly in his back pocket. imo

ssgrice, let's really break down your list here...

the following players were signed in 1984, which means that while technically arnsparger signed them, they were recruited by Stovall:

Eric Andolsek
Wendell Davis
Sam Martin

Tony Moss was a very solid wide receiver for two years, but he was likely just the beneficiary of tommy hodson throwing the ball to him, because moss never spent any time in the NFL.

Oliver Lawrence had one really good season as i recall but was hurt a lot outside of that.

Tommy Hodson Congratulations you finally found one worth mentioning that arnsparger recruited and signed.

Eric Hill Another one recruited and signed by arnsparger that is worth mentioning

Kenny Davidson.. sorry i don't remember davidson being that great at LSU or in the pros.

Greg Jackson truly a phenomenal player... you're up to three

Clint James i remember this guy making a handful of plays but he was nothing that was overly special.

Victor Jones was at best a very average college running back... hell he never rushed for 300 yards in a season.

Robert Packnett i don't remember this guy so i had to google him... google knows more about him being charged for bank fraud than it does about his LSU playing days.

Ruffin Rodrigue A fairly solid college player but nothing overly special.

Ronnie Haliburton eh, w/e man... you're reaching now

Harvey Williams Good job, harvey is one of my all time favorite tigers... you're up to four now

Willie Williams you sure do like putting dime a dozen college tight ends on your list don't you?

Eddie Fuller an above average multi-purpose player, another one of my favorites... you're up to five now

David Browndyke a slightly above college kicker that never spent any time in the NFL makes your list?

Corey Raymond- while not exceptional, he was a very good player... i'll let you have this one, you're up to six now...

marc boutte i'll put him in the same category as raymond i suppose, not exception but good enough to give you credit for... you're up to seven now.

todd kinchen he had a really solid senior year but was nothing overly special overall... sorry i can't give you this one...

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Arnsparger Recruits but signed under Archer:

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i find it hilarious that make the distinction between arnsparger recruits that signed with archer but not with stovall recruits that signed with arnsparger... no double standard there, right?

quote:

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Stoval 22-21-2
Arnsparger 26-8-2
He did more with Stovall's recruits than Stovall did.

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stovall coached for four years, arnsparger coached for three, neither one of them really used their own recruits much... so i'm not sure what point you're trying to make, plus i don't remember touting stovall as being better than arnsparger or making any claim about stovall at all actually.

so in conclusion, while arnsparger recruited a few more players than i realized... you have to realize that signing 7 good players in two years really isn't much to brag about.

WTF is wrong with you guys arguing over recruits in a memorial thread?!?

The man has passed, PAY SOME frickING RESPECT.

If you really need to sword fight with your 4 inch dicks about who recruited who, START ANOTHER THREAD.

This shite is shameful.

We lost a great one. Prayers out to the family. RIP Coach

Rest in peace, Coach

Rest In Peace, Coach. Sure enjoyed the years that you were here. Prayers and Sympathies to all family and friends.

Obviously, we will never know, due to a series of circumstances which limited Bill's tenure as head coach, and probably his efficacy in his final year, but I always felt that had the stars aligned (e.g. had Bill been a few years younger, had Florida not had such an emotional pull on him, and had Florida not been determined to hire Bill on the backside of his career and offer him the Athletic Director position in his final year, Bill's legacy would have been among the finest LSU head football coaches in the history of the University. Using an arbitrary period of 10 years, consider if Bill had been hired at the end of the '79 Season instead of Bo Rein. Note that this is not intended to be a shot at Stovall; only consideration of Bill. The 1980 roster inherited by Jerry Stoval (and would have been inherited by Bill included some significant, though largely young talent (6 Jrs; 0 Srs). Among the returning talent on the 1980 squad were Alan Risher as a Sophomore QB, Greg Bowser; Jessie Miles, Al Richardson, Orlando McDaniel; Rydell Melancon, Mike Mahtook,Leonard Marshall and Ramsey Darbar, just to name a few. Stovall was a decent recruiter; Arnsbarger was better. In his first year, Stovall added players like Eugene Daniel; Gene Lang; Liffort Hobley; Rydell Melancon; What would the Freshman class have looked like had Bill recruited it? And what would Bill have done with Jerry's squad that finished 7-4? Look at 1981 (Yr.2). In his second year, 1981, Stovall returned a squad with 6 seniors and 18 juniors. His recruiting that year was not bad either, adding kids,like "Magic" Juan Betanzos who started on his record PK run; Clay Parker, Jeffrey Dale; Herman Fontenot; Eric Martin; and Lance Smith. Yet despite an older, more experienced team, Stovall went 3-7-1 his second year. How would Bill have done with that team? How would the recruiting class have looked? In Stovall's 3rd season, he returned an experienced squad, with 21 seniors & 17 juniors. Of this meant rebuilding in 1983. In recruiting, Stovall got the rebuilding process started early, adding Jeff Wickersham at QB; Mike DeWitt; Karl Wilson; Roland Barbay; Mitch Andrews; and of course, Dalton Hilliard and Gary James. The Tigers went 8-3-1 in 1982 and Stovall was named National Coach of the Year. It's hard to imagine Bill doing any better, but we'll never know. In 1993, Stovall's last year, the Tigers returned 17 seniors & 21 juniors. In addition, Stovall added Norman Jefferson; Craig Rathjen; Mike Dewitt; Garland Jean Baptist; Brian Kitchen; Toby Caston; Karl Wilson; Michael Brooks; Henry Thomas; Tommy Clapp & John Hazard. This team seemed to be a good mix of veterans and youth, but Stovall's 1983 team disappointed, finishing the season at 4-7. How would Bill's recruiting have compared to Stovall's that year? Equally important, What would Bill have done with this team? Well, we know that the following year, 1984, with largely Stovall's players, Bill took the Tigers to a 8-3-1 record, and LSU's first trip to the Sugar Bowl in a long time. He proceeded to go 9-3-1 in 1995 and a trip to the Liberty Bowl, and in 1996, his final year with the Tigers, he went 9-3 and attained another trip the Sugar Bowl. Recognizing that this is strictly my opinion, based on seeing Coach Stovall in action as well as Coach Arnsbarger, I stand by my statement that had Bill coached the Tigers for 10 years, he would have been considered among the all time greatest in LSU coaching history. Rest in Peace, Coach!
added some talented

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He didn't lose to Alabama during his 3 years as the head coach at LSU - that endeared him to me!

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And I didn't want to contradict you in a RIP thread - because that's not who I am. But even though I couldn't put my finger on it - it didn't sound right. For example, we know that LSU did not defeat Alabama in Tiger Stadium after the 1969 contest until the 2000 season (you know, the year we lost to UAB, but beat the "real" Alabama, breaking the 30 year drought) - but there was 1 tie. And for whatever reason, I have a mental block about that tie, although I sort of remember watching the game.

14-15 in 1985 - the middle year of Coach Arnsparger's run. Therefore, you are correct sir - Coach A was 2-0-1 against Alabama as LSU's coach.

After the struggles under Stovall (who - G-d bless him, was drafted into the job after the sudden, tragic loss of Bo Rein) - Arnsparger did a masterful turnaround job in a very short time. The fact that Archer and Hallman weren't up to the task wasn't really his fault.

Thanks Coach Arnsparger and RIP!

He was one of favorite coaches at LSU. It was because of him that I hoped Saban would stay at least 5 years at LSU.

I think BA would have won a NC if he had stayed at LSU for 5 years.

Sorry to hear of the passing of Coach Arnsparger. RIP Coach. Prayers to his family.