ShyTiger

Les is Maximus

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No distractions this point on. Georgia is the only team we are facing now. They are the only focus. LSU will be focused.

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No distractions, no excuses. Need to get the win against UGA on the road.

Not that the rankings mean that much at this point, but being 5-0 going against the No. 1 ranked Gators would add to the anticipation.

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UW, Vandy, ULL, and MSU are not exactly quality opponents.

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I consider victories on the road against UW and MSU to be of note. Locker and Polk of UW were legitimate threats. MSU has a decent offense in the rankings.

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The single biggest thing I see missing is the "nasty" attitude in the trenches.

We need to get back to people hating to play LSU!

Other teams used to comment on how beat up their team was the next week after playing LSU.. I don't hear that comment anymore....

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I totally agree.

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I find myself holding my breath on 3rd down... Instead of, oh yeah 3rd and long baby...we are going to T off on some heads, fixing to get the ball back....

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We may have to live with the "holding our breath" under a Chavis run defense.

It is not time to fire coaches. It is not time to give up on our team.

There are plenty things to feel good about after the MSU game. Although, I say this in the context of a college team that is only four games into the season with still a lot of things to work on:

Offense:
• I have confident in JJ. When he is throwing the short/intermediate pass, he is as good as any QB we have had in recent memory. Plus he has the running ability that some of our prior QBs didn’t have. He improved on the “longer” pass in the MSU game.
• We have high quality receivers who have made big plays this year. LaFell and Toliver are tough to cover and make things happen after they make the reception. Most people don’t know RJ Jackson, but he has made clutch receptions against UW and MSU. Dixon is strong and Randle, Mitchell and other will contribute this year.
• Running backs are high caliber, but most need holes to be successful. RS (QB and RB) makes his own holes and will likely surprise the defense with a pass soon. I wouldn’t be surprised to see RS run an option with Holiday.
• Offensive line is most in need of improvement. The holes are not there for the RBs. Beyond the blocking of the OL, I have seen too many missed blocks by other players. Basis blocking assignments need to be addressed and changes on the OL need to be considered.
• Play calling against MSU was acceptable, considering the weakness between the tackles. I saw lots of pass plays and runs outside the tackles.

Defense:
• Chavis’ defense should prevent big plays by the opposition. However, to accomplish this, our defense may be on the field longer than we would like, and makes it more imperative that our offense plays ball possession.
• In the secondary, what more can you say about Peterson and Jones. We have seen some blown coverage, but not unexpected for a young unit early in the season.
• Linebacker play has been good and contributed, directly or indirectly, to two “pick sixes” this season.
• Defensive line play is inconsistent. Dixon of MSU had way too much success against our DL. I would like to think that I have seen improvement since the start of the season. Also, I love watching Alem pressure the passer.
• By the way, how about that goal line stand!!

Special teams:
• We need work or a possible change on long snaps. We can’t afford to spot the opposition points in this area.
• Helton’s leg has improved but he needs some catching practice on field goals and punts. Also, what are his instructions regarding fielding a fumbled snap near the goal line. While we did have a goal line stand later in the game, Helton being tackled on our two yard line was tantamount to a touchdown (versus a safety had he been tackled in the endzone).
• Without checking the stats, I think Holiday had his best return day this year. And don’t forget the play of the game with Chad Jones. (Chad, the punt return and the goal line stand had to be as much fun as pitching in the CWS.)

So again, calm down. It is not time to fire coaches. It is not time to give up on our team. We are in a great position in the ranking.

Our remaining schedule is one of the toughest of any team in college football. The road ahead is not easy, but it is sweet to be on this road that so many other programs could only dream of being on at this point.

Savor the victory and buckle up for an exciting ride.

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Chicken applied for credentials for me, but the NCAA denied the request, saying the site does not meet its criteria for credentials (press passes). As I posted last week, this was no surprise. LSU won't credential TD either and says the SEC credentialed me for Hoover in error and wouldn't do it again without TD meeting higher standards as a news site that regularly covers LSU with daily original content by reporters covering a number of sports (practices, press conferences, games).

I will continue to do my best under these limitations but want to be honest about the information and writing I'm providing, which is why my tagline points out I am not on site at the CWS.

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Carl, please stop apologizing for not having credentials. Your blogs are better when you have less lame coach-speak and quotes. Unless you can obtain quotes/videos of a press conference that are suitable for a Coors commercial, then you are better off without them.

It sounds like LSU is still in the control mode and the "good ol' boy" network. It's ironic that they want TD, the most popular and most trafficed media outlet, to live up to a higher standard when other outlets are struggling/failing and not, as you suggest, attending all practices, press conferences and games for all programs.

Keep up the good work.

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"Young team" is just an excuse for "I dunno why we can't play." It rests in coaching. Leadership. Fundamentals. Execution. Character. Motivation. Focus. Excellence. Winning attitudes. All rests with coaching. LSU has been short-changed this season in that department.

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Agree.

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yes the lack of leadership and true playmakers such as dorsey, highsmith, steltz, hester, flynn, and doucet. i think its 50/50 coaches and players.

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In this game that is big business, the coaches are paid well and have a high-level of control (recruiting, training, motivating, preparing, etc.). Again, when I see a pattern, I look to the coaches.

Don't get me wrong. I still have confidence in Les and most of the coaches. However, if Les doesn't make the right additions/adjustments on his staff, he may go the way of Dinardo.

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Very bad, IMO, WR coaching. McCarthy needs to be one of the first to go........

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Last year, I remember LaFell watching an interception in the Kentucky game that he could have prevented. But in the Auburn game later in the season last year, LaFell did a good job in preventing an interception by RP. I thought this was good coaching last year. However, I haven't seen the same this year.

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I agree with most of your post, esp. w coaching on the defensive side of the ball, but last time I checked none of the coaches has made a play inside the white lines. At some point you have to put responsibility on the players. Look, you have the same coaches from last year, minus a few, including Pelini. Yet, last year our execution was much better. The decline in play this year imho has to rest with the players. The returning players have not stepped up, w/ the exception of scott, but on the defensive side NO ONE has stepped up. There has been a lack of leadership on both sides of the ball, and they have played w/ a lack of focus all year. Maybe some of that is coaching, but you can coach a kid, put him in the right position to make plays, but at some point the player has to make these plays. I knew we would loose 3-4 games this year, but, LSU, this year, has come up way short in making plays from key positions, and as a team has underacheived greatly in their play!

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Good reply. I tend to look at the coaches more when there is a pattern. For example, how many SEC games this year have we fallen behind in the first half? Do the coaches prepare our team as well as the opposing coaches prepare their team? Do the coaches have too much to handle during the game to make quick adjustments and deal with players (eg, our QBs and DBs)? Could the coaches create more leadership, teamwork and emotion on the field?