Miles in the Hands of an Angry Fanbase

Martin Blank

Pretty tough day here. Lot of smoke. Lot of fire. Lot of brimstone. What I'm struck by, however, is how vague much of the criticism is, in a sport where everything is readily definable. Yards, plays, percentages are all pretty easily quantified, but all one reads around here is that Miles is "conservative" and not "fired up enough," that the team is "unprepared," and that LSU was "outcoached."

How conservative was it to go four wides on third and short on several plays, the first of which was in the first quarter - the Davis catch on which UF was flagged for a blow to the head? How conservative was it to attempt a killshot deep ball to LaFell (which was intercepted) on LSU's first play after it forced UF to punt after JR's fumble? How conservative was it for LSU to attempt 23 of its 41 passes on first down, or on short yardage 2nd/3rd down? Or only 13 run plays of 30 total in the first half, including 2 runs from Doucet in a formation LSU's never tried before?
http://www.lsusports.net/downloads1/...00&SPSID=27815

For all of you carrying the "Miles is too Conservative" banner, especially for the UF game, This board would improve dramatically if someone, ANYONE could spout out more than vague, declarative statements that Miles is "conservative" (Hester's 4th quarter run that JR called v. AU has been noted, thanks).

And let us discuss the term "unprepared" for a second. Was Early Doucet "unprepared" for a kickoff to fall into his hands? He was St. Martinville's primary ballhandler from the time he was about 14 years old - it can be safely assumed that he knows how to field a kickoff. Chevis Jackson has been working as the primary punt returner since Spring, and made a circus catch of an interception in the first half. Think he was "unprepared" to catch a punt? A better football coach than anyone on this board once told me that physical mistakes absolutely, positively CANNOT be eliminated, ever. It's the mental mistakes that can be and MUST be eliminated. Gripe about Jesse Daniels admitting he didn't know what defense LSU was in for the long Tebow TD pass - that's a mental error. Not dropping a football.

Chris Leak only had 155 yards passing, and UF had under 200 yards for the game. Nearly every UF score was gift-wrapped for them by LSU's physical errors. Was LSU "unprepared" for the UF offense? For the "unprepared" standard bearers, I'd offer the immortal words of Inigo Montoya:



And I'll try in vain to quick hit the other two for the sake of brevity, as though that horse isn't already out of the barn. How much more fired up does Miles have to be to please the TigerForums faithful? Would chewing JR's arse after the GL fumble have changed anything? Do you think JR didn't know he'd given away 7 points? The sideline shot of JR about to bite thru his towel just after it happened should disabuse you of that notion. Do you HONESTLY think JR thinks GL fumbles are OK because Miles didn't have a conniption fit on the sideline? Isn't wigging out over every little detail like Mr. Spacely the main reason we make fun of Ed Orgeron? Think about that double standard if you have a second.

And let's end with that vaguest of terms, "outcoached." How would you, the armchair coach, have changed the gameplan exactly? UF's secondary was its weakest link, and LSU attacked it with plenty of 4 wides, and with 17 first half passes. The defense was able to pressure Leak without bringing the house, and UF scored first half points only after LSU turnovers. Do you in this crowd think the staff was "outcoached" simply because LSU lost? Point to a specific instance where LSU's coaches were outflanked by UF's, rather than making an assumption that they must have been based on the result. Heck, I'll even give you one - the stupid punt formation that led to blocked punts for both teams. That's being outcoached, not being unable to take a snap from center on the 1 yard line.

Everyone says Richt's one of the top 2 coaches in the SEC - did he get stupid all of a sudden and let Phat Phil "outcoach" him last night? Or was it their inability to cover the wildly underrated Bret Smith? Everyone mocks Nutt's desperation move to a HS OC that the Arky money men rammed down his throat - did he "outcoach" Tubs yesterday because McFadden went for 135yards /1TD? Or did Smith and McFadden make the physical plays needed to win? Dust off your playbooks, TigerForums. Show the board where UF's X's beat LSU's O's, and more than on just one play since it takes several to win a football game, and I'd be willing to bet that the discourse around here will improve dramatically.

AtlantaBengal

better than I could have said it. Thanks.

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lsu_dane

Rep Points for you. This is exactly my view on things.

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AtlantaBengal

wow...I guess there are fewer idiots than I thought! I'm with you.

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flabengal

beautiful......

-morons beware Mr. Blank is watching!

OkieTiger_KATT

Sanity is still alive and well. That's nice to know!

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red55

Turnovers killed LSU yesterday. Miles did not commit any of them.

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"Half of the American people have never read a newspaper. Half never voted for President. One hopes it is the same half." -- Gore Vidal

swoop

Well said. I don't know whats worse, having LSU lose or having to hear all the dumba$$ comments by LSU fans after the game, all week, and all season. I swear we have some of the worst fans in the game when LSU loses.

lsuk

blessing to see this thread. There are many responsibilities as a coach, none of them include snapping, catching or running the football. All we have heard from the fans the lst few weeks is that the pass should set up the run. Well...... I guess it has to be somebodies fault. Ive come to the conclusion that there are only 3 possibilities:
1. Referees
2. Quarterback
3. Head Coach

The referees only made one bad holding call that cost us a touchdown, we lost by more than 7 pts. so they cant be to blame.
Russell threw for a lot of yards and the offense moved the ball well.
So it has to be the head coaches fault.

Why is everyone so narrow minded on who can be blamed for a loss. LSU lost as a team. Cant be blamed on a single person as many people made mistakes, including CLM JR and the referees. We are still a top program, just have had some setbacks.

Blue TurboDog

Finally a thread that has some sanity to it.

lsuk

I dont see any spin being put on anything in this thread. You might be right about Miles future. But our talent is not signifigantly better than auburns or floridas. And when the talent we do have doesnt perform, there is nothing the coach can do about it. I think alot of LSU fans have a misconception that our talent level is loads above everyone elses, so it has to be the coaches fault. Thats not hinking logically.

Perple

Excellent post Mr. Blank!

Big C

First post here guys so give me a chance, I agree with lsuk in the fact that the phantom holding call took points off board. If that touchdown stands, the fumble on the one never happens because the play does not happen we are up 14-7. I agree that JR should not fumble the snap in any situation, but the play would not have happened. I think that one call started a series of unfortunate events that would not have taken place. Thinking back I am pretty sure that was all the same series.

saltyone

What's sad is that bad call have been happening to us for years. I go into every SEC game now expecting them. Miles should make bad calls part of practice.

Oh yeah....Welcome!

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USMTiger

Great post. The players lost this game, not the coaches.

Big C

Thanks salty, I think that we can all agree that we were not as sharp as we should have been, but I think before that point in the game we were moving along well. I don't want you guys to think that I am blaming the refs cause I am not. I agree with you salty in the fact that I am expecting it and that it is going to happen at a very bad point in the game. I don't know how it could be fixed.

lsu-i-like

Bad calls are a part of football. There were a few calls I'd have been pissed about if I were a Florida fan.

Russell was disappointing. The return game was disappointing. The running game was disappointing. The coaches are responsible for all of that. They are responsible for having this team playing clean, consistent football.

But almost every team in the history of football has bad days. It is time to move on. We can still salvage the season. If we can win our next two games we'll have another shot at winning a big game and reclaiming the value of this season.

I've seen good things from this team this season. Against Florida was the first time I didn't see good things. A loss for a partially rebuilding team with gimpy backs at The Swamp in one of nationally recognized Florida's biggest games in the past couple of years doesn't mean we are bad.

I knew this was a big game. Obviously, our team is not ready to be a national player. We just aren't. We've had some bad luck. Hopefully Miles can get it turned around.

Big C

I totally agree with you lsu i like, it is time to move on and we did not put our best effort. We can be and will be better in the future. I think that the resposibilty lies with the entire team and staff. We have next week to look forward to.

StaceyO

The author of this post should post more often.

AtlantaBengal

And #3 is always looked at first--no matter which team, league or level.

...#2 is always looked at because his backup is usually the most popular guy in the fans' eyes.

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JSracing

I don't think Miles "lost" the game or Jimbo's play calling did either. I think there were physical as well as mental mistakes. BUT as a coach you accept responsibility for a Lose and work on it in practice. That's called humility. Miles probably did just that. I don't know I didn't see the post game interview.

In the long run the goals are the same, to win the SEC, or is that not the goal? to do that you have to be preparred and try to eliminate mistakes whether mental or physical. True everyone has a bad day, but champions step up and work as a team when another player has a bad day. Champions don't all melt down on the same day. Sure everyone makes mistakes. I remember Mauck throwing a stupid interception to an Ole Miss defender during our NC year for a score. it was touch and go there for a while.

There was allot of wide open football that was called from the sidelines. I honestly didn't see all these posts you talk about of Miles being conservative. but I don't look at every post either.

I have seen some posts about INCONSISTANCY and it's true. I don't know if they were prepared or not since that is a judgement call. Heck 5 people could have watched the practices all week and have 5 different opinions on whether they were prepared or not.

Regardless of who blames who, the players DO play the game, the coach accepts the responsibility for the lose and then trys to teach them where they messed up. and make no mistake however good FLORIDA is, we handed it to them. THAt is what is hard to accept. if they are great, fine they are. All the more reason to bring our "A" game. why didn't we bring our "A" game? who's fault was it? I don't know but I saw some HIGHLY touted talented players out there flat out screwing up, not all at once, but enough that we came out with less points then Florida.

if anyone here denies that then someone needs to visit the optomitrist. I am a firm believer of standing up and saying, yeah it was me I screwed up"

Sure JR knew he screwed up on the goal line, heck I kind of thought it was more the crowd noise and the center than him, you have a point there. BUT when you get back to practice YOU still WORK ON THAT because it was a screw up. Regardles od WHO's fault it was. You don't write if off because they "felt bad" about it on the sideline. IN fact GOOD teams work on it ahead of time. and they may have done that who knows. sure everyone makes mistakes, that's one way to win, off the other teams mistakes.

BUt you can't just ACCEPT them like it's all good and say well we played Florida and they are good. HEck WE ARE GOOD. you have to work on stuff till you get it right then work on it someomre then work on it till you can do it in your sleep backwards. that's prepared.

good day, nice post. for the most part.

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Crowton needs to leave BR town.

Kkille1LSU

Time for debate.

I do not beleive that Miles was too conservative in the plays that were called. I do not believe the game plan from the beginning was planning to be conservative. What I do believe that when you are trying to establish some sort of run game or some sort of passing game, one must do one of them succesfully. When this happens, defenses become unsure of what is going to be called and run. Now, I don't want to insult your intelligence, but can you tell me what type of play is going to be run in a "I-formation"? What about a play where you put a #1 or #2 receiver as QB. Do you believe the linebackers thought he was going to pass?

Running 4 receivers for a pass play does not always make it the right play. Pass play consist of many different routes. The routes run were wrong for the soft cover 2 zone defense FLA ran the entire game. Jamarcus doesn't call the play, Peyton. Jimbo does. And as for Jamarcus calling off plays, another true sign we were going to run the ball. Coaches can establish passing or play action call offs.

Do you know that one of the few runs that was considered successful was Hester's when we ran 4 receiver? That play was run once. The rest of our run plays were run out of run formations. Highschool linbackers learn on the first day these formations and the percentages of where the run goes.

"Preparation: the action or process of making something ready for use or service or of getting ready for some occasion."
"Coach: to instruct, direct or prompt."
Do you believe that coaching does not consist of instructing, directing, or prompting the mental aspect of the game? Not being prepared for Tebow running game as much as passing game are coaching errors. I'm guessing you watched the game. Could you tell where and what Tebow was about to do? At least 75% of the time? Most of the fans around me could. Don't you think it is the responsibilty of the defensive coaches to make adjustments during the game to prevent the same play to gather a minimum of seven yards?

Let me know if I missed anything. Let me know if my ignorance of football with the other LSU fans is too much.

AtlantaBengal

I actually thought that when Early was in the shotgun for the 2nd time, that he would attempt a pass of some sort. After all, he was a high school QB. I'm sure Urban Myer knew that--since he's a head coach and no doubt would have viewed Early's highschool tapes (since Early was a highly ranked recruit) but I seriously doubt the Florida defense thought that.

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JSracing

and this brings up something else along those lines. No one is whining about refs, I know that isn't popular to do, BUT...

In this day and age of big time football with all the parity we have in the SEC, one play or bad call can make or break a season. Look at Auburn's undefeated season. had it not been for the penalty to let them kick the extra point again, things might have gone much different. All I am saying is this, We don't know HOW our guys would have reacted had we gone up 14-7.

People say well all the mistakes they made... true we had other oppurtunitys to win the game. BUT why must we accept sub standard officiating and HOPE there are multiple oppotunities to win a game in a league were each PLAY can make or break and entire season? think about it. Momentum means allot.

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Crowton needs to leave BR town.

StaceyO

Without a doubt, the momentum changed permanently when we didn't score after holding onto the ball for 17 plays. That drive was never-ending and had to have demoralized the Florida defense. They couldn't stop us.

The TD, which was spectacular, was called back on a phantom holding call, and Hester's TD was ruled not a TD. Then we fumbled. After that, nothing went right for us.