Jordan Jefferson Latest Tiger to Question BCS Game Plan
by Year2 on Feb 10, 2012 12:01 PM EST
in SEC Football
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Weeks after former LSU TE DeAngelo Peterson panned the team's offensive game plan in the BCS title game, the game's certified goat is grousing about it too. Jordan Jefferson has come out against what his coaches cooked up and called in the rematch with Alabama:
"I definitely didn't expect for [the title game] to play like that. Alabama was a little bit more prepared than us. There was a lot of things that we should've did different to catch a rhythm on offense"...
Jefferson wanted to "put the ball in different passing areas, use our talent on the receiving side."
"... We have great guys in those areas and sometimes we just wonder why we don't use those guys," he continued on WCNN. "But we're not the one calling the plays. We still have to go out and execute what the coaches and coordinators are calling. We can't complain as players, but sometimes we do question that."
Jefferson was definitely right about a few things. He mentioned that the team faced too many second- and third-and-long situations, which is almost certain death against a defense as good as Alabama's. It also is the team's job to execute, and Jefferson certainly didn't do that much well. He made some puzzling reads on option plays and unloaded an unforgettably bad interception on a shovel pass.
Maybe I just didn't pay as much attention then, but I don't remember many players distancing themselves from the game plan after the last BCS championship game offensive horror show when Ohio State flopped against Florida. When two senior leaders come out and publicly call out the offensive staff like this with Peterson and now Jefferson, it really makes you wonder about these players and the program. Toss in a high profile recruit flipping from LSU to Texas on signing day due to perceived low team morale, and I don't know what to think anymore.
It's clear that even though the Tigers went 13-0 en route to their SEC championship, the BCS National Championship Game loss to Bama devastated the team. Whether it will end up having devastated the program is something we won't find out until next fall.
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geez
I really feel sorry for ole Les. He doesn’t deserve all this.
by Mark Mandingo on Feb 10, 2012 12:21 PM EST via mobile reply actions
There are so many stories out there about conflicts between players and coaches on this team that some of them have to be true.
With so much talent coming back next year I would have figured them a virtual lock for the title game in 2012. But now that these issues keep coming up from the team itself, I’m not so sure they can get over everything mentally. If they don’t clear it out and start fresh, leaving all of the bad karma behind, they will implode after their first loss next year.
What exactly are the issues?
The quarterback(s) problem has been resolved (see: graduation), our entire running corps is returning as well as almost our entire starting defense. If Jordan Jefferson was smart he wouldn’t badmouth the ONE man who stuck up for him last year. Was the playcalling in the MNC a travesty? Most certainly. Will this somehow derail an absurdly talented and increasingly mature team? Highly doubt it. The reality is that if ESPN did not exist to hype and promote all this nonsense there would be no issue. LSU would simply be a preseason favorite that shat the bed in a big game, as countless teams have before. I have personally spoken with several players who have all dismissed the locker room bs. Let’s move on.
"Well, it's 1 a.m. Better go home and spend some quality time with the wife and kids" - Homer J. Simpson
by Gov. William J. Le Petomane on Feb 10, 2012 3:44 PM EST up reply actions
Not sure how 2 seniors graduating, 5 star recruit bailing, and putting all of your eggs in the basket of an unproven transfer
is solving your QB issue.
"Those are just facts and facts are just opinions and opinions can be wrong"
-Veronica, Better Off Ted
It's as solved
as it can be. Any 1st year starter is “unproven,” transfer or otherwise. Losing Gunner obviously blows, but its not like he was going to see much of the field this year or even next unless he became the second coming of Joe Montana. We are 4-deep at QB, will someone please explain to me how this is a problem? Did Alabama have “QB issues” last spring because AJ/Sims hadn’t proven themselves on the field yet? Again, Jefferson/Lee are GONE, enough with casting such negative perspectives on events that are actually quite commonplace in major college football. If Gunner had been our designated starter or even close to one things would be different but he wasn’t, and they aren’t. We lost him and grabbed another ESPNU150 QB instead. If ESPN didn’t have a hard-on for Lesticles this tripe would’ve left the news weeks ago.
"Well, it's 1 a.m. Better go home and spend some quality time with the wife and kids" - Homer J. Simpson
by Gov. William J. Le Petomane on Feb 10, 2012 5:11 PM EST up reply actions
Well, it depends on how you phrase it.
Yes, we did have issues at QB, i.e. inexperienced and unproven qb’s that we were counting on. You didn’t see bama fans saying “Well, McElroy graduated, our qb problems are solved!”.
Prior to the BCS CG, some people on ATVS were talking about how JJ would have won the heisman if he hadn’t gotten suspended. Now, he was apparently the big problem on the team and whoever takes the reins is going to be a sure fire upgrade.
"Those are just facts and facts are just opinions and opinions can be wrong"
-Veronica, Better Off Ted
The "issues" are the team not believing in the coaches. The "issues" are that even though you did well in recruiting several recruits felt the locker room was poison right now.
Thats why you missed out on a few big recruits. Look, I’m a Bama fan and hope either your team or my team make it again next year to represent the SEC but you can’t deny that problems exist. Everyone knows it. And I have heard a few storys about the mental attitude of most of the team from people at LSU. Not the sports pages.
a problem may exist
But we won’t know for sure until next year. Its all still in the land of hearsay and rumor. I would ha e told you they had a problem in august. I would’ve been wrong.
by Mark Mandingo on Feb 10, 2012 7:16 PM EST via mobile up reply actions
Please GOD let this devastate LSU's program!
I doubt it’s as bad as all that though. That’s one program that’s built to last.
by vandy-razorback on Feb 12, 2012 4:17 AM EST reply actions
I disrespect JJ for disrespecting Les.
Les went to bat for JJ. I don’t think LSU will implode. But now some mouths are off the team maybe the program can get healthier.
"The same things win today that have always won, and they will win years from now. The only difference is the losers have a whole new bunch of excuses why they don’t win or can’t win."-Bear Bryant
(12-4)+2=12 hoping for a +1
Robot Chicken Star Wars should be canon.
by the thin red line on Feb 13, 2012 3:15 AM EST reply actions
ON NO!!! THE SKY IS FALLING!!!
An unproductive tight end and a disgruntled QB, both of whom won’t be on the team next season, are unhappy! This must be what the end of the world feels like!
OH NO! What will we ever do?!
/sarcasmoff
Fake Pundit. Real Fan.
And The Valley Shook!
I self-indulgently tweet @ATVSPoseur
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