just run the damn ball baby!!!
After the 21 point loss to Alabama last weekend, LSU needs to do more than just regroup, in order to salvage this season of 2013. Damage control. Specifically what I mean by this as the psyche & character of this team has been severely challenged by this loss to this once equal foe (Bama). Face it, the gap has widened. Once upon a time, LSU was the only real test to derail Alabama's ascension to the top year in and year out. Last Saturday, that notion has been put to rest. Instead of the LSU fans and boosters rallying for a new coach, they are now searching for an identity.
Before the season started, I was very skeptical of Cam Cameron & the new direction LSU was taking in towards their team scheme and direction. I even wrote an article on it, stating what is really wrong with 3 yards in a cloud of dust- no offense, when you play great defense and are in the national title hopes year in and year out, why change? I predicted that this new philosophy will implode and Les would take the reins and play small ball yet I was wrong on one of those accounts. I also predicted Cam would jettison for greener pastures next season, but that remains to be seen.
LSU fans got what they wanted, that is a high scoring offense with potential. But with that came its own set of departures from the past. The defense was in a serious overall mode with all the exiting stars to the NFL. Granted, the offense did its job early on bailing out the defense, outscoring the opponents and letting the defense cut its teeth in the process. But when their biggest for came up, the offense could not overpower Bama as Bama did not scrap their philosophy during the off-season. Ball control, running game and keeping their defense off the field would really have benefited LSU last weekend. Who knows if LSU's last years offense could have bailed out this year's defense, probably not. Still, this new offensive system did not pan out.
So yes I believe LSU is in an identity crisis now. Even a victory versus Texas A&M would help, it won't erase the reality that LSU is not the top tier team in the SEC with Alabama anymore. So as 2013 ends and with 2014 fast approaching, how will this Tiger squad respond? Do the Tigers stick with this new high-powered offensive philosophy or do they scale it back to keep the defense honest as it appears this same defense will be lining up next season as well? The same results can occur or will they? Is it more of a personnel problem on LSU defense or is it the entire team identity change to being more high-powered rather than pound and ground which LUS has been so successful with?
No one can blame Miles on this one. Perhaps expectations this 2013 season were way too high as the defense simply could not reload like years past. Either way this off-season should be one of the most pivotal one in many years in Baton Rouge. Do they stay the course or did they go back to what has worked? Only time will tell.
Ed Hardy reporting
