LSU Shows Promise in Final Scrimmage

With the season opener on Sept. 1 against North Texas right around the corner, the Tigers looked to fine tune some things in their last scrimmage of Summer practice Tuesday night and by all accounts; they look GUD!

 

The running game looked as good as it can be with five backs battling for time and the top two, Spencer Ware and Michael Ford, sitting out due to minor injuries. Junior running back Alfred Blue led all backs with 6 carries for 70 yards and 2 touchdowns. Sophomore Kenny Hilliard finished with 11 carries from 67 yards and rounding out the day was Freshman Jeremy Hill going for 43 yards on 8 carries.

Zach Mettenberger threw 26 completions on 36 attempts for 336 yards and as Les put it "a number of touchdowns." 

I know its premature but 336 YARDS?!...I digress.

Backup quarterbacks Rob Bolden and Stephen Rivers had brief showings with Mettenberger clearly getting the playbook thrown his way.

The wide-outs were led by Odell Beckham (no surprise here) with 4 catches for 100 yards. Russell Shepard pulled in 3 catches for 40 yards and a touchdown and Jarvis Landry grabbed 4 passes for 20 yards. James Wright continue to impress with a 4 reception for 40 yards and a touchdown showing.

Like always, this is only a scrimmage and shouldn't be taken seriously BUT you have to admit; these numbers are what we have been waiting for. A passing game to compliment the the ground and pound that we have been known for over the years. This Fall is shaping up to be a good one.

Let's Make A Deal: BCS edition

Decisions, Decisions.

I remember sitting on the couch last year watching the BCS selection show thinking to myself  "If LSU play 'Bama again...the playoff system will be upon us. There is no way the other conference presidents will allow this happen ever again."

So, thank you SEC for destroying the other conference opponents in the BCS championship for the past 6 years and causing something to happen in Division I that we all thought was a far fetched fantasy; The NCAA D-1 Playoffs.

And now, it's on the discussion table...well...sort-of.

The current BCS system will be in place for the next two years but the future changes will be discussed June 26. So far the idea that anything larger than four-team playoff is out the window. So with that being said, here are four possibilities that could reshape college football as we know it:

Scenario I - Plus One Format

This format is gaining popularity amongst most conferences because it doesn't extend the college post-season by that much. Basically, the top four teams (determined by the current BCS formula) are seeded 1-4. 1 plays 4; 2 plays 3. The winners would play each for the national title.

One issue - Sooooo where will they play the games? There is a lot of speculation surrounding this question. Many believe that the higher seeded teams should host the first round and the title should be played at a neutral site. This could drive bowl executives nuts whom of which would lose the most money if this format is adopted...unless the bowl committees are given a chance to bid on the neutral site or something like that.

Scenario II - Top Four Overall

Another top four format but the selection would come from a committee or a predetermined formula. Venues would bid to host the games with the national title being played a week later. This format lacks the traditional hype leading up to bowl games; something that the NCAA "desperately" wants to keep apart of the college post season. If this is the option they choose; I'll be shocked.

Scenario III - Top Four Champions

This option will follow the top four overall format but the only people eligible are those who won their conference championship. Looking at last year for example, #1 LSU v #10 Wisconsin, #3 Ok State v #5 Oregon....really?

This is what weaker conferences are dreaming of. I just can't see a team like UConn going undefeated in the Big East, ranking in the top 5 and getting a shot at a title game. You can argue that they did their job in winning the games before them but in order for this to pass; those big conferences have to vote for it...highly unlikely.

Scenario IV - Three-and-One

Ok, this one is slightly different. The semifinals must include the top three conference champs but the fourth spot can be filled by any team. So you get a wild card team. Of course, the wild card selection would cause some backlash but you can't please everyone, right? 

Something that you have to include when talking about each and every last one of these options is money. Money will drive each conference on each level to vote in favor of getting the biggest slice of revenue regardless who plays and where it's played. The NCAA knows this; why else would they entertain half of these options. That's what it all boils down to at the end of the day; how can I make the most money for my conference. 

I personally think the Plus one format is the best option here. Top four teams get a chance at the 'ship no matter whose in those slots. The selection of these teams can cause a couple of issues just because strength of schedule has to be factored into all of this. Just because you win your conference championship with a 9-4 record doesn't  mean you are a top 5 team in the nation.

We all can argue against or for the adoption of all of these options. That's what we are here for; to go back and forth about who should really play for the 'ship. No matter if you are pulling for good ole Boise State or Wake Forest. We want to see the nations top four teams play for the crown.

Now on the more silly side of the spectrum, if EA Sports NCAA 2013 had a "Create Your Playoff" feature I'd solve it myself. Cut out the cupcake games, adopt the D-2 playoff system and have the final four play in the highest bidding bowls. Extensive? Yes. Extreme? Hell yes! Will it happen? Never. But this is just my opinion....

What's yours?

LSU Gets JUCO Stand-out

The 2012 recruiting class is over and done with but us true football fans *hand high* knows that recruiting is a year long non-stop courtship that many NCAA coaches have to master in-order to be successful. Frank Wilson is one of those coaches.

Looking forward to the 2013 season LSU has got a verbal commitment from one of the most sought after JUCO wide-outs of that class; HINDS CC Quantavious Leslie.

The 6'4, 190 lb. receiver had 26 catches for 501 yards and 10 touchdowns in 2011 and shows good body control for his size; something we haven't seen since the Dwayne Bowe days. His numbers are pretty impressive as well, running a 4.4 in the forty with a 33 inch vertical leap. He definitely has the criteria to come in and leave a lasting impression on Death Valley. In other words, he's a beast in the making Quantavius Leslie Highlights.

Of course this road wasn't the chosen path by Leslie. He initially signed with West Virginia in 2009 as a high school Junior but failed to qualify academically. I'm more than sure once he gets on campus, the Cox Communications building (Academic Center for Student-Athletes) will become his second home.

Now, I can't stress enough that this is a VERBAL commitment meaning he could change his mind several times if he so choose to (See Gunner Kiel). One school that he was hoping would offer him a scholarship was Georgia. Being a native of there, the opportunity to play 2 hours away from his childhood home may still be a dream for Leslie. Let's hope he has the "I'll show you!" state of mind and put up crazy numbers when/if we see Georgia again in the near future.

But to be honest...all I keep seeing is Odell on one side and Leslie on the other; throw in a good quarterback ( the wild card) and we will be hanging another championship flag.