JessN: LSU Preview: Tigers try to hit the reset button after Kelly's ouster

[JessN]

LSU Preview: Tigers try to hit the reset button after Kelly’s ouster​

by Jess Nicholas, TideFans.com Editor-In-Chief

Midseason coaching changes are always hard to figure for teams that wind up being the interim coach’s first opponent. Will Alabama see the LSU everyone thought was going to be here at this point in the year, or will Alabama simply get Brian Kelly’s leftovers?

Alabama comes into this game, like LSU, rested up from a bye week. Up to this point in the season, LSU has sort of been “Bama Lite” – both teams have functional defenses that can sometimes put up grand performances, but both offenses have been overly reliant on the pass relative to the run. The shocking development has probably been the struggle of LSU QB Garrett Nussmeier to live up to his preseason hype.

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TideFans.com | By the Fans, For the Fans. - LSU Preview: Tigers try to hit the reset button after Kelly’s ouster

Midseason coaching changes are always hard to figure for teams that wind up being the interim coach’s first opponent. Will Alabama see the LSU everyone thought was going to be here at this po…

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• Week 11 Pickem

 

[ROCKEE]

Thanks Jess. As always great job!

 

[OakMtn4Bama]

I'll take it!

 

[MikeInBama]

I think it's a bad match up for LSU and we should be healthier than at the end of the slog we just finished. Give me 42-17 Bama

 

[Dmac62]

Enjoy reading your analysis

 

[Bamabuzzard]

I think it's a bad match up for LSU and we should be healthier than at the end of the slog we just finished. Give me 42-17 Bama

I would LOOOOOOVE for this to happen. We need a game that isn't going down to the last five minutes to be determined. Our offense can be dangerous. The problem is, it hasn't been for an entire game. We've looked devasting for a half then come out the second half and either barely scored or not scored at all. This would be a great game to put it together for an entire game.

 

[CoolBreeze]

I will take it as well! Thing is, this is as much of a wildcard game as you are going to get at this point in the season due to the coaching change and talent level of the corndogs. This could very well be a nail biter well into the 4th quarter.

 

[Bamabuzzard]

I will take it as well! Thing is, this is as much of a wildcard game as you are going to get at this point in the season due to the coaching change and talent level of the corndogs. This could very well be a nail biter well into the 4th quarter.

I'd like to have a weekend off from the nail biters and just enjoy sipping my beer rather than chugging it to keep from losing my mind.

 

[DzynKingRTR]

My usual Saturday routine will be a quick hike, then football (ABC only). Roll Tide! Destroy the corndogs.

 

[CrimsonJazz]

Great analysis, as always. The concerning thing to me are the non-measurables. LSU is at a fork in the road. This game will dictate the futures of coaches and players and I think they all know that. I don't expect LSU to throw in the jock and go through the motions. They will have the "us against the world" mentality that will drive them, particularly in the first half. Emotion always burns out eventually and that's why I expect BAMA to win, but I can see this thing being very close for at least a half, maybe halfway through the third quarter.

To echo Buzzard's sentiment above, I'd rather have a nice easy day where I don't have to sweat the score in the fourth quarter for a change. And who knows, we may get it. If LSU takes the defeated fork, then I can see this being a comfortable win. I just don't think they will.

 

[CrimsonTitles]

Mostly agree, hut I'm not buying that LSU holds the edge at RB., as we've been running just a bit better than them. Heard on Mc and Cube that LSU is averaging only 100 yards/game, which is pathetic. And we've run the ball a bit better than people seem to remember. We're only averaging 115ish, which seems similar but as a per game average, that's quite a bit more than. LSU. Plus, we've had more success on the ground than the total numbers suggest. The run game started to come around before Jam's concussion. He should be fully healthy now and hopefully back to Vandy form.

I think LSU will have an added layer of toughnsss and play with more of an edge, but I really don't see much of a path for LSU in this one, unless we just don't show up. I think it'll be closeish, but I'm expecting something like the Tennessee game where it'll be closeish on the scoreboard for most of the game, but as a fan watching, it's a fairly comfortable game because we're constantly holding a 1.5-2 possession lead.

 

[jabcmb]

If Kelly was the ogre they say he was, LSU will coach and play looser with a more positive mindset. If the interim coach(Wilson) can get them to focus, could be a problem.

 

[bamajas]

If they have a few packaged plays for Michael Van Buren at QB, they could extend drives like SoCar did. We've been better defending that stuff than we were a year ago, but could still see it being exploited in a close game

 

[Smoovee7]

Please dont roast me for playing devil's advocate. I have seen many games where the HC got fired and the next week they come out and play fired up and I thought to myself where was that team all season?

If the players are happy BK got let go they may come out giving it their all plus realistically this is their Super Bowl. Obviously I want Bama to win but i've seen many games where the HC got let go and the next game they play pretty inspired.