We’ve just passed the halfway point of the SEC football season, and so now that the tigers have played some tough opponents and some not-so-tough opponents, it is time to reflect on the team’s performance.
Overall Play This Season: B
“Other than that Mrs. Lincoln, how was the play?”
With the exception of special teams this year, we have had a great season. We have annhialated every team that we were supposed to beat, and suffered a bad loss to Auburn thanks to some shitty officiating, and another bad loss to Florida, thanks to a very “special” special teams play that has Brad Peveto driving the short bus and Chevis Jackson riding in the front seat. As mentioned in an earlier article, if you look at the Florida game, using statistics only used from that game, LSU would have won that one if you take out Jamarcus Russell’s fumbled snap at the goal line and Chevis Jackson’s muffed punts.
I know winning and losing ARE everything in college football, but IF the coaching staff makes a few corrections during the two losses (to teams ranked higher than LSU, I might add), we are undefeated right now, ruining ESPN’s wet dream of having meaningful matchups with BOTH the Ohio State – Michigan and the Louisville – West Virginia.
So far the season hasn’t been a total disaster.
Coaching: B+*
Les ain’t THAT bad. Seriously, going 6-2 without a running game and a brand-new defense is pretty good. Our passing game has been spectacular, and our defense is the best in the nation. 6-2 — that’s not even in the “waking up next to a fat girl” territory (see Georgia).
The only criticisms I have are of Brad Peveto’s special teams and Jimbo’s conservative playcalling style.
Brad, seriously, dust off the old punt formation and put your current one on ebay with no minimum bid. Chris Jackson, I feel for you. You are punting the ball just as well as you did last year — well almost as well, a difference of -1.5 yards (39.3 per punt this year vs. 40.8 last year).
Also, Chevis Jackson couldn’t return a rental movie much less a punt. He looks like he is trying to field a hand grenade out there.
Would you let this man return a punt?
The switch to Craig Davis should have happened after the Arizona game when he fumbled.
Jimbo, it’s time to open up the offense. I know you feel like the fat girl on prom night now that Justin Vincent just doesn’t care, and Alley Broussard gained weight, but ditch the running game. Let’s have some fun.
* Overall coaching – special teams. Fire Peveto now.
Quarterbacks: A*
Jamarcus Russell is a quarterbeast. Simply the best QB we’ve had in a long time. He is making decent decisions for a college kid and can throw the ball farther than anybody in all of football.
What about the two losses? He would have gotten an A+ if he threw a jump ball on the last play of the Auburn game, and the recievers were at fault for his interceptions in the Florida game.
Hey Matt: I love you too — you’re the next Tom Brady. Try not to throw an INT on your first series.
Perrilloux: I know you want more playing time. I love you. Try not to trip over the center on your first snap, keep your chin up, and you’ll be our man for the next three years.
Running Backs: D
Why doesn’t Justin Vincent care about my happiness? If I wanted Alley Broussard to gain weight I would have married him.
Simply awful. I cringe every time I see a handoff. The only reason why our running backs didn’t score an F is because of Jacob Hester, who is the only back who stepped up to play, but continually has this look on his face that the high school kid had in “The Girl Next door” because he can’t believe he’s getting all the carries.
Jacob Hester: You da man. Keep on trucking. Enjoy the spotlight.
Justin Vincent: I know boozing and women are fun and all. Before you uncork that bottle of Grey Goose in your locker after practice today, you may want to call your buddy Maurice Clarett and find out what awaits you next year if you continue down this path. Have fun in the CFL.
Alley Broussard: Every time I think of this guy I keep thinking of Mugato in Zoolander: “Lose 10 pounds right now or get out of my face!”. Alley was a beast against Fresno state. That phrase would have been a lot cooler last year when USC (ESPN’s “Best Team EVER) needed a miracle against them to win the game.
Seriously dude. You are making progress. Back away from the krispy kremes.
Wide Recievers: B-
This group has largeley benefitted from having Jamarcus Russell at QB. Don’t think the statistics would be this good if we still had Matt Mauch or Marcus Randall. Sigh. These guys helped cost us the game tipping the balls into the hands of the Florida secondary.
Dwayne Bowe: You almost have the same receiving stats as you for the entire 2005 season. Seriously, you are catching everything that comes your way. Good job.
Craig Davis: You are also having a career year. Actually, your numbers this year have already passed last years numbers. Great job. If it weren’t for the tipped balls into the defenders hands against Florida, you’d be so much hotter.
Early Doucet: You have the second best name in college football, and you also have eclipsed last years numbers. That being said, forgiveness is a difficult thing, and I’m still confused about our relationship. The fumbled punt into the end zone against Florida still hurts, but you did have two clutch catches in huge spots last year to help us win at Alabama and Arizona State. Make up for it against the Vols, please?
Offensive Line: C+
Does anyone really care about offensive line stats? I see nothing glaring, JR seems to have enough time to throw the ball, but I wish our running backs had larger holes to run through. The only thing I have to go on is that Jacob Hester seems to be getting the same average yards per carry that he had his last two years, so it can’t be all your fault.
Defensive Line: A+
This unit is doing really well for us. Let’s face it, Florida put up 23 points against us becuase we kept giving them extremely short fields to work with. I’d like to see more sacks put up by Chase Pittman.
Chase Pittman: 4.5 Sacks, 5.5 TFL, 1 Interception. None of them against Florida or Auburn. Let’s see you do this against Tennessee.
Glenn Dorsey: 4 Sacks, 6 TFL. You are a beast. 50% of this production is against Auburn. Hey Les, let’s play this guy ONLY against ranked opponents.
Charles Alexander: 2 Sacks. Go to Emeril’s and Kick it up a notch bro, we expect more.
Ricky Jean-Francois: It’s a good thing Repete Smith isn’t playing this year, because You have the best name in college football. Nobody thought at the start of the season that RJF would have more tackles than Chase Pittman, but it may take a while to grow a sack.
Linebackers: A+
Who would have thought our linebacking corps would have done so well. These guys have played with heart and intensity. Maybe we should rotate Beckwith in with Hester to shore up the running game.
Darry Beckwith: Leads the team with 51 tackles. I didn’t even know your name before the start of the season. Definately wins the positive surprise of the season. Should shave head in mohawk and speak only like Mr. T.
Ali Highsmith: 34 Tackles, but would like to see more out of him in big games. Nice forced fumble against Tulane.
Jacob Cutera: I would never start this guy in NCAA 2007. He’s terrible in the game, but good in real-life. Not bad considering he’s a freshman.
Defensive Backs: A
If I were to tell you in August that the season would start off with one of our DB’s returning two int’s for TD’s in the first two games, would you guess it was Laron Landry? Yeah, me too. Seeing Jonathan Zenon do it was like watching the Detroit Tigers beat the Yankees. I’d like to see much more turnover production against tough opponents from this squad.
Jonathan Zenon: Let’s see some production against Tennessee like we saw against ULL and Arizona.
Laron Landry: 2nd on the team in Tackles, with 41. Is he that good or our front seven that bad?
Craig Steltz: Came up huge against Auburn with a nice INT.
Chevis Jackson: Great interception against Florida.
Special Teams: D-
Two items kept this unit from getting a D:
1) Buster Davis is returning punts.
2) Colt David hasn’t really made any huge mistakes.
Other than these two kids, who have played well, the rest of the unit is a disaster. LSU is winning games this year in spite of special teams whereas last year they were winning games because of them, pinnig them deep and causing turnovers. It shouldn’t take much to turn this unit around. But if I ever see Chevis Jackson deep to return again, I may just stab my genitals repeatedly with an ice pick.
