re: John Chavis statement on defensive talent today

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Brick was like a B-. The only guys that did well that Brick could take credit for are Brockers, Montgomery, and Mingo. Brockers was an unblockable manchild who was drafted in the 1st, Montgomery has now slipped into anonymity in the NFL, and Mingo is now a speed rushing OLB who got drafted in the 1st.

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That is the impression I have gotten from yall and that is what I tell them when they beat their chest. But their response is always the same (also in that link):

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An important thing to understand is that the people, while great fun and incredibly colorful, are unrelentingly crazy and have more in common with 19th century Sicilians than modern Americans. They are prone to wild conspiracy, lengthy grudges, insane proclamations and wild emotional reversals depending on their whim of the moment. So the best way to evaluate Haley will be what he does here.

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I just wish I had some hard evidence to point to and show that he sucks or is good at X and only X so that some sort of barometer can be established. Now my best ammo that isn't contested is that he replaced a guy who made a lateral move.

I appreciate your answers. Thank you.

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It would be completely unacceptable by LSU standards to have a defense ranked in the 100s or giving up 40 points a game.

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A mid-90's Aggie who loved chanting "Wrecking Crew" would never believe what our defense was last season. Things can and do change.

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Chinese Bandits

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I was only a matter of time before one of you Cajuns went full out racist

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my real point was that we both still had the same players and the fact that LSU has gone and got good defensive talent for the last 15 years is why so many different DCs have had success here.

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So you are saying you have more talented players on the defense? That isn't related to logo on the jersey, that is related to how well coaches can recruit. Maybe a program with more history can recruit more easily, but that isn't a guarantee.

I have no problem admitting LSU has recruited better on defense for years. Heck the Wrecking Crew didn't die because our culture became finesse, it died because Mack Brown starting taking all the elite instate defensive talent that RC once had sole claim to. When the talent went away so did the wrecking crew expectations because quite frankly all our yells and wishing couldn't make those three stars have talent they didn't have.

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where as A&M has finesse players who rack up sacks against shite teams and get worked against a real offensive line.

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I think that is less about the program and more what raw materials feed it. Texas High School football creates overdeveloped and hyper talented prima donnas. That is what we have to work with for a decade, well that and the second or third tier of neighboring Louisiana.

If we had the same players as LSU, with the same coaches, with the only difference being the jersey, then the results would be the same. Being part of a certain program vs another doesn't make you tackle better.

LSU is one of the last schools that is committed to defense

we want the best defenders and the best defenders want us

the logo has a lot to do with it. ITs a brand of football.

its why you can steel a guy like Speedy Noil who wanted to be part of your brand of football.

so yeah A&M isn't LSU.
Its the players, but there is a reason why we have the better players.

Chavis will shite the bed at TAMU and then retire. That defense is beyond repair.

You add nothing to the conversation

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We are as talented now as when I was at Tennessee or when I went to LSU. We will be improved, there's no question about that. It's not a lack of talent. We have work to do, but we have a ton of talent that fits places in our scheme.

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Yep, the talent is there...

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Its the players, but there is a reason why we have the better players.

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Sure, but that reason isn't the logo. Or more exactly the logo isn't the primary reason.

LSU has good defensive talent because it is the flagship team of a state that cranks out NFL D talent on a higher than average basis per capita. LSU also has coaches that emphasize defensive talent and recruit for it.

Now over time these two things got the LSU brand associated with defense, and both fans and recruits can to expect a good defense, but if those conditions changed then LSU might not be known for defense anymore.

Back in the 80s and 90s most elite talent in Texas played on the defense. The same guys who today are spread WRs were CBs back then, many current athletic QBs would have been LBs back then. When the state shifted away from defense at a high school level our Wrecking Crew died without anybody asking us if that is what we wanted. Because the talent made the Wrecking Crew and not the other way around.

Just being known for a "brand of football" isn't enough. Otherwise TCU (who by now is known for having a good defense) would have signed Mack and not us.

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cardboardboxer

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LSU has good defensive talent because it is the flagship team of a state that cranks out NFL D talent on a higher than average basis per capita. LSU also has coaches that emphasize defensive talent and recruit for it.

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I guess you don't remember LSU Defense after Carl Reese left in 1997.

I guess you also don't remember the 2000 LSU Defense under Nick Saban, which was the worst defensive team in LSU History (Not Modern. Not Golden Age. It was the worst EVER). We were a shade better in 2001 in winning the SECC.

In 2002 we finished Top 25 and have been very good-with the exception of 2008-ever since.

But it isn't because we crank out defensive talent. It's because we crank out NFL talent. Not specifically defense. Your entire premise is flawed based on Saban's recruiting ability and two fantastic hires as Defensive Coordinators in Pelini and Chief since Saban left.