Total buy. A last second missed FG against TCU prevented Boise State from hoisting the crystal trophy and earning everyone's respect.
Buy/Sell: Boise would have beaten LSU tonight
- Thread starter QuaoarsKing
- Start date
Alabama would beat Utah a couple years ago too. While the SEC is far and away the best conference, it's not heresy to think that an SEC team might lose to a great non-AQ team from time to time, especially one like Boise, who has already proven it can dismantle good teams. <div>
</div><div>Boise is notorious for being well-prepared, especially when there's a long break before the game. LSU was probably the least prepared team in BCS history last night.</div>
</div><div>Boise is notorious for being well-prepared, especially when there's a long break before the game. LSU was probably the least prepared team in BCS history last night.</div>
LSU would have scored more than 20 points against Boise's defense. And Boise has a good defense. Bama's defense is just that good.
And BTW, this board most certainly was not 100% sure that Bama would beat Utah a few years ago. I had Utah picked to win straight up.
And BTW, this board most certainly was not 100% sure that Bama would beat Utah a few years ago. I had Utah picked to win straight up.
if lsu's play calling was the same as last night, there's 40 or 50 teams that could have beaten them.
seriously, i usually am one to defend playcalling, because i think it's an easy cop out way to ***** about a loss without knowing anything. playcalling sucks when the reality is the playcalling was fine and the players didn't execute.
however, last night was one of the worst (the worst?) called games i've ever seen. lsu threw the WR step back screen multiple times. this is seriously the worst play in all of football. rarely do you gain more than a couple yards, often times you lose yards if the corner simply makes a sure tackle, and if the corner reads the play and jumps the route, it's a pick 6. and you chance the QB throwing the ball backwards resulting in a fumble if it's not caught. usually there are 2 WRs out there, which means 2 DBs are out there, and you are not only relying on the slot WR to make a good block, but also for the outside WR to make the corner miss. and this is a long throw, giving the corner plenty to react and forcing the slot WR to block longer than he's reasonably capable of blocking. worst. play. ever. and lsu ran it over and over and over.
also, lsu didn't throw the ball downfield until jefferson missed the WR inside the 10 well into the 4th quarter. of course you aren't going to run on bama's front 7 if you never introduce the threat of downfield passing. barron and co. just walked up into the box and there were just too many defenders to block. this is also why the option never worked. when the safeties are in the box, they can come up to the LoS to help string out the option, thus not forcing the DE to get off his block and pick up the QB, or the OLB to choose between the QB and RB. if the DE didn't get of the block, the OLB could slide down to take jefferson, and the safeties were right there on the RB, giving lsu no lanes to turn it up. lsu ran the option at least 5 or 6 times and i don't believe ever gained yardage on it.
worst call of the night though happened early in the 4th quarter, lsu still within 2 scores and on 3rd and 3 after lsu had moved the chains a time or 2 (that's momentum for the lsu offense last night), lsu runs a FB dive. of course they lost half a yard. but really? no play action quick pass to the TE? no quick slant? nothing to get the ball in space at all? a screen? anything?
conversely, bama called a good game. they built confidence for mccarron early with a series of short drags and curls to smelley in the middle of the field staying away from claiborne and mathieu. then later in the game when it was needed mccarron was in a rhythm and had the confidence to take make a few throws on the outside.
seriously, i usually am one to defend playcalling, because i think it's an easy cop out way to ***** about a loss without knowing anything. playcalling sucks when the reality is the playcalling was fine and the players didn't execute.
however, last night was one of the worst (the worst?) called games i've ever seen. lsu threw the WR step back screen multiple times. this is seriously the worst play in all of football. rarely do you gain more than a couple yards, often times you lose yards if the corner simply makes a sure tackle, and if the corner reads the play and jumps the route, it's a pick 6. and you chance the QB throwing the ball backwards resulting in a fumble if it's not caught. usually there are 2 WRs out there, which means 2 DBs are out there, and you are not only relying on the slot WR to make a good block, but also for the outside WR to make the corner miss. and this is a long throw, giving the corner plenty to react and forcing the slot WR to block longer than he's reasonably capable of blocking. worst. play. ever. and lsu ran it over and over and over.
also, lsu didn't throw the ball downfield until jefferson missed the WR inside the 10 well into the 4th quarter. of course you aren't going to run on bama's front 7 if you never introduce the threat of downfield passing. barron and co. just walked up into the box and there were just too many defenders to block. this is also why the option never worked. when the safeties are in the box, they can come up to the LoS to help string out the option, thus not forcing the DE to get off his block and pick up the QB, or the OLB to choose between the QB and RB. if the DE didn't get of the block, the OLB could slide down to take jefferson, and the safeties were right there on the RB, giving lsu no lanes to turn it up. lsu ran the option at least 5 or 6 times and i don't believe ever gained yardage on it.
worst call of the night though happened early in the 4th quarter, lsu still within 2 scores and on 3rd and 3 after lsu had moved the chains a time or 2 (that's momentum for the lsu offense last night), lsu runs a FB dive. of course they lost half a yard. but really? no play action quick pass to the TE? no quick slant? nothing to get the ball in space at all? a screen? anything?
conversely, bama called a good game. they built confidence for mccarron early with a series of short drags and curls to smelley in the middle of the field staying away from claiborne and mathieu. then later in the game when it was needed mccarron was in a rhythm and had the confidence to take make a few throws on the outside.
LSU didn't have a chance to run the ball inside or throw deep because Bama's DL (and LBs) are just so dominant. So your only chance is to try quick hitting plays to the outside. That's a losing proposition too, but it's really the only way you give yourself any chance at all. There are NFL offenses that Bama's defense would completely shut down too.
lsu could have called a much better game. i'm not saying take 7 step drops, but some play action, some 3 and 5 step drops, something. you aren't gonna beat that D doing what lsu did last night, so try something that might give you an edge. it's not like lsu doesn't have 4* and 5* athletes all over their offense.<div>
</div><div>i'm not going to say bama's D wasn't great, but you can still try something. lsu came out ran, ran, 3rd and long. ran, ran, 3rd and long. rinse repeat. yeah bama's D is good, but man, lsu didn't do anything to help themselves. there were plays to be made. hell, the 1 time lsu threw downfield the guy was open and jefferson missed him. at least if they make that incompletion in the 1st quarter, the safeties will have that in the back of their heads knowing they got away with one and not be so eager to stack the box.</div><div>
</div><div>or how about just quick curls and drags to the TEs? that's what bama did early. bama just sprinted mccarron out and had smelley run 3 yards and turn around. it's not big gains, but it slows down the pass rush, gets the QB confidence and rhythm, and sets up bigger pass plays by tempting the safeties to jump the short routes. lsu did not do this. these plays are infinitely better than those WR step back passes lsu kept running.</div><div>
</div><div>i agree a quick hitter on the outside is good cause you don't want to just pound it into the line or drop back 7 steps over and over against bama, but they still didn't run the right quick routes. quick slants, true bubble screens, quick outs, anything is better than what they ran. </div>
</div><div>i'm not going to say bama's D wasn't great, but you can still try something. lsu came out ran, ran, 3rd and long. ran, ran, 3rd and long. rinse repeat. yeah bama's D is good, but man, lsu didn't do anything to help themselves. there were plays to be made. hell, the 1 time lsu threw downfield the guy was open and jefferson missed him. at least if they make that incompletion in the 1st quarter, the safeties will have that in the back of their heads knowing they got away with one and not be so eager to stack the box.</div><div>
</div><div>or how about just quick curls and drags to the TEs? that's what bama did early. bama just sprinted mccarron out and had smelley run 3 yards and turn around. it's not big gains, but it slows down the pass rush, gets the QB confidence and rhythm, and sets up bigger pass plays by tempting the safeties to jump the short routes. lsu did not do this. these plays are infinitely better than those WR step back passes lsu kept running.</div><div>
</div><div>i agree a quick hitter on the outside is good cause you don't want to just pound it into the line or drop back 7 steps over and over against bama, but they still didn't run the right quick routes. quick slants, true bubble screens, quick outs, anything is better than what they ran. </div>
This is exactly what Jeff Gundy and many of the fans around the nation do not get. The SEC has really become in a league all its own. Sure we all look like crap when we play each other. Just look at the schedule LSU played. They smoked West Virginia and Oregon who both had great offenses just like OK State and Boise not to mention Arkansas who plays a very similar style.
The two best teams in America by a mile played last night period.
The two best teams in America by a mile played last night period.