LSU football coach Les Miles trudged off the field at halftime last Saturday and stared at the Tiger Stadium north end-zone scoreboard, which read: Troy 24, LSU 3.
He heard the boos — at least from the fans who weren’t too cold to voice their opinion.
He knew his team had just come off an emotional overtime loss to Alabama. He knew that his home fans, not used to chilly weather, were lethargic. He knew he maybe didn’t help matters any by announcing during the days before the game that he was going to play two quarterbacks, getting true freshman Jordan Jefferson some experience.
All of that might have relaxed his team just enough to show up dead on arrival and play like it, before a stunning second-half rally netted the Tigers a 40-31 victory.
“I certainly understood that (a letdown) was a possibility,” Miles said. “But that’s difficult to describe to a team that played an emotional game the week before. The thing we didn’t know was that the Troy quarterback (Levi Brown, who threw for 316 yards and two TDs) was going to be on fire.”
Fortunately, after Troy’s opening scoring drive of the second half, the Tigers’ defense limited the Trojans to no first downs on their next six possessions, and LSU’s offense scored 30 points in the fourth quarter.
The Tigers escaped embarrassment, but some teams don’t. Alabama lost 21-14 last season to Louisiana-Monroe, the same Alabama that is now 11-0 and ranked No. 1 in the country.
Alabama coach Nick Saban has had his team on a fairly even keel this year, but he said he tries to keep a close watch if his team shows signs of a letdown.
“When guys come out early in the week in practice and have good energy and intensity,” Saban said, “it usually carries through to games. Most of your readiness comes from mental intensity, which is where your energy comes from.
“Sometimes, you can tell from the body language of certain players, or quite a few players, before a game or in pre-game. And sometimes, you don’t execute because your players are too anxious and too excited.
“It’s kind of a fine line you walk in making sure your players have focus, without having the anxiety that affects their judgment and ability to execute.”
Most coaches are concerned that if their team doesn’t appear to be sharp by midweek before the game, it’s something that needs to be taken care of immediately.
“If you have an immature group, I’ll ream ’em, rip ’em and beat the mess out of ’em in practice,” Florida coach Urban Meyer said. “If you have a mature core group of leaders, you can discuss the problem with them and treat them like men. This year, we have that core of players.”
Ole Miss coach Houston Nutt said he has been known to shake up a Thursday practice if things aren’t going right.
“We might do some things over and over on Thursday, and that’s to send a serious message of, ’That’s not how we do things around here,’” Nutt said.
And there are occasions when a coach expects the worst after watching his team practice all week, then gets pleasantly surprised on Saturday.
“When we played Auburn in 2006, we had four losses and they were ranked like No. 5,” Georgia coach Mark Richt said. “When I walked off the practice field on Thursday before the game, I didn’t think our plan was worth a hoot and I didn’t think we had a chance.
“But then we come out and play one of the best games we’ve played (a 37-15 Georgia victory) since I’ve been at Georgia.”
Richt said what bothers him is when one of his teams gets off to slow start in a game, and never gets in gear, like in last year’s 35-14 loss at Tennessee.
“We didn’t have much fight in that game,” Richt said. “But even against Alabama this year when we started out poorly (a 31-0 halftime deficit), we turned around and fought like heck (losing 41-30). You don’t feel as bad about a game like that as the year before against Tennessee.”
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Comments » 16
hdhurst writes:
Yeah, won't be long before LSU and Gawga will be calling for their coach too...just the way it is with SEC fans. Like it or not.
chbradshaw writes:
I will cut right to the chase...
If the rumors are true that Brian Kelly of Cincinnati is a serious, and possibly even the leading candidate, to replace Fulmer, then this entire process has been a disaster.
The job description for the head football coach at Tennessee is to win big football games. Brian Kelly has never won a big football game. Ever.
The fact that he has coached in very few is irrelevant.
Let's all remember that Alabama lucked out when Rich Rodriquez turned them down two years ago. They then hired a coach proven in big time, SEC-level games.
The Big East is many, many levels below the SEC in terms of stature.
Kelly has no ties to this area or any of the regions in which Tennessee needs to be able to recruit football talent - Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, Louisiana, Texas, North Carolina, Virginia.
Winning against Louisville has the same significance in college football as Memphis beating Southern Mississippi - none.
I am hoping the next coach is Mike Leach. He has proven he is able to win against the same type of big time competition (Texas, Oklahoma) for which the next Tennessee will be judged (Florida, Alabama, Georgia).
If Hamilton hires Brian Kelly, it will only be a matter of time before the next coaching search begins. He will deliver two years of losing records with no significant wins and no apparent progress.
We will continue to lose a generation of fans and the entire program will continue to lose relevance.
We are Tennessee. We don't need or deserve a no-hit wonder Big East coach with no ties to SEC-level football or our heritage.
blitzshoot writes:
Just take UT's aproach: Show up for practice, or not, no big deal. If so, reach in the barrel and get a green jersey. Talk a little bit. Run and laugh and then dress-out. Really helps with the anxiety.
pdhuff#552644 writes:
Probably closer to reality than most realize.
We have been "steadily" losing right along.
Maybe if we had a little more clap-clap-clap after a 3 and out.
FLVol writes:
Some good overall points concerning Kelly but it is well known that he is a relentless recruiter. Mike Leach has never had a top 20 class in his life. His forte is not recruiting. However, I don't know that it would matter on the offensive side of the ball. Defense is what concerns me. You have to be able to stop the run in the SEC or you just can't win consistently.
tnbigg writes:
Not us...well..I guess a "steady state" of decline is still a "steady state". Hear hear for legendary coaching and experience!!!!
NeylandWest writes:
You make several good points and I'm not saying that I disagree with you, but I do believe Brian Kelly has proven that he wins at each and every level he coaches.
Pound for pound, he has coached in big games, winning a couple national titles and conference titles at all of his stops, along the way.
I like Mike Leach and wish we could get him but if we have Brian Kelly, then I'm not too upset over that either.
Besides, where was Bruce Pearl prior to TN? What had he accomplished prior to TN?
There are many diamonds in the rough.
Volunatic writes:
Your post isn't insightful enough to warrant cut-and-pasting it on several different message boards.
Leach has a history of choking against his rivals. That is what got our current coach fired.
Got a response you can cut-and-paste for that?
Volunatic writes:
"we turned around and fought like heck"
Does Richt employ the same press conference speech-writer as Fulmer?
TommyJack writes:
If the TN HC job is still a plum (and it is), and TN paid an agency $40k for a national search (and it did), I would be amazed if Brian Kelly was the pick. Surely we can attract a more proven winner/recruiter than this guy. I'm not down on Kelly..just don't see him as worthy at this time.
jasonn1970 writes:
I also would prefer Leach. But I can think of many worse choices than Kelly. As long as the next coach puts an end to the inmates ruling the asylum the program will be headed back in the right direction.
TommyJack writes:
I'll have a #34 to go, please.
pdhuff#552644 writes:
Some still think Phixable is worthy of staying.
TommyJack writes:
Delusions are painless and require little thought.
TommyJack writes:
Doubt he would leave the Tech bride in a lurch, but who knows? He is a home-slice of sorts..from just over the hill in WNC.
stesandangel#663346 writes:
a bad year would be an understatement.depending on the outcome of the last 2 games it could be the worst in UT history.
got to hand it to ya Butchy a.k.a(DaVols)you're gonna carry water for the big orange "Shrek" no matter where you post.
at least you've managed not to get banned from here yet.
how'd that 8-4 scenario work out for ya?
the "Sports Parlor South" village called.they want their idiot back.
catch ya in the funny papers.
RD
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