People seem to not be able to appreciate what LSU has done in the past 7 years, mainly because of the radical, mean fans we are a pretty hated school, and because of that people have a hard time seeing how good of a story what LSU has done is. But when you look at what they've done with unbias eyes, it's really a quite amazing story.
LSU was coming off of the worst decade of football in school history, and just fired the guy who seemed to be killing the program, and the boom, along comes the savior, Nick Saban. His first year he takes LSU to a bowl game. Then his second year LSU makes an improbable run through the SEC west and makes it to the SEC championship. When they finally get there they are faced with SEC juggernaut Tennessee (who was also ranked number 3 at the time I believe) LSU then goes on to beat Tennessee with a back-up QB and win the SEC for the first time since 1988.
In 2002 also they a disappointing 8-5 season and didn't even finish the season in the top 25. After that season LSU lost there starting QB Rohan Davey and RB's LaBrandon Tofeild, and Dominic Davis (now Williams), all 3 went in the first three rounds of the NFL draft, this set up what seemed to be a rebuilding season for LSU in 2003, they started the season unranked in most major polls. Well as the weeks went by they beat team after team and everyone kept pointing out games and saying this is the one that will prove that LSU is a pretender, yet LSU seemed to just keep on winning game after game, until they made it to the Sugar Bowl against HEAVILY favored Oklahoma ( if you wan tot get an understanding about how heavily favored they were, remember, this is a team that lost the last game of the season and still made it into the national championship over a USC team with the same record). LSU then goes on to win the national championship for the first time in almost 50 years, but is forced to split the title with USC.
After this season LSU losses a QB, but get's back a lot of major pieces from it's championship team, but thanks to nick Saban not establishing a QB and sticking with them, LSU goes through an extremely disappointing season in which they end up in the Capitol One Bowl against Iowa. The weeks leading up to the Capitol One Bowl the savior of LSU betrays LSU and bolt bolts for the NFL and in his last game LSU losses on a hail mary pass with no time on the clock. LSU is now without a coach, with there savior who just brought in the best recruiting class in school history feeling betrayed, LSU moves quickly to get a replacement guy, and they pick Les Miles, out of Oklahoma state. And not one of the guys from the recruiting class in which Saban promised that he'd win them a national title transfer.
Going into the 2005 season the state of Louisiana was destroyed by Hurricane Katrina. Most player from south Louisiana had 8+ people living in there 2-3 people intended dorms. LSU was in such bad shape from the after math of Katrina they couldn't even host there first 2 games. Opening day at Arizona State LSU came out playing horribly and got down several touchdown in the forth, but thanks too two big special teams plays LSU was in position to win the game with 2 minutes left in the forth. Arizona State's defense held and LSU was forced into a forth down and long situation with about one minute left in the game. Jamarcus Russel threw a long pass to Early Doucet I believe and won the game with about a minute left.
LSU went on to go 10-1 and made it to the SEC championship. At that point a streak of bad luck hit LSU when LSU's Jamarcus Russel, Alley Brousard, Laron Landry, and Jesse Daniels all went down and LSU was left with virtually second teamers out against Georgia, they were blown out and LSU off of that single loss was sent to the Peach Bowl, so they went from ranked third in the nation to the third lowest level bowl that a SEC team can go to.
Despite the slap in the face handed down to LSU, they didn't skip a beat in the Peach Bowl, beating Miami 43-3 in what could of been one of the biggest wins in coach Les Miles Career, because after the Georgia loss LSU fans waned his head to roll.
In 2006 LSU went into as a top 5 caliber team, but early losses to Florida and Auburn hurt them alot, if they would of beaten either one of them, they would have been playing Florida again in Atlanta for a bid in the national title. Never the less a star studded LSU team went on to beat Notre Dame in the Sugar Bowl.
In the 2007 off-season Former LSU Head Coach Nick Saban committed the ultimate betrayal to LSU by signing the most expensive contract in college Football with one of LSU's biggest rivals in Alabama . That day LSU fans started counting the days until they invaded Tuscaloosa.
In 2007 LSU came into the season after losing 4 first round draft picks, and was still ranked number 2. LSU won it's first 4 games in very impressive fashion. But when the defending national champion Florida Gator rolled into town LSU had to work a little more for the W. LSU got down 10 in the forth and came back after going 5 for 5 on fourth down. This victory set the tone for what seemed to be a wild season. LSU went on to lose to Kentucky, after that LSU's national title hopes had just been made much harder to achieve, LSU went on to squeak out of several games against SEC opponents until they played Arkansas. Arkansas beat them in OT, destroying LSU's national championship hopes. In the following weeks Les Miles to Michigan rumors were raging, not that this team had enough detraction already, but now it seemed that yet another coach was gonna bail on them.
Hours before the SEC championship Les Miles came out and told everyone that "I am the coach at LSU I will be the coach at LSU and I'm excited about the opportunity of my damn strong football team, thank you and have a great day." Those words put a spark in the hearts of LSU's football payers and they went out and squeaked by Tennessee 21-14. Now LSU wasn't out of the clear yet, they still needed West Virginia and Missouri to lose, and sure enough, first Missouri fell, then West Virginia Choked.
LSU went on and rolled in the national championship, the only way this story could of been more Poetic was if they would of beaten USC who they were forced to share there last title with.
Look at al the stories behind this LSU football team,
Matt Flynn went to LSU even after 5 star prospect Jamarcus Russel Committed, he stuck it out for 3 years and became the starter in year four and won a national title
The Golden Oldy Jacob Hester came in to LSU as a 2 star guy, he worked his way up until he was renound as the heart and soul of this defense
Glen Dorsey couldn't walk without braces until he was like 8, then he skipped out on the NFL draft to come back for a national title and got it, plus about every major defensive award there is
Luke Sanders Blew out his Knee his Junior year in high schools and earned a scholarship to LSU off his senior season alone, then was on the edge of getting cut, worked his way up the depth chart until he was starting his sophomore year then blew out his knee yet again. and then came back his Senior year and started on a national title winning squad.
The guys that were promised a national title by Nick Saban and watched him leave tem finally got that title there senior year under Miles.
What LSU has done in the last 7 years in nothing short of amazing, I just hope you can appreciate it like I do now.
Shanon Lersh
Jarah Mariano
Best Players 6-5 and Under
Did You See That?
Comments (12) Add A Comment
Leave it to you to toot your own horn.
thehemogoblin
The University Of, OR
Total Comments (29343)
Great blog, by the way.
thehemogoblin
The University Of, OR
Total Comments (29343)
lol thax
*LSU*
West Monroe, LA
Total Comments (3043)
I give you serious props. You are one of the few LSU fans that admit a "split" title. I don't blame LSU or USC for that disaster, rather the BCS. In no way should a team like OU who got destroyed in the Big 12 title game should have been allowed to play in the BCS Championship. Nor should a team ranked #1 in both polls been stiffed from the game.
UFCJoel
Slidell , LA
Total Comments (20)
all fans admit to the split, but none agree with it
*LSU*
West Monroe, LA
Total Comments (3043)
I respect what LSU has done, but to be honest I thought USC was better that year. Their following team in 04 is on the level of Miami 01 and Nebraska 95.
LSU beat Oklahoma in a HOME GAME (imagine that LSU) where Nick Saban had people scouting OU's practice(Belicheat Descendant) Bob Stoops said w/ out hesitation.
The following year USC beat OU (on a real neutral field) 55-19. That was the SAME OU team just a year more mature. 55-19 > 21-14 (Home Game)
LSU's fans in person are passionate. Nothing wrong w/ that. My brother tailgated w/ several in N.O. He said they are nothing like the ignorant ones who get online and run their mouths. Those ones are the reason no one cares about LSU regardless how many Crystals they have.
Learn how to win w/ class. USC does not scream Pac10 Pac10 Pac10 and just try to degrade other conferences. That seems only to be a trend on LSU's and SEC's part.
Props to Jacob Hester for acting like a true champ before, during, and AFTER the BCS game this year. Too bad after the game no names like LSU's backup safety had to act like the typical SEC fan these days and start degrading OSU and the Big10. Classless........
TP2=Heisman 09
Total Comments (118)
i just knew you would call Saban a trader. As i've told a million LSU fans, its not like he went directly from lsu to bama, he went to coach in the nfl with the dolphins. He didn't like proffesional ball (which most college coaches dont if they try it: spurrier, saban, petrino, etc.) and he wanted to get back to college ball, and we (bama) needed a coach, so Saban came to bama. and as an alabama fan im sayin your welcome for the 2 titles saban got yall. He won one there and got those great recruits for yall who were seniors last year on the yalls team to win you another, which makes me happy about the next 3-4 when bama's gunna be back in the naitonal contenders spot. RTR!!!
lilpugh22
Texarkana , TX
Total Comments (70)
"Learn how to win w/ class. USC does not scream Pac10 Pac10 Pac10"
Do you talk to the same USC fans that I do?
"As i've told a million LSU fans, its not like he went directly from lsu to bama"
The Bama thing hurt, but personaly, what hurt me the most was him leaving us for Miami, if he would of stayed, LSu would of had the best 2005 recruiting class in the country, and that would of mean't another national title more than Lickly, but I think in the long term Miles is alot better for LSU fans because he's a tad bit insane, so LSU fans can relate to him.
Also Beanie, you'll never know that, USC did not play near the level in 2003 than 2004 because Leainert was a sophmore and Bush and White where freshmen, so I'm not sure it's apporpriate to say just because the 2004 team was good, that USC was better than LSU in 2003, there two completly differnent seasons, with two completly different team.
Lilpugh22, you and the rest of your brother Alabama fans have been saying that bama is gonna make a comeback for the last 6 years, and guess what 0-6 vs. LSU, 0-6 vs. Auburn. What's that? it's the sound of Nick Saban and the rest of your alabama tide choking, again.
*LSU*
West Monroe, LA
Total Comments (3043)
I, for one, recognize the accomplishments of LSU. It's good to have LSU, Auburn, and Alabama in the west and Georgia, Florida, and Tennessee in the East. LSU has become a juggernaut, and the preseason polls recognize that also by still keeping LSU in the top 10 after losing so many talented players.
I acknowledge that USC was given the title by the AP, but I don't admit that USC had a share of the title. The Trojans went into the season knowing how the BCS formula was tabulated and scored, and being ranked ahead of LSU before the NC game was not enough to get them into the title game. Tough cookies. Just like UGA fans shouldn't gripe about being left out of the title game: you don't win your conference title, then you don't play for the nation's title. Split titles were the reason the BCS was created so they could be prevented.
How 'bout 'em
Marietta, GA
Total Comments (2070)
Georgia griping might've kept USC from getting a share of the title again b/c they had the same records, so be grateful!
That and LSU beat a team in the NC game with a better record, and the AP poll was not factorred into the formula like it was in 2003.
But I like the first reason for why LSU didn't have to share their title w/ USC again better.
How 'bout 'em
Marietta, GA
Total Comments (2070)
Being hated is a sign that you have arrived enjoy it, just as I do with the Buckeyes!
84
Total Comments (7228)
No disrespect to LSU or to Les Miles, but I still find it funny how LSU jumped more spots after barely beating #14 UT in the SEC Championship (it took a late game INT for a Touchdown to put LSU ahead, 21-14), while Oklahoma destroyed #1 Mizzou in the Big 12 Championship. We saw that Mizzou LAST YEAR wasn't a fluke, seeing as how they demolished the same Arkansas team that had beat LSU at home earlier in the year.
My Buckeyes lost last year, and I won't debate that come hell or high water, but I still found it to be a snub at another team with a more impressive late-season accomplishment. Although, the Sooners laying an egg against WVU in the Fiesta Bowl more-or-less made the pollsters look like they made the right decision. I do wonder how much of that had to do with the OU players feeling like THEY should've had the shot for a National Title. Oh hell, oh well. They're getting that this year.
And people do respect LSU's accomplishments this decade; it's pretty hard to not recognize a two-time National Champ. I think that some of the bad LSU fans might've rubbed people the wrong way. I, however, had dealings with a lot of great Tigers fans during the Championship game weeks when it was really just them and OU in the running for it, and then again the week of the National Title. Some were even classy during the pummeling that was the National Title game. So to all the classy LSU fans out there; this Buckeye's gonna treat you with the same measure of respect.
Stay classy Baton Rouge!
Dragon Voyager
Mount Sterling , OH
Total Comments (279)
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