Checking out the Opposition: L.S.U.

UNC vs LSU

With less than two weeks to go before North Carolina plays its first game we should look a bit at their opponent, the L.S.U. Tigers, who some so-called experts have them going 11-1 overall and 7-1 in the SEC, while others see them as low as a 7-5 team and 4-4 in the conference. You truly can not be much more apart, as the first scenario would show Les Miles’ squad in the BCS and the second one would probably show Les Miles the door. Whatever happens to L.S.U. one thing is pretty sure, it will be doing it with a lot of newbies as the Tigers only return 10 starters from last season (6 on offense and 4 on defense), one of those being junior quarterback Jordan Jefferson. The 2009 version went 9 and 4 (5-3), and had good wins in their conference, but I believe the fans are more annoyed with the execution of the team than with the record. Which all basically means that this team might not be on the hot seat, but their head coach could very well be.

On offense I have to say that while the Tigers did not do a great job last season, between the returning gunslinger and some talented players at wide out, they could be a lot better than people make them out to be. Senior Terrance Tolliver has a total of 85 career catches for 1,241 yds and 7 TDs. While second year man Rueben Randle caught 11 catches for 173 yards and two TDs in `09. They will be the top two targets for Jefferson, but from the sounds of it, there will be plenty more names to be heard from that core of players. Where there might be a lack of players is in the running game, and that might cause problems for the team if they want to work on their aerial attack. The line has three returning players, while at the RB position senior Richard Murphy and junior Stevan Ridley will split time as they replace the two ex backs from last season. If both of these players do not live up to the coaching staff’s expecations redshirt freshman Michael Ford could be the ace in the hole for coach Miles.

All of this tells me, the non-expert blogger: UNC needs to ground Jefferson and they will have the Tigers where they want. If they let L.S.U. develop their passing attack they are going to find themselves having to deal with problems that they should not have. Rushing the passer and being able to keep the WRs at bay should make this a long, long day for the opponents, vice-versa, not doing it could mean that head coach Butch Davis comes home with his squad at 0-1.

The defense, that just like UNC’s, seems to be liked by a lot does not impress me as much as it has analysts and experts. Sure, they have some good players, heck call them very good or great players, but it returns just four from last year. At the linebacker spot you have a good middle LB, but both outsides have to be replaced and that means that you are going to have the strong side manned by an inexperience player, which can never be good for an aggressive defense. From what I been hearing the back four of the Tigers could have an All-American on their roster in junior Patrick Peterson, but the rest of the quartet is still once again shaky, with the probability of starting at least a freshman, and one man can not fill all the roles there either.

All of this tells me, the non-expert blogger: T.J. Yate might get hit by some of the returning (and talented) players that Les Miles has on his defense, but with the right game plan all of them (or most of them) can be neutralized. With or without Greg Little, Yates will have to look elsewhere most of the game as the Tigers will put their probable AA corner on him. This is why I said in my wide receiver outlook that the younger players need to step up quick this season if this team wants to be the force many believe they can be. Bottom line if the offense, which starts with Yates, can avoid costly turnovers and makes the L.S.U. defense work for it all day coach Davis should be a happy man when the final whistle blows.

I been reading, surfing, listening, talking and anything/everything else I could do to find out about the Tigers and the more I get information the more I believe this: they do not belong in the Top 25, and are there because of last year’s defense and not because of this year’s team! Does this mean that I think that the Tar Heels are going to go down to Atlanta and win the game against the Tigers? I would say yes knowing that the two players being investigated by the NCAA were cleared, now I am still thinking it’s going to go down to the wire, and even there I would have to lean more on UNC’s staff than the one on the other side line. The one big factor? The crowd, where it seems L.S.U. is going to be a lot bigger, while UNC still has tickets for sale for the game. But to be a top tier team you have to overcome some things, one of them must be an opponent’s crowd. Welcome to the 2010 season ladies and gentlemen, this should be an exciting ride!

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