Carlos

2000 was fun but it's difficult to top the second half of 2001. The monster offensive performance at Bama, then the four game run of Arkansas, Auburn, Tennessee, Illinois.

A span of a five weeks saw our first ever division title, first conference title in 13 years, and first major bowl win In 31 years.

Following the 90s, after all the losing, that was a pretty special run. 10-3 is pretty average now, but back then it was a blast.

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So why doesn't he do it? Who has to approve this if not the AD?

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The SEC. It's currently prohibited.

Well in 2011, you can at least say that a flipped result in the Jan 9 game means we win it. So we did control our own destiny until the very end. Depends if you think we were really better than them and should have beaten them in the Dome.

I wanted to say 2012, from the standpoint that a flipped result with Bama means we play ND... but Georgia in ATL would not have been a given. Same with 2006 and Auburn... just means we get a rematch with UF, who was just as complete a team as LSU that year. 2005 we wouldn't have had a shot, even if 12-0... we wouldn't have jumped Texas or SC. 2008/2009 we were just not a very good football team and no one game on the schedule made a difference.

The most difficult thing to this day, is thinking back to 2006, where we had all the momentum in the world, Alabama was stagnant with Mike Shula, and yet between then and now they have completely bypassed us as a program.

I guess the answer to your question is, how much of Les' responsibility was it to stop Alabama's rise to prominence, or how much do we view this as inevitable on their part? They've run roughshod over the rest of college football... was LSU in a unique position to stop them, and just stood by idly while it happened? Or is it more acceptable just because they beat everyone else as well? Because they're the primary reason we don't own at least one more NC and maybe even two. Without them, the SEC and college football are basically ours.

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How is 2004 Auburn not #1? THat team had 4 1st rounders on it, including 3 in the backfield. 10 guys on the offense alone went on to play in the NFL.

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Doesn't matter anyway. 2004 Auburn almost lost to the 2004 LSU team at home, and needed a major break to keep from going into overtime. Can't imagine how they would fare against 2011 LSU.

2011 LSU went through the season without even a close game - except Bama. Also took down the PAC12 and Big East champs (who also won their respective BCS bowls) away from home. 2011 LSU might have the most impressive season in the history of college football in terms of strength of schedule... at least of those teams who ran through it undefeated.

There is no comparison between the two.

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Justin Vincent was solid in the post season.

Cecil Collins

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Neither played as true freshmen.

To answer OP, we probably go 8-4. Losing to Ags, Bama, Georgia... then probably lose one out of Arkansas, Ole Miss, TCU, Florida and State.

ETA: this is the best case scenario. Too many losses on the defensive side of the ball, and it's doubtful Miles will be changing his offensive philosophy. So when we spot the other team a deficit, like the Texas A&M game this year, the defense is not going to be able to hold the other team all game, while waiting for the offense to finally click.

Just don't see it happening. Lost too many players.

Worst case scenario is almost unthinkable... with bad breaks we're looking at 6-7 losses. Programs like Texas and Georgia weren't immune to it, neither are we if things start to get really bad.

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No. They got the "Miles transitional track" treatment. But I don't remember the exact conditions during that time. I imagine much has to do with the timing of programs and their hiring needs. We made have just been extremely lucky that year.

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Mallory and Peveto each landed their new jobs, and we signed Chavis, prior to the Chick-Fil-A Bowl. Mallory/Peveto coached the bowl game with Chavis waiting in the wings to take over afterward. Chavis' was free in November 2008, as Tennessee did not go to a bowl game that season.

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The ghost of Mike Archer played a big part in the thought process, I'd imagine.

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This is the main reason. LSU was only five years removed from the 1990s at that time. This was before the recent successes of in-staff promotions like Bielema, Butch Jones and Chip Kelly. LSU had sound reasoning, and Bertman seemed to conduct a pretty thorough coaching search. Main candidates before Miles were Butch Davis (still being paid by the Browns, not to coach), and Bobby Petrino.

Of the remaining coaches available, Miles seemed to be the only one possessing the following characteristics: 1) NFL coaching experience 2) Successful head coaching experience at a BCS conference. Miles was one of four major hires in college football that offseason- the other theee being Meyer at Florida, Weis at Notre Dame and Spurrier at South Carolina. Miles hasn't fared so badly compared to the others, and keep in mind that each of those schools announced their vacancies in November 2004 or earlier, giving them about a month head-start on LSU (Saban resigned on Christmas Day).

I can't really fault the approach Bertman took with his coaching search in 2005. A program of our stature should primarily look at coaches with head coaching experience.

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And in 2005, we were two ravaging hurricanes away from having an undefeated regular season, probably knocking off UGA in the SECCG, and then replacing UT in the BCSNCG and finally having our grudge frick against USC.

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No. We would have been left out. SC and Texas began 1-2, and didn't lose.

If Johnny Manziel had a career ending injury tonight and never played another down, I can promise A&M's offense under Sumlin would never languish like LSU's has the last four years.