Team Updates 2015

[camlock]

I am actually a little surprised Kincade made it back to campus. The rumor I heard from inside the OM program at the end of the season was that he was looking to transfer to TCU. Maybe TCU didn't want him.

When Kenny "Trill" Hill transferred to TCU from TAMU, Kincaide bailed on that idea...

[Deltamud77]

Hey DM77 - What's your take on Corso McShay & Herbstreit picking LSU to play in the title game?

Obviously I haven’t been reading close enough, since I "assumed" LSU would struggle some this year. Maybe I’ve just been listening to the pessimistic side of the fanbase too much .
What say you mudd?

I think they will struggle. They, in large part, are the same team as last year, with a little more experience, and without the most stable coach on the staff in Chavis. Last year's squad went 8-5. Steele at DC is a downgrade in my opinion and Orgeron at the DL coach position is an upgrade in my opinion.

So, I really don't know what to make of it. Mike Golich also picked them in the playoff today. Supposedly, Herbstreit watched a practice in person and was blown away at how much better Brandon Harris looked and was also very impressed with the defensive line. That has never been substantiated that I know of...but that is the rumor. If that is true, I could see work spreading in the ESPN sphere and everybody jumping on the bandwagon.

I think the ceiling for LSU is probably 9 wins. They will go 2-1 at best in the first three (may go 1-2 in McNeese, State and then Auburn). They could conceivably win the next 5...then they face Bama, Ole Miss, Arkansas and Texas A&M (I think I have the order messed up - but those four teams). They could lose all of those games, but probably best case split at 2-2.

My darkhorse is Texas A&M. They have a favorable schedule and a ton of talent. I think their defense will be much improved this season as well with Chavis and more experience added to the mix. I could see them winning the West if they can split between Bama and Auburn.

[camlock]

Hey DM77 - What's your take on Corso McShay & Herbstreit picking LSU to play in the title game?

Obviously I haven’t been reading close enough, since I "assumed" LSU would struggle some this year. Maybe I’ve just been listening to the pessimistic side of the fanbase too much .
What say you mudd?

I think they will struggle. They, in large part, are the same team as last year, with a little more experience, and without the most stable coach on the staff in Chavis. Last year's squad went 8-5. Steele at DC is a downgrade in my opinion and Orgeron at the DL coach position is an upgrade in my opinion.

So, I really don't know what to make of it. Mike Golich also picked them in the playoff today. Supposedly, Herbstreit watched a practice in person and was blown away at how much better Brandon Harris looked and was also very impressed with the defensive line. That has never been substantiated that I know of...but that is the rumor. If that is true, I could see work spreading in the ESPN sphere and everybody jumping on the bandwagon.

I think the ceiling for LSU is probably 9 wins. They will go 2-1 at best in the first three (may go 1-2 in McNeese, State and then Auburn). They could conceivably win the next 5...then they face Bama, Ole Miss, Arkansas and Texas A&M (I think I have the order messed up - but those four teams). They could lose all of those games, but probably best case split at 2-2.

My darkhorse is Texas A&M. They have a favorable schedule and a ton of talent. I think their defense will be much improved this season as well with Chavis and more experience added to the mix. I could see them winning the West if they can split between Bama and Auburn.

I don't get the Brandon Harris bull crap that is gotten a head of steam...I don't by any means believe he can't or won't do it, BUT if I take what we have to go from and lay it all out...HOW did he get thrown onto the bandwagon??? We have a talented athlete that SH1T THE BED in his only real opportunity last season, in epic fashion. Despite having talent an ability he couldn't figure it out and earn coaches trust enough to gain any meaningful snaps over an average QB beyond mid season. Fast fwd a year, said average QB doesn't do what a SEC QB should do in offseason and loses his grip on the starting job and more talented kid is given the red carpet to start the season (you bet your booty if Jennings works hard all summer and bust his butt, he's Les Miles starting QB tomorrow regardless how Harris looked this fall). He shows talent and ability in "PRACTICE" and everyone forgets how poor he played in live action last season. He might be dang Heisman candidate, but they all look good in practice with 80% of the first team reps...that's why they are getting a free education. Predicting he's gonna lead LSU to national championship after what's he's shown I can't understand, and not because he doesn't have the talent, b/c he (nor LSU coaching for that matter) have given any proof they are gonna make that transition in a year.

[bustercat64]

I think the second game of the season between State and LSU is in the top 5 games in the SEC that will be played all year. No body
is giving State a chance at winning the west and they know if they win that game then they will be in the hunt. I also fill that State has developed into a team that you do not want to play at home. LSU understands that to win the west they will have to beat State if they don't then their championship hopes are basically over.

[Deltamud77]

He shows talent and ability in "PRACTICE" and everyone forgets how poor he played in live action last season.

That is actually not entirely true. He did look awful against Auburn, on the road while starting as a true freshman. Of course, people forget that LSUs defense gave up 40+ points in that game and Auburn scored on their first 4 or 5 possessions. Google "brandon harris ankle auburn" and take a look at the injury he sustained early on in the Auburn game as well.

Brandon Harris came in against New Mexico State and led LSU on 5 straight TD drives after Jennings started the game off with a stalled drive and interception (if memory serves).

Harris came in against State, scored a TD on their second team...and then scored I believe two more on their starters and was throwing into the end zone to win the game at the end.

Is he gonna be great? Probably not - at least this year. He doesn't have to be great, he just cannot be bad. If he can convert third downs and make the pass a somewhat viable option to keep defenses from loading the box, then LSUs offense is going to be just fine.

I am actually more worried about a Kevin Steele led defense and lack of depth on defense.

[Deltamud77]

I think the second game of the season between State and LSU is in the top 5 games in the SEC that will be played all year. No body
is giving State a chance at winning the west and they know if they win that game then they will be in the hunt. I also fill that State has developed into a team that you do not want to play at home. LSU understands that to win the west they will have to beat State if they don't then their championship hopes are basically over.

+1

[eSJay]

AU
I despise all the pre-season hype we are getting! I'd much rather fly under the radar, but I understand where the hype is coming from. Obviously, staying healthy is key.

QB) The coaching staff is very excited about Jeremy Johnson. He might be the best passer that CGM has coached. He is also the only QB that CGM has had in his system for 3 years in a row. We all keep hearing that Johnson doesn't have the speed that Marshall had and he isn't the RB that Cam was. That's okay because he doesn’t have to run. And, he probably won’t, at least not to the level that we saw with the two aforementioned QB’s. We will see more read option than people think. Johnson is a true pocket passer with all the tools. He looks off the secondary. He checks down. He uses the whole field. He steps up into the pocket and delivers the ball. And, most importantly, he is scary accurate. The back-up QB, White is solid, but new & untested.

I retract all the good stuff I said about Jeremy Johnson. He sucks!
Bye