I know Iāve already responded, but this was just too much fun to walk away from. Especially after your āstats donāt tell the whole storyā post.<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o></o
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QBs-<o
Stats are fairly telling here. Your two QBs are HORRIBLE. It is safe to say that Auburnās secondary has been less than stellar this season. Using that game as a barometer, your QBs wonāt do much against Bama. 128 passing yards? Again, for perspectiveāArkansas State was able to pass for more yards against Auburn than LSU. LSU has thrown for a whopping 1,110 yards this season.<o
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RBs-<o
Since you reference stats hereāRidley has 723 yards on the season. Ingram has 544 through 6 games. Richardson has 606 through 8 games, only two as a starter. So yes, individually Ridley has put up more yardage than Ingram and Richardson. Letās look a little deeper. Your second highest rusher is Jefferson at 281. As a team youāve rushed for 1,433 and 16 TDs. Bama has rushed for 1,495 and 17 scores. If you look statistically, yesāit is a virtual push. Looking at the playersāRidley is the only consistent force you have in the backfield. Bama can legitimately go 3-deep with Ingram, Richardson and Lacey.<o
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WRs-<o
Your argument at receiver makes me chuckle. Stats donāt tell everything for you but recruiting stars do? Randle, Tolliver and Shepard are all big, talented guys. They also only average a collective 102 yards/game. Again, this is a situation where stats are telling. You can have all the talent at wideout in the world, if you donāt have a QB that can get the ball to them it doesnāt really matter.<o
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O-Line-<o
Yes, Bama is giving up a lot of sacks this year, but it isnāt solely attributed to poor line play. McElroy has had more than enough time in the pocket; heās just not getting rid of the ball quickly enough. LSU may well be lower in number of sacks given, but LSU was rarely able to keep Fairley out of the backfield last week.<o
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D-Line-<o
Nevis doesnāt play with anywhere near the consistency Glenn Dorsey did. Nevis is a good football player but when your team needed him the most, in Jordan-Hare Stadium, he had ZERO tackles for a loss. To be more specific, no one on your defensive line accounted for a tackle behind the line of scrimmage last week.<o
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LB-<o
This one you may actually be closer. Sheppard is great, Hightower is great. The other players on both sides are solid but not superstars yet.<o
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Secondary-<o
Peterson is a lockdown cornerāyouāre dead on about that. However, it is a moot point because Bama will not look to throw the ball that often against LSU. Yes, Peterson may well be able to take Julio out of the game. Bama has more than enough weapons, including throwing to Richardson in the flat.<o
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Special Teams-<o
Your punter is fantastic. Peterson can be neutralized in the return game.<o
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Intangibles-<o
Iām not sure this is as big as you think. Bama won the last time they came to Death Valley and many of those players are still on the team today. It isnāt like theyāre walking into a new environment.<o
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Also, LSU isnāt getting any respect because your offense has been absolutely anemic.
It is funny you think stats don't tell the whole story, but your gut instinct certainly does, eh?<o
When doing a position breakdown, only that position matters. You can't take into an account other positions. You only should look at that position by itself.
