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re: Spinoff Thread- LSU Fans....
Posted on 4/11/17 at 10:11 am to rmnldr
Posted on 4/11/17 at 10:11 am to rmnldr
Time for a dose of reality.
As everyone knows, this time of year is liftoff for LSU pumper fans. You will soon see things like "Heisman," or "7 first round NFL draft picks," or "best OL in the US," or something about miracles followed by a list of names no one has ever heard of. At that point, it is best to step back and keep your hands in your pockets.
The truth about LSU this year is that for the first time in a decade, no one really has a clue ... but reasoned people anticipate a less competent team then last year.
DL - only the most purple colored glasses believe the front seven for LSU are elite. LaCouture, Gilmore, and Herron may all be seniors, but they frankly haven't been very good (comparatively). If any are NFL quality, it hasn't shown to date, and at best they would be late round draft picks. The two sophomore backups are unknown quality and few if any sophomores can make much of an impact on the DL in the SEC.
Unfortunately, those five are pretty much all there is. It is hard for a team to play an SEC season with five DL, none of which are a true NG. And right now, ... none of them are SEC team in quality. I do not see this year's DL being as good as last year (which was average).
Oh well, DL is suspect or at least a big question mark? No problem... the new 3-4 scheme depends on LBs you say?
RE: LBs. Divinity looks like he will be a SEC quality LB in another year, maybe not elite this year, but serviceable. Key, if he has his problems solved, is a real talent and potential 1st team SEC DE-LB. Right now, I'm not sure how he will be used in a 3-4 scheme that has no true NG. But, White and Alexander would not start at Alabama, or probably not even Auburn. Behind them are... get this two incoming freshmen. No team ever has tried to play a successful SEC season with true freshmen LBs.
Re: Secondary - LSU lost their starting secondary. They have lots of talent (as does every team in the SEC), but as we know, hanging your hat on the development of a brand new secondary is risky. They might be good individually, but might be confused in play.... or they might be good. In any case, the newness of it is grounds for caution.
DC - No fan base in the SEC gets as starry eyed as LSU over the hiring of a new coach. Does anyone even know who the OC of Georgia is? Or do any fans elsewhere seem to think a questionable set of talent can be made into a silk purse by a DC? At LSU, the magic bean of a new coach is the talking point that LSU fans hang their hat on. Well maybe, maybe not .... personally I wouldn't bet the farm on it.
The defense for LSU has several question marks. Doesn't mean it is going to be bad or good... just ... questionable.
OL - no one I know that actually follows LSU, knows the players, etc., believes that LSU OL was the best in the nation last year. It was a LONG way from it. It was maybe middle of pack in the SEC.
The two best OLmen are gone, but the good news is that older is better on the OL and maybe the returnees are juiced up. Right now, no one even knows where the returning individuals will play next year, or what type of scheme they will be playing in, or even if they are suited to that scheme. Don't worry, there doesn't seem to be much depth. Are any of the OLmen all-SEC quality? Maybe one.
Receivers - mediocre, bad routes, dropped passes last year. The good news is that the receiver corps is new this year. The bad new is that the receiver corps is new this year. At this stage, no LSU receivers would be id'd as one of top in the conference. But on the plus side is that young players can contribute at the skill and receiver positions much sooner than at the grown man positions.
RB - Guice = good. Who is behind him?
QB - Etling is serviceable, maybe in the top half of QBs in the SEC. God help LSU if he gets hurt.
Summary - OOC schedule is favorable and will allow the team to gel some. But SEC schedule is tough with 5 road games. The good thing for LSU is that quite a few other SEC teams are in a complete rebuilding mode too so comparatively (which is what counts) LSU may not be behind the curve. I would estimate this team at 8-4 with lots of unknowns and with a low degree of confidence in ANY prediction, upside or down.
But I would recommend that people don't pay much attention to the spring-time pumpers. Look at the LSU roster with some hard cold eyes. And remember.. a list of players for a team is not the determinant. It is the COMPARATIVE players.. matched against the opponent. This is something my LSU friends seem to overlook because they often do not take the time to study opponents or their rosters. But that is OK... whatever. Peace.
Get ready for deniers and pumpers who deny and pump without facts, just a list of names. 3 - 2 - 1 ...
As everyone knows, this time of year is liftoff for LSU pumper fans. You will soon see things like "Heisman," or "7 first round NFL draft picks," or "best OL in the US," or something about miracles followed by a list of names no one has ever heard of. At that point, it is best to step back and keep your hands in your pockets.
The truth about LSU this year is that for the first time in a decade, no one really has a clue ... but reasoned people anticipate a less competent team then last year.
DL - only the most purple colored glasses believe the front seven for LSU are elite. LaCouture, Gilmore, and Herron may all be seniors, but they frankly haven't been very good (comparatively). If any are NFL quality, it hasn't shown to date, and at best they would be late round draft picks. The two sophomore backups are unknown quality and few if any sophomores can make much of an impact on the DL in the SEC.
Unfortunately, those five are pretty much all there is. It is hard for a team to play an SEC season with five DL, none of which are a true NG. And right now, ... none of them are SEC team in quality. I do not see this year's DL being as good as last year (which was average).
Oh well, DL is suspect or at least a big question mark? No problem... the new 3-4 scheme depends on LBs you say?
RE: LBs. Divinity looks like he will be a SEC quality LB in another year, maybe not elite this year, but serviceable. Key, if he has his problems solved, is a real talent and potential 1st team SEC DE-LB. Right now, I'm not sure how he will be used in a 3-4 scheme that has no true NG. But, White and Alexander would not start at Alabama, or probably not even Auburn. Behind them are... get this two incoming freshmen. No team ever has tried to play a successful SEC season with true freshmen LBs.
Re: Secondary - LSU lost their starting secondary. They have lots of talent (as does every team in the SEC), but as we know, hanging your hat on the development of a brand new secondary is risky. They might be good individually, but might be confused in play.... or they might be good. In any case, the newness of it is grounds for caution.
DC - No fan base in the SEC gets as starry eyed as LSU over the hiring of a new coach. Does anyone even know who the OC of Georgia is? Or do any fans elsewhere seem to think a questionable set of talent can be made into a silk purse by a DC? At LSU, the magic bean of a new coach is the talking point that LSU fans hang their hat on. Well maybe, maybe not .... personally I wouldn't bet the farm on it.
The defense for LSU has several question marks. Doesn't mean it is going to be bad or good... just ... questionable.
OL - no one I know that actually follows LSU, knows the players, etc., believes that LSU OL was the best in the nation last year. It was a LONG way from it. It was maybe middle of pack in the SEC.
The two best OLmen are gone, but the good news is that older is better on the OL and maybe the returnees are juiced up. Right now, no one even knows where the returning individuals will play next year, or what type of scheme they will be playing in, or even if they are suited to that scheme. Don't worry, there doesn't seem to be much depth. Are any of the OLmen all-SEC quality? Maybe one.
Receivers - mediocre, bad routes, dropped passes last year. The good news is that the receiver corps is new this year. The bad new is that the receiver corps is new this year. At this stage, no LSU receivers would be id'd as one of top in the conference. But on the plus side is that young players can contribute at the skill and receiver positions much sooner than at the grown man positions.
RB - Guice = good. Who is behind him?
QB - Etling is serviceable, maybe in the top half of QBs in the SEC. God help LSU if he gets hurt.
Summary - OOC schedule is favorable and will allow the team to gel some. But SEC schedule is tough with 5 road games. The good thing for LSU is that quite a few other SEC teams are in a complete rebuilding mode too so comparatively (which is what counts) LSU may not be behind the curve. I would estimate this team at 8-4 with lots of unknowns and with a low degree of confidence in ANY prediction, upside or down.
But I would recommend that people don't pay much attention to the spring-time pumpers. Look at the LSU roster with some hard cold eyes. And remember.. a list of players for a team is not the determinant. It is the COMPARATIVE players.. matched against the opponent. This is something my LSU friends seem to overlook because they often do not take the time to study opponents or their rosters. But that is OK... whatever. Peace.
Get ready for deniers and pumpers who deny and pump without facts, just a list of names. 3 - 2 - 1 ...
This post was edited on 4/11/17 at 10:20 am
4
Posted on 4/11/17 at 10:47 am to Jacknola
Lots of strengths that others have detailed, but our RB depth is significantly weaker compared to recent years. Williams nor Brossette have demonstrated anything special. Granted, their playing time has been limited. It's hard to take time away from Fournette and Guice.
This post was edited on 4/11/17 at 10:49 am
Posted on 4/11/17 at 11:11 am to Jacknola
quote:
RB - Guice = good. Who is behind him?
The only positive offered up in your analysis of LSU. You talk about the LSU pumpers and your "dose of reality" as if you were about to provide an unbiased and fair analysis. And on first look, it arrears that you were. However, the fact that the only positive you could find in the team was Guice = good is telling about your bias. Any unbiased observer would rate Guice well above "good". In fact many believe he is the best RB in the SEC and the nation. But through your unbiased red shades he is just good. Gumps are going to gump.
Posted on 4/11/17 at 1:23 pm to Jacknola
quote:
DC - No fan base in the SEC gets as starry eyed as LSU over the hiring of a new coach. Does anyone even know who the OC of Georgia is? Or do any fans elsewhere seem to think a questionable set of talent can be made into a silk purse by a DC? At LSU, the magic bean of a new coach is the talking point that LSU fans hang their hat on. Well maybe, maybe not .... personally I wouldn't bet the farm on it.
You obviously have a bias. Comparing Kevin Steele's defense to Dave Aranda's defense in their respective years and it tells you all you need to know.
Posted on 4/11/17 at 2:01 pm to Jacknola
quote:
DL - only the most purple colored glasses believe the front seven for LSU are elite. LaCouture, Gilmore, and Herron may all be seniors, but they frankly haven't been very good (comparatively). If any are NFL quality, it hasn't shown to date, and at best they would be late round draft picks. The two sophomore backups are unknown quality and few if any sophomores can make much of an impact on the DL in the SEC.
Gilmore started all last year at NT and LaCouture started in 2014 and 2015. Both are competent but not great. I actually think two out of the three will lose their spots.
Alexander and Lawrence are both proven because they played a ton last year. Alexander is our best anchor at nose and rarely ever moves back. Rashard isn't as powerful but he's a much better pass rusher. I expect both of them to be great.
quote:
Unfortunately, those five are pretty much all there is. It is hard for a team to play an SEC season with five DL, none of which are a true NG. And right now, ... none of them are SEC team in quality. I do not see this year's DL being as good as last year (which was average)
It's literally the same line as last year. Godchaux had a disappointing year and Neal regressed. The DL goes deeper than just those 5 and Alexander and Shelvin are both true nose tackles.
quote:
RE: LBs. Divinity looks like he will be a SEC quality LB in another year, maybe not elite this year, but serviceable. Key, if he has his problems solved, is a real talent and potential 1st team SEC DE-LB. Right now, I'm not sure how he will be used in a 3-4 scheme that has no true NG. But, White and Alexander would not start at Alabama, or probably not even Auburn. Behind them are... get this two incoming freshmen. No team ever has tried to play a successful SEC season with true freshmen LBs
At this point you're just trolling. LSU was 3-4 last year and Key played buck linebacker. If White wasn't good enough to start anywhere else, why was he a 5 star with offers from everyone? Divinity probably won't even win the F linebacker spot because Corey Thompson is far better in coverage and is fast as hell. Once again, LSU has two true NGs.
The point about the two backups being freshman is valid but wasn't Ben Davis one of the ILB backups at Alabama? Just because they're freshman it doesn't mean they can't play. White as a freshman played a damn good game against Alabama.
quote:
Re: Secondary - LSU lost their starting secondary. They have lots of talent (as does every team in the SEC), but as we know, hanging your hat on the development of a brand new secondary is risky. They might be good individually, but might be confused in play.... or they might be good. In any case, the newness of it is grounds for caution.
LSU didn't lose its entire secondary. It lost White, Adams, Dwayne Thomas (not a starter) and Rickey Jefferson (injured all year)
Donte Jackson, KT2, Battle, and all of the 5 star talent is still there. If they can't find a nickel out of all of the 5 star talent on the bench then we're royally fricked. History has proven otherwise and Raymond is by far the best DB coach in the SEC.
quote:
The two best OLmen are gone, but the good news is that older is better on the OL and maybe the returnees are juiced up. Right now, no one even knows where the returning individuals will play next year, or what type of scheme they will be playing in, or even if they are suited to that scheme. Don't worry, there doesn't seem to be much depth. Are any of the OLmen all-SEC quality? Maybe one
Pocic and Boutte were not the best. Both Clapp and Teuhema were better and the only position that isn't solidified is RG. Expect Clapp and Teuhema to be all-Americans.
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