LSU fans have been reeling for the past 24 hours. There have been comments covering the internet with demands to fire Les Miles to conspiracy theories of a secret affair between Miles and Jefferson. Whatever the reason, LSU fans just seem to want to know why their Tigers seemed to “Geaux” down without a fight. I am not suggesting in any way that LSU didn’t play with every bit of effort, pride, and passion they had in them, nor am I taking anything away from the dominant performance by the Alabama Crimson Tide, but the confusion and ultra-conservative play calling on the offensive side of the ball was dreadful.
Former Saints quarterback, and father to LSU lineman T-Bob Hebert, Bobby expressed a bit of displeasure with the Mad Hatter’s lack of willingness to try anything other than the same thing over and over again. Maybe Hebert was out of line with the public questioning of Miles in the manner in which he did it, but he was asking the question that people of any football IQ were asking, “Why didn’t you put in Jarrett Lee?”
I cannot imagine any kid in the country wanting to commit to play for the Tigers with the seemingly unfair treatment of Jarrett Lee, who record as the starter was 9-0. If Jordan Jefferson is a better Qb, fine but there’s no reason to act as if Lee has never played the position. If there is a reason, tell us what it is, because I don’t think there is one person on the planet buying the analysis that Lee, would not have been able to withstand a pass rush. I for one would have rather seen the Tigers punt on first down, let the “Honey Badger” play QB, attempt an 87 yard field goal, or even turn around and run the wrong way than to just do nothing.
I know that there are a lot of things that go on behind the curtains in a football program, but Miles may have to man up and face this one. LSU fans are the most passionate in the country and I’m no different, I love my Tigers! It hurts when our Tigers lose. It hurts badly when they lose on a stage as big as this one was. But this is about more than the pain of watching our team lose, it’s about the complete embarrassment of looking like a High School team vs. a group we’ve proven all season to be roughly equal to. I, along with many other Tiger fans have defended the accusations many times that Les Miles is an idiot. With the grass eating, clock management skills, running to the wrong side line against Oregon, and quotes from press conferences that would send Yogi Berra into fits of bewilderment, I’ve just grinned and shrugged in full support of him. The way the offensive game plan for the top ranked, undefeated LSU Tigers looked in this game is un-defendable.