LSU

I think if you'd have played Tech when the Pirate was there, you may have understood what it means to play football here. I have a buddy that went to Tech, and his eyes flashed when I said, "You know, the Big 8 thinks we joined them, like we're beneath them".... He said something like "Here in the state of Texas, we play football, and they'll figure that out soon enough".....I thought of my Tech friend the night that Tech hung 70 on Nebraska...… SEC is darned good, no doubt, but don't doubt Texas teams.... Until Saban started poaching Louisiana, you guys get the pick every year (The State University, like Ohio State)...If Texas and A&M and others got to pick off the top here first and then you got the out-of-staters got their shot, you might see a little power switch come on just west of you.....

 

I get the doubts about LSU's offense with a new system. I'm optimistic because they return 5 WR with at least 20 catches from last year, 4 of 5 starting OL, plus the QB will have been working with these guys for a year now (rather than last year, where he didn't show up on campus until June). And folks like Bruce Feldman have written about how highly Joe Moorhead and Sean Payton regard Brady, and have gone out of their way to rave about him being a rising star. But that's a fair question to have until we see a product on the field this fall.

On the flip side, Texas is #120 out of 130 FBS teams in percent of tackles returning.

% of Tackles Returning. – Phil Steele

But you don't seem concerned that Texas might struggle some on defense early in the year. I have seen people talk about how much the backups played last year, but it's not reflected in the stats. If they were really on the field much they couldn't have been that effective. One or the other.

Anyway enjoying the conversation and your detailed responses.

 

I think you missed the part about ATHLETIC QBs. Just because a QB can run doesn't make him an athletic QB. I've seen Burrow run, it's not impressive. Go to youtube and watch Kyler Murray, as much as I can't stand that midget, he can run his butt off.

That's the kind of QB we have trouble stopping. Burrow can't run.

 

He isn’t a Murray, but he had almost as many yards as Ehlinger did last year. He isn’t exactly a statue back there.

 

Riddle me this Batman. How in the world did a mobile qb with a mammoth all world offensive line get sacked 35 times last year? That's not just bad, but it's one of the worst in the NCAA. Spare me the conferences great defense crap since there was only one SEC team in the top 10 and 4 total in the top 25 ranked total defenses last year.

I've already said this once but now throw in a new offense where linemen miss an assignment a couple more times a game and that number goes up not down.

Hell, we pieced together a bunch of leftover Charlie Strong linemen with some grad transfers and only had 26 which is not great but about 30% better than LSU.

 

LSU fans have pretty much all agreed in this thread that the O-Line is the biggest concern for LSU in 2019. Question was answered already...maybe you didn't read the thread.

 

Yeah, I read the entire thread. Have you? It's quotes like this sprinkled throughout that led me to make my line comment. Doesn't look like y'all are as unified in thought as you think you are.

 

Here is a little Texas Longhorn history lesson for you. After Texas lost the 2009 National title to Bama Mack Brown became fixated That Texas become a power rushing team. He successfully recruited a 5'star power back Malcolm Brown and was set to change his offense. So we did. Texas was breaking in a new QB in Garrett Gilbert who was a sophomore replacing Colt McCoy. Everything was in place for Texas to keep on winning, except for one thing. Texas didn't have the offensive line to run a power running game. You see we had been recruiting guys that were good pass blockers not run blockers. We had been coaching them to pass block for 4 years and now we were asking them to become run blockers. Texas went from a national championship to a losing season. Basically Texas took a race horse and hooked a plow up to it.

My point is that you have been recruiting offensive linemen for a system and now you are creating a new system and expecting them to be able to just change over night. It doesn't work that way. You know what they call an offensive linemen who is 340 lbs and is a great run blocker and pass blocker? A NFL franchise linemen. How many of those are on your roster? You guys are taking a plow horse and putting it in a horse race.

My expectation is that about half way into the 2nd quarter, your mush mouth coach is going to ditch his new offense and go back to what works because you can't seem to protect your QB.

 

LOL we couldn't protect our QB last year and he didn't change his philosophy back. 2018 was pretty wide open by LSU standards, throwing the ball 30 (29.8 to be exact) times a game for the first time in at least a decade. A big part of LSU's problem is that Les Miles loved guards and recruited them primarily, then put the best ones at OT. Which is ok in the run game but not so much in pass pro. LSU is set at the interior OL positions, but right OT in particular is a problem.

Anyway I'm not arguing with you guys and neither are the majority of LSU fans. Pass protection sucked last year and needs to be a lot better this year. But this is more year 2 than year 1 of at least that part of the change (passing the ball more), and we have 4 of 5 OL returning. So at least the hope is they'll be better than they were last year. There are reports that a big focus of the S+C program has been to get the OL to shed weight this off season. We'll see how that worked out.

 

Oh snap...we now have proof positive that aggy logic is contagious. It infected their present conference...

 

Love scheduling these type of games.
Great for the fans.
Sure picks up the action on the message boards.
Somebody is going to win.
I think it will be the Horns at home.
One thing not mentioned is Sam's attitude, leadership and tenacity.
He is very Tebow-esque without the surrounding media/political ********.
This team will walk thru fire for him.

 

I've enjoyed the banter, at least with you guys it's real football talk not like talking to aggy or blOwU fans who always seem to turn it into name calling and make it about other things. Except for the Mush mouth part, that was bad form on my part, but seriously, how does anyone understand a word that is coming out of his mouth? I enjoy listening to him just to see how much of what he is saying I can understand. It's like a vocal version of Where's Waldo.

I'm thinking of inventing a drinking game. put up a sound clip of his and the first person to figure out what he is saying gets to make someone else drink a shot. If I could box that I'd be a millionaire.

 

I get it about his accent, but if you ever met him he’s a down to earth drink a beer with you kind of guy. Burrow said he would run through a brick wall for Coach O. He’s a hell of a recruiter. The story of how he got Chaisson is legendary. Flew into Houston and sat in the airport knowing Chaisson was going to see a big program. This was at 6am. Chaisson later said that was one of the main reasons he signed with LSU was how bad O wanted him.

We will be fine on the offensive line. Like I said before my only concern is right tackle. At least it isn’t on Burrows blind side. Cushenberry will be a load at center. Our guards are really good and Charles at LT is solid. It will be interesting to see who wins the starting job at RT. What’s good about the new offense is they won’t need to hold blocks very long if Brady’s offense is really what we are hearing with RPO’s.

 

I'm sure Bob Dylan and James Brown were also great guys, can't understand a word either of those dudes say either.

 

Underrated comment

 

Austin Bill is kind of sneaky funny. He'll sneak in a one liner....look out!
I've had employees from South Louisiana and when they got excited, I had to ask them to slow down so I could understand what they were saying.

 

Well lets see, perhaps the fact that LSU gave up less 1 sack per game more than Texas has to do with...........FAR better defensive lines in the SEC??? In fact, in looking at the first two rounds of the NFL draft I see 6 SEC DL or LB and 2 Big 12 DL taken. Maybe I missed something Robin, I didn't see a Texas player taken in the first two rounds, OR the next 2 rounds. The LSU OL had injuries but why would that matter, they still ran for 275 yards on a team Texas played, too and ran for a 100 less. “Riddle” solved.

 

Your post reminded me of a drunk throwing darts in a dimly lit bar. Stay clear because you might get one in the ear.

You never solved the Batman riddle with that mess....how did that bone crushing mammoth offensive line give up 35 sacks last year? Was it their fault or the "mobile" qb or bad coaching?

 

SEC SEC SEC

When all else fails they start their SEC chant. You know, maybe you should be more scared of Texas. Texas won 10 games and beat the pants off of the SEC #2 team and we also beat Oklahoma. With a very untalented team. Imagine what we are going to do to you with a much more talented group.

I mean seriously, it's not like Texas has had the # 3 recruiting class in the country two years in a row...wait what, we did? That's right we have had the #3 recruiting class in the country. Two years in a row. But wait, those guys are freshmen and sophmores, they will need time to develop.

Wait, you are starting a true freshmen at Corner? And he is going to be a first round NFL draft pick? Wow, I just wish we could recruit as well as you. Wait, we had the #1 high school corner in the nation 2 years ago and now he is a sophomore? That can't be.

But you are right Texas can't run the ball as well at LSU. Wait, we aren't a running team? We are a passing team? That can't be right, when did that happen? 1992? Really? Amazing. I had no idea Texas relies on it's passing game to set up it's running game.

So 8 guys from the SEC were drafted, how many were from LSU? How many will Texas be facing when you guys come to town? No offense, but Bama isn't going to come to your rescue in this game, neither will anyone else from the SEC. Keep this in mind, the coach you really wanted is standing on our sideline not yours. Our offensive line is in year 3 of our offense, yours is going to be in game 2. You have a very good defense, Texas has a very good offense. Your offense, not so good, our defense is young. Young but talented.

But lets not forget your 5 star running back, I mean it's not like Texas has one of those, oh wait we do also.

But hey you are right, you had injuries, that makes it all better. It's not like Texas ever has injuries, that never happens in Austin Texas. What can I say. Don't worry, when all else fails you can still do your chant.

SEC SEC SEC

 

Quit hiding behind the SEC SEC SEC diversion tactic. It’s sad. Don’t go there you are better than that. In regards to Stingley, he may be a once in a lifetime corner and we’ve had some good ones. I’m only going by what I saw in the spring game since he was an early enrollee and what Coach O and Aranda have said about him.

There’s no doubt LSU’s Oline faces better quality dlineman day and and day out than Texas does. That’s not a knock on Texas. I’m sure you have some young talent that will be up to the challenge against LSU. I was impressed with how you contained Georgia’s running game. LSU did the same. Big key in that game was we ran all over Georgia. Hell even Burrow had 60+ yard run in that game. I do think LSU will run on Texas, but I’m hoping for more of 4-5 yards a carry rather then 6-7 carries for 1-2 yards and one 10 yard carry. I think field position will be key in this game. We are bringing in a new kicker who is highly talented, but hasn’t played any pressure games yet.

 

Special teams is going to be a big key to this game and might be the difference in the outcome. We have Dicker the Kicker, he is pretty clutch but sometimes lost concentration last year. I think he will be more consistent this year. We also have another Aussie punter who as a freshmen wasn't too bad. I don't think he is going to make us forget his cousin Michael Dickson, but he is further along than Dickson was at this point in his career.

If this game comes down to special teams I'm confident in our kicker and punter getting the job done.

 

I was thinking to myself, SEC does have some great athletes lets look how the LSU offensive line did against their non-conference schedule. Out of 4 non-conference games and 1 bowl game, your boys gave up 11 of those 35 sacks. How in the world can that be.

And lets be honest You played 3 pretty weak teams in your non conference schedule. You played Miami, not great but not bad either. you played Rice two Louisiana directional schools and USF in a bowl game. Honestly I expected better. so Maybe all those schools should be in the SEC.

I also looked up how many guys from the SEC were sack leaders, I saw two in the top 10 Allan from Kentucky and Polite from Florida, then you had a kid from Bama ranked 23. That's it for the top 30 sack leaders from the SEC.

Here is something else weird I noticed. Out of the top 40 sack leaders in college football last year, none of them played for LSU. That must be a mistake, after talking to LSU fans I would have guessed 3 of the top 10 were Tigers. Very very strange indeed.

 

Ah yes Chaisson blew his knee out in the first game against Miami. I believe it was the 2rd quarter and he had a sack. Guess what? He will be 100% against Texas and Calvin Anderson graduated. Good luck with that. You will have to double him. No way your left tackle can man up against him all game.

 

You're looking at the wrong stats for sacks. LSU had 11 sacks AGAINST their OOC opponents. They gave up 8 sacks to them. Still too many but not the number you cited.

8 sacks in 5 games is 1.6 per game. 27 sacks in 8 games is 3.4 per game in SEC play. Seems about right.

Might surprise you, but LaTech was #5 in the country last year in sacks, and their star DE got drafted in the 3rd round. He had a sack against LSU. Miami was #11 nationally in sacks.

But for sure LSU's Oline was a problem last year, particularly at the tackles. SELA got 2 sacks which was downright embarrassing.

Regarding LSU getting sacks, we had no elite pass rushers last year after Chaisson went down with an ACL in the first game. He'll be back this year but we'll see if he regains full explosiveness - usually that doesn't happen in the first year, although guys can still play. Rashard Lawrence has potential to be a good pass rusher but played hurt most of last year.

 

Hmm. Just checked team stats, LSU had 34 sacks last year, Texas had 32. And you lost the guys that had 23.5 of the 32 sacks from last year. No worries for LSU

LSU returns the guys responsible for 30 of their 34 sacks last year. Hope your 3 new starters on the Oline are ready.

 

Sometimes reality overrules logic. LSU scored zero points against Alabama last season. What a line! What a QB! 2 games into a new offense will not cure that.

 

Well, if Cosmi shifts over to LT it will be one heck of a matchup. (Cosmi, as a Freshman, was a noticeably better OL than Calvin Anderson).

 

Have generally enjoyed the discussion so far. Has made the heat of July much better.
I think alot of interesting points have been made but my "judgment" has been clouded by two games last year that make it hard for me to be optimistic or pesimistic. Maryland and LSU v ATM. Those results are just hard not to blame on very bad coaching and generally bad decision making all the way around. Maryland was double painful for a second year in a row. LSU aggie was a sh*t show that would never end, sprinkled with bad sec officiating, horrible tv crew and watching the aggies gleafully turn a football game into the world's largest "spin the bottle" make out session. Ugh. A good Texas coach should have killed MD. A thoughtful LSU coach should have saved us from an aggie nightmare.

 

Tom Herman has a thing about beating teams he isn't supposed to and losing games he isn't supposed to. He's done it at Houston and here at Texas. Guess which category LSU falls into.

 

Miami 5 QB hurries; 2 sacks 24 pass attempts.
SE LA 1 QB hurry; 2 sacks 20 pass attempts
La tech 1 sack 28 pass attempts
Rice 1 Sack 28 passes
UCF 2 sacks 34 pass attempts

I read the UCF and La Tech sack chart wrong. 8 out of 35 is 23% of your sacks came from 2 marginal teams and 3 bad teams. The thing to really look at is you guys really didn't do a lot of passing only once in those 5 games did you pass more than 30 attempts. By today's standard that is very low. In those 5 games you attempted a total of 134 pass attempts for 8 sacks. That is high sack total given up to some really bad teams.

The point I'm making is that more than likely if your coach is committed to his new offense, it won't be uncommon to see your QB dropping back to pass 40+ times a game. That is going to increase those numbers out a lot. Add in the learning curve for your offense and I expect to see you guys give u a lot more sacks especially to a defense that is very good at disguising blitz packages and choosing where to bring the heat.