October 9, 2009
Bringing back memories of 1997
This week’s anticipation and hype surrounding the LSU-Florida game brings back memories from more than a decade ago when I was a true freshman at LSU and we took on the No. 1
Florida Gators in Tiger Stadium. That victory and the emotions following that game still represent one of the greatest feelings in my life, and this weekend this year’s team has
the chance to experience that feeling for themselves.
In 1997 I was an 18-year-old starting in the SEC. I was so jacked up for the game, especially being from Florida. I remember being nervous and anxious and excited going into the
game. I was so young and going against the No. 1 team in the country. I don’t remember exactly how many games I had played in my career, but it couldn’t have been more than
about five and it was probably just my second or third start in the SEC.
I’m sure right about now the players on this year’s team are just as nervous and anxious as I was that week as the game got closer and closer. I know Coach Miles is probably
telling them take it like any other game and build on what they’ve done during the first five weeks of the season. It’s easier said than done, but you can’t let the emotions of
the game take over what you’re doing. You still have to lay it all on the line and play hard for four quarters. I’m sure the coaches are telling the team to just compete and
perform to the level that they are capable of playing and downplay all of the talk and hype that’s going on outside the locker room as much as possible.
When you play at LSU you quickly realize that every week is a big-time opponent and a big-time game, even against some of the lesser opponents because they are trying to play
the game of their lives to knock off one of the national powers. You have to be ready to go and get jacked up every week, so in that respect this week is probably not a lot
different than any other, especially within the locker room. The only difference is the outside attention and the outside anticipation. To be honest with you, I don’t really
remember much about the preparation leading up to the Florida game in 1997. It’s such a blur becuase you get used to the mindset of preparing the same way every week by just
figuring out the obsticles you have to overcome and trying to achieve the goals that are set. What you have to do to win is laid out and if you are succeesful in reaching those
goals, 90% of the time you are victorious. You just have to stay within the team and do what you have been taught to do and everything else will play itself out the night of the
game.
By now all of the physical preparation is just about over. The team will probably do a quick walk-through today and Coach Miles will then have them relax tonight and tomorrow as
they wait for game time to arrive. When I was playing in college and the NFL I didn’t read any of the newspapers or watch on TV anything that had to do with the games I was
playing in. I really tried to focus on doing my job, which is what the players today should also be doing. Focusing on my job and making sure my teammates were doing what they
needed to do to take on their responsibilities was the most important thing to me because, to be honest with you, the only people who know what’s really going are the people who
are in the locker room when that door shuts. And it’s important that it stay that way because if guys get carried away with the hype it can affect them on the field.
This coaching staff has usually done a pretty good job of getting the team focused for big games, and I think that will again be the case on Saturday night. It’s very important
for LSU to get started right in the first quarter. The fans were the x-factor when I played in that 1997 game. We jumeped out early and the fans were jacked up, which proved to be a hindrance to the Florida offense. If the Tigers can play within their capabilities, lay it all on line, and jump out early and score a quick touchdown or two, we have a great shot at winning the game. But if Florida comes out of the locker room and puts 14 points on the board in the first quarter, it very well may take the wind out of the sails of the fans really quick.
What I am really hoping for is for the Tigers to be able to triumph in such a big-time atmosphere, because it will be something that they will remember for the rest of their
lives. Certainly that 1997 game is something that I’ll never forget. I was on the field when the clock reached zero and the fans rushed the field. It was an unbelievable feeling. There was so much energy and excitement out there that you could feel it rushing through your body. That is the type of game that changes your life. It’s an honor to have been on the field that night when we knocked off the No. 1 team in the country. Things fell into place. We ran the ball, controlled the clock, and had a couple of big tuenovers. This year’s team has an incredible opportunity to do the same thing this weekend. Any time a team comes into your back yard ranked No. 1, you want to knock them off. And that’s what I’m looking for this weekend, another magical night with the Tigers somehow finding that will to win and once again knocking the Gators from the No. 1 spot in the rankings.
September 14, 2009
Vanderbilt hangs around, but not good enough
While I did think that LSU played better in its game against Vanderbilt than it did last week at Washington, I still think the team needs to get stronger. They need to be ready to attack the other powerhouses in the SEC. It is fortunate they are playing weaker teams at the beginning of the season and have an opportunity to get some wins underneath their belts as they are trying to figure some things out on both sides of the ball. Overall, I think this was an important game for LSU to get an SEC win, especially with how dismally they played in conference games at the end of last year. I think it is a good, solid win over Vanderbilt that LSU needed to have.
TOP THREE REASONS WHY LSU WON
1. The LSU defense played much better than last week
2. LSU had superior athletes — Vanderbilt will always have to overcome this when playing top SEC teams
3. LSU made plays when it had to
THOUGHTS ON OFFENSE
Until LSU starts utilizing its receivers to stretch the field and letting the quarterback throw intermediate and deep routes, it will continue to struggle in the running game. The Tigers have the offensive line and the running backs in place to run the ball effectively; however, if LSU continues to be one-dimensional and the opposing defenses load the box, LSU will continue with its struggles.
The Tigers did, however, score more points than Vanderbilt, which ultimately wins the game. The Tigers need to continue to use Russell Shepard at the quarterback position to keep defenses guessing and off balance. These formations will be key to winning and moving the ball. With Shepard playing some quarterback and with more use of the wildcat formation, it will also eliminate Jordan Jefferson from taking such big hits while running the ball. We need to have a healthy Jefferson at quarterback throughout the year to be successful.
Ultimately, LSU needs to continue to work its offensive team and I think that next week will be a fantastic opportunity for the coaches to start expanding the offensive play calling against an inferior opponent.
THOUGHTS ON DEFENSE
The defense was much improved from the previous week against Washington. One thing that caught my eye was the third down stops, which were much more efficient this week. The LSU defense was able to get the Tiger offense back on the field quickly to score points. In the second half, the defense displayed the way it is capable of, and that means shutting down an opponent’s offense.
I hope that LSU can build on this performance and continue to improve its overall defensive play. Sometimes defensively the Tigers have such an athletic team that is so quick and ready to attack, they tend to over-pursue plays, making them susceptible to misdirection and counter plays by the opponent. They must become more disciplined in their schemes to prevent this possible weakness in their defense. I think they will overcome this naturally over the next several games as they get more live game snaps under their belts.
PLAYER OF THE GAME
The left tackle, Ciron Black, is definitely a player to watch in this season. It seems like every time he fired off the ball, the defense seemed to fold in the direction that he was pushing. He was a like human road grater and is the size of a refrigerator. If LSU is to get its offensive running attack going, it must lean on the shoulders of this mammoth offensive lineman. He has the game experience to lead the offensive line and continue a long tradition of great offensive linemen from LSU in the National Football League. He undoubtedly will be a top draft pick.
SURPRISE OF THE GAME
I was surprised how little yardage Brandon LaFell obtained compared to the number of catches he had (seven receptions for 38 yards). Please start sending this guy on intermediate and deep routes. He is one of the best receivers in the conference and LSU will need this guy to stretch the field for the offense to compete against top tier SEC opponents.
BUILDING BLOCKS
The defense proved it could step up and shut down another team’s offense late in the game to put Vanderbilt away. This was a great confidence builder for a team that heard all week how bad it was defensively. Vanderbilt is regarded as a capable team, though certainly not a great team. For the Tigers to all but shut the Commodores out except for one first half drive, the performance was one that the Tigers will be able to use to build on. Hopefully they can continue to perform at that level during the next two weeks against the University of Louisiana-Lafayette and Mississippi State, two inferior opponents, and be playing at a very high level when they are next tested at Georgia in a few weeks.
Tigers take care of business against Huskies
By Louis Williams
Looking back on the LSU’s game against Washington, I thought that LSU did as expected. I knew both teams would be excited and ready to start the 2009 season. It seemed like the crowd was electric in Washington and I think that the Huskies were much better than people had originally thought. This was defiantly not last year’s winless Huskies.
LSU needs to be prepared and should be accustomed to opponents aiming to knock down a national powerhouse. Keeping the game tight, like this game was, always makes it more difficult, especially on the other team’s turf. Although LSU was the better team, Washington kept the fans in the game, which helped them keep the game close on the scoreboard. When you’re on the road the goal is to get ahead quickly to get the crowd out of the game. Jumping on the Huskies early and often obviously would have given the Tigers much more control and an edge throughout the game. Unfortunately LSU couldn’t manage that task and the Huskies hung around the majority of the time.
Overall the offense played well, but there are still many growing pains the younger players will have to go through early in this season. LSU needs more consistency on offense and needs to utilize their offensive weapons more effectively. In typical years, LSU offensive skill players are as talented as any other team in the country. To fully utilize these highly talented players, however, you must have a dominant offensive line.
Jordan Jefferson played well with a simple game plan. I think this is good for a young quarterback still trying to learn the game and get into a rhythm of managing the game. A steady running game will only increase his effectiveness, allow the team to control the ball, and help with time management. Many fans want to see trick plays, but the better the players know the basics, the more confidence they will have and the more likely the Tigers will win. While it is necessary to occasionally do these trick plays to keep the other team’s defense off balance, the basics are what consistently win games, which is what counts.
Defensively LSU is loaded with unbelievably well-conditioned athletes that can fly around effectively. These players are capable of making great plays; however, third down conversions are a main area of concern. Improvements must be made in this area in order for the Tigers to compete against elite talent in the SEC. LSU has to be able to get its defense off the field and get the ball back into the offense’s hands as quickly as possible. This seems to be a recurring issue with LSU’s defense over the past several years.
While the players played well as a team, there was one receiver that I have my eye on. I was really impressed with Terrance Toliver’s presence on the field, not only his physical stature, but also his maturity beyond his years. He and Brandon LaFell will need to be the explosive playmakers on the field. A key to an effective offense is having a deep threat down the field, which will cause the opponents’ defenses to not have the chance to load the box and shut down a run. Instead, they will have to defend the possibility of the deep threat. I think we have this in these two players, which will open up our offensive play calling and help us move the ball even when it is not in their hands. This duo will definitely be receivers to watch and they both have the ability and talent to go as far as they want to go. I believe they are key components for a winning LSU offensive team.
Overall, I still feel that LSU has a group of men that can be as good as they want. They have the talent and the depth to beat any team in the nation. As long as all the intangibles fall in place and the leadership takes accountability for the team, there is no reason they cannot compete for an SEC championship and a national title. What wins championships is not turning the ball over, time management of the offensive unit, and a fantastic defense. These are three things LSU is capable of achieving. I look forward to seeing what else LSU has to offer this 2009 season. Geaux Tigers!
Why LSU won the game:
- They were ready to play
- They played with intensity for four quarters
- Superior athletes that were well conditioned
