re: Looking like LSU will have 17 starters coming back

quote:

---

Nah, CajunBama is that kid that tried to get into LSU, couldn't qualify, so he went to ULL instead. Now, like most of the Cajuns in Laffy, he's jealous of everything LSU, so he jumped on the Bama train, so he can Dick-ride them, to get under all the LSU fans skin.

---

Spot on.

Also, I'm not so sure Texag7 isn't a 13 year old.

Problem for LSU is that the 17 returning starters all play three positions. (kidding... but not far from truth).

Seriously, LSU might be very good or lose 6 games next year. QB play is a big question.

- The OL will basically be all sophs, but could be good, more likely only serviceable against the physically stronger teams.

- The DL returns only four, maybe only three, lettermen and only one of them was a highly ranked 4-star recruit. Compare this number to the other SEC teams who rotate DLmen.

- The situation at LB is potentially horrendous, no returning SEC quality LBs and only about 3 lettermen.

The incoming recruiting class looks very good by the numbers ... until you look at DL, LB. Even if quality it is rare for a freshman to have a huge impact at those positions.

The good news is that LSU does have a abundance of what they list as "DEs." Many SEC teams do not differentiate between DEs and DLs. These DEs and a plethora of FBs, though generally not very big, could possibly be used in LB positions in certain schemes. And LSU often tries to convert safetys into LBs to emphasize speed, with some success in the past.

This hybrid-positioning for speed has not worked very well against power teams. I don't think the new DC will continue this man-power plan ... pretty sure Steele would not have either. The pendulum is swinging back towards extra beef and making that beef faster rather than substituting speed for beef.

LSU has four early games that they could lose, depending on the answers to the questions at QB, OL, DL, and LB. Wisconsin, Mississippi State (quit laughing... and start taking this program seriously), at Auburn and at Florida. Only a fool would discount Auburn or Florida playing at home, or overlook any SEC school. Whisky's offense line and game will be a test for the LSU front seven.

If LSU loses three of these games or even two, Miles will probably be gone at the end of the season baring a spectacular November.

I for one will wish him bon voyage.

It is refreshing to see LSU going after quality defense players BY POSITION, not just by stars, again, and trying to return to the standards of 2008-2010.

However, it is pretty rare that DL or LBs can really lift a team when they are freshmen, hence my concern about next year. I'm not predicting a bad year at all, just identifying the question marks and trying to slow the band-wagon buggy from going off-season out of control again.

Besides, I've seen some of these 2016 recruits play this year. The center-piece of the DL recruiting this year, Alexander, apparently has the intangibles (?). However, the tangibles were not particularly on display against small school competition - Country Day - in the HS playoffs this year. I did not see a 4-star performance there ... but all that does is add a question mark. It does not discount his recruiting rating. Besides, what do I know?

quote:

---

Nah, CajunBama is that kid that tried to get into LSU, couldn't qualify,

---

It wasn't that long ago that L5U was an open college.

quote:

---

DarthLannister

---

Actually it looks like 19 starters back. Hawkins, Alexander, D. jones

quote:

---

it amazes me that the road games we deem "not tough" are the ones we generally lose....

---

Auburn: won 2 of last 4
Florida: won 4 of last 7
A&M: won last 2

Which of these do we "generally lose"?

quote:

---

However, it is pretty rare that DL or LBs can really lift a team when they are freshmen

---

The more you say the DL, which returns EVERYONE WHO SAW A SNAP in 2015, will need to rely on freshman, the more you out yourself as a moron.

Just FYI.