High Five: Week 5’s top story lines
1. The new weapon
So I’m watching one of those college football shows the other day, and the host with the coiffed ‘do and the hey, super! shtick asked LSU coach Les Miles what the close win over Mississippi State “says” about his team.
The unspoken inference: LSU isn’t worthy of its No. 4 ranking.
This is where it starts to get a little fuzzy. Apparently, this idea is floated about because the Tigers have two relatively easy/uninspiring victories over Vanderbilt and Louisiana-Lafayette, and two road wins against Mississippi State and Washington.
You know, the same Washington team that never was within striking distance of LSU—yet two weeks later beat big, bad USC. So LSU gets zero credit for that Washington win, and even less juice for wins over the two worst teams in the SEC.
The reason, everyone, is simple: This team is about as exciting as cat litter.
Two years ago, it was the thrill-a-minute ride with coach Les Miles’ dangerous and daring play calls, and last year it was the fantastic meltdowns in big games. This team, this fall, is boring.
Until now. This is the week we’ll see more of backup quarterback Russell Shepard, the dynamic freshman Miles has been slowly introducing to the power run-based offense.
Considering what’s at stake the next two weeks with games at Georgia and against Florida, LSU has to let it all hang out.
“It’s a piece,” Miles says of Shepard, “we’ve got to get to.”
SportingNews.com
10/2/9
