re: Who took over a worser program?

"Talent" is such an abused word, just because you have a "X Star" player doesn't mean they are a great talent at the college level

Just look at the first two drafts Saban had in 2001 and 2002. One player in the top three rounds both of those years combined.

Are we all just going to accept "worser" being used here?

Neither because "worser" isn't a word.

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These 4 players are all top 3 at their positions in lsu history.

Youre forgetting dominik davis, toefield, robert royal, ryan clark. Saban didnt walk into shite talent

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Rohan nor Trev are top-3. Bradie and Josh - case could be made for them.

One way to look at the roster would be to ask how many players from then would be playing in front of players now? And the converse.

On the surface I think Reed, Davis (tackle breaking machine and a good punt returner), and Royal on offense. Not sure Rohan '00 version starts ahead of Jayden.

On D, James, Faulk, and Clark would be starting now. Who else?

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This. Kelly inherited a worse roster, Saban took over a weaker program.

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LSU had 8 players, combined, taken in the 2001 and 2002 drafts. Only one of whom, Josh Reed, was selected higher than the 4th round. I'm willing to go out on a limb and say LSU has more than 8 players taken (combined) in the next two drafts. If you want to take things even further, LSU had 12 players total taken between the 2001 - 2003 drafts (meaning those guys were on the roster prior to 2000). Again, Reed was the only one taken higher than the 4th round. I think LSU is going to have more than 12 players taken in the next 3 drafts.

Did Freshmen and Soph. on the 1999 team eventually develop into good players under Saban? Sure. But it is equally as likely Freshmen and Soph players on last year's team will likewise develop into good players under Kelly. While the talent on this year's LSU roster may be "down" relative to what we became accustomed two over the last 5 years or so, it is still likely better than what Saban inherited from a program that had gone 7-16 (3-10) in the two years prior to his arrival.

Saban did not take over Prairie View in Nov of 1999 like you and Terry Saban insinuate. DiNardo was fired at the end of the 1999 season. In early October of 1998 LSU was in the top ten. In fact,the night Tennessee finally beat then #1 Florida,LSU was ranked higher than the Vols. Then of course Tepper's defense caught up with LSU and along with DiNardo's refusal to correct it,they were dismissed 13 months later.

LSU didn't then just go to the Peach Bowl in 2000 based on Saban just coaching guys he drug off the Parade Grounds.

Now as the Sabanistas still here who will juxtapose any comment that doesn't elevate their hero to diety status, of course 2022 Saban > 2022 Kelly.

Kelly doesn't have frat boys on the team either. But unlike Saban he didn't take over a program that almost had a muntiny the year before,either.

1998 Tennessee football:

13-0

Being that recruiting rankings weren’t really a thing in 2000, I’d say the general hype around players now make them look better than they were then.

More specifically the busts like Kardell. So, on paper yeah we can say Kelly came in with better players… but did he really? Who is really standing out right now?