40 days....FORTY DAYS!!!!!!

[Fishhead]

Let's talk FOOTBALL!

What a difference a year makes.  Last year pundits had LSU 5th in the West and anywhere between 5-8 wins on the year.  Oops!

Glad they were wrong then, hope they're right now.  

LSU is picked 2nd in the West and picked as a likely 11-1 team.  

And it's warranted, IMO. 

Returners: 

QB is the most settled it's been since 2013, and prior to that, I don't know??  I mean, people will say Flynn, but although he was a 5th year SR coming off an impressive bowl win over Miami to end the 2006 season, it was still his first year as starter.  

I'd say you have to go back to Jamarcus' Junior season after Mett.  

But Joe is the real deal, and I will make the bold prediction he will far exceed his 2018 production.  A simple review of the first half of last season compared to the second half of last season should give you all you need to know to realize Joe is a legit P5 QB.  The guy had a few weeks to learn the system and get to know his teammates.  In fact, it was a tumultuous few weeks, with McMillan and Narcisse quitting on their teammates and quite frankly, causing dissension in the ranks RIGHT before the season started.  (If you recall, this occurred DURING fall camp)

It was Burrow, the new guy, that spoke up during the infamous player's only meeting and earning the instant respect of his guys.  But still in all, Burrow was indeed new to the program, the team, and in fact, the offensive philosophy.  He hadn't taken a snap under center since 6th grade!  His receivers, well they were in the same boat.  None of them had been involved in anything but a modern offense, and LSU simply didn't have one at that time. 

It is clear reviewing games later in the 2018 season Coach E was beginning to mix in some more modern concepts, but unfortunately, with Myles Brennan injured, there was only so much he could do without putting Burrow at risk...which was simply not an option. 

THIS year however, although it's scary as hell to say this, I FULLY expect a true shift in the offensive philosophy.  I expect RPO concepts with Burrow heavily involved in the run game, and at the same time, a more wide open passing game.  It is what Joe knows and has done all his life.  It's what all of his receivers (ALL returners, ALL elite talent) have done all their life. 

Talking with other fans, reading message board chatter, there's a split.  Some are in the Missouri mindset.  Show me.  I respect that.  It's warranted.  But I'm biting...I'm taking the bait.  
Then there are those that also are taking the bait, and they expect LSU will be throwing the ball all over the field. 

I'm NOT there. 

Last season, LSU had about a 65%-35% run/pass ratio.  Fair, considering NO returning starters at receiver and a QB that was still asking directions to his dorm room midway through the season. 
This season, I expect a true ATTEMPT to get more 50-50 run pass, but it will all depend on how things are going in certain situations.   As it should.  

Here's the catch...

I don't think the 50% run is gonna be all Clyde Edwards-Helaire and company.  As stated earlier, Burrow will factor heavily in the run game for LSU, and he's damn good at it.  
A healthy (and thicker) Myles Brennan allow this, and Joe is MORE than up for the task.  Name a tougher dude.  I'll wait...

Here's catch #2.  

Coach O.  He has been saying all along what kind of offense he wants at LSU, and credit to him for going out and getting a young offensive mind like Joe Brady in the Coach's Room.  But it's fair to say, we've seen this movie before.  
A couple years ago, Matt Canada was the young offensive mind he brought in to modernize the offense.  Then the MSU drubbing happened, and when that Troy game started, suddenly there was no longer the pre-snap motion Canada was famous (infamous?) for.  Trailing a damn Sun Belt team at halftime in Tiger Stadium, LSU came out in the 2nd half with the Canada motion and made a game of it, but the crevasse  between Canada and O was already too wide to navigate, and the rest is history. 

O HAS to be able to allow the offense to develop, all while entering a likely Top 10 matchup on the road in Austin in week 2.  Can he keep his hands out of the offense?  For the lofty expectations to bear out, he must.   Hopefully the guys are able to really gel in camp and come out firing on all cylinders.  At least this time, it's not some foreign concept they've never experienced.  It's football as they know it, and it oughta be a blast. 

Can't wait!  

GEAUX TIGERS!

[houtiger]

Geeze, I don't disagree with a single word.  I'm optimistic, more than I have been in a while.

[Herb]

I am getting SO pumped for this season.

Not sure what I think about the "new "offense yet because I really have not seen it in  actual game environments (no one has). I tend to think that pass happy offenses are generally doomed because they cannot adjust the load when presented with the right defense.

I don't see LSU becoming a clone of a Sean Payton offense and I think that would lead to frustrations over time. We need to feed the ball to Emery and Edwards-Helaire, but I'd be very cool with seeing a balanced offense that is not predictable out of the gate.

We hired Joe Brady - which has everyone excited, but we also hired John Robinson who was the architect of student body left, student body right, and student body middle. LSU fans need to not get ahead of the cart with respect to offensive expectations.

Burrow has had a year to settle in and I expect to see an even higher level of competence this year than we saw last. We'll also see a greater amount of Brennan under snap this year...it won't be Woodley/Ensminger version 2.1, but I think Joe Brady wants to have Brennan in big game situations enough to groom him to take over next year.

I'm dying to see Pettigrew and Moss utilized correctly.

What has me jacked is the defense. The mid section of the defense might be as stout as I've ever seen it: Delpit, Stevens, Marcel Brooks, Chaisson, Donte Starks, Divinity, Fanua...that is not considering the defensive line or our cornerbacks, I'm just talking about the safeties and linebackers.

A team wants to go deep?  They'll be hoping they can get the ball past the like of Kristian Fulton, Kary Vincent, and Derek Stingly.  Good luck with that shit.
A team wants to run it up the gut? Meet Breiden Fehoko, Rashard Lawrence and Jakory Savage.
Want to run it around the end? Meet Glen Logan, Justin Thomas, and Neil Farrel.  (And just as your helmet starts going upfield...BAM...who was that? Chaisson?  Don't matter...you got knocked the Eff out by one of our linebackers or safeties!!!)