**Buzz Buzz Buzz** - How did we get here?

Upon Further Review...

Gotta add to the thread, even though it is going to be less acrimonious (and maybe even less edgy/creative) until something big happens. Not sure whether this helps or just sounds like sour grapes. We shall see.

First of all, the game was VERY entertaining. I said that after the UGa game before I went all sober and resolute. I thought the environment in the stadium was a key. Great job, all. And to agree with many posters, Lagway is that kind of talent. Beck is a QB who had a pretty good game yesterday but he isn't that kind of player. Transcendent means a skill above the Xs and Os. And it isn't beyond credibility that the entire team is rallying behind his playing as opposed to what was the rut it was in.

Now to the more sobering aspects. Just like after the Kentucky game, the afterglow of a quality win is now in the wait-and-see mode as it relates to who did we actually beat. Kentucky came crashing down. It sort of feels that way with LSU. But still, this is a win against a well-respected team.

I am sort of conflicted with the play of the defense. The pass rush was WAY better than it has been in a LONG while. After that, I am not sure it is making the move to upper-echelon. I think the young players are progressing, but the older ones seem to be stuck. Shemar has some nice stats but I have been watching him a lot. He is either nursing a lower body injury (maybe still feeling the effects of last year's injury) or he is just not big/fast enough. I saw plays where he could have prevented a big play but was either out of position (runs), missed the tackle, or allowed the pass to be completed. Pup is alright but hasn't made many key tackles. I say this because of the Napier effect. He seems to want to play the vets (or walk-ons) instead of getting the future more reps. Yes, youth can make HUGE mistakes but again, we are mainly looking at the future and not the present...now.

The backfield is about the same, albeit full of injuries and so lacking depth. What I noticed in the Tennessee/UGa game was how the corners and safeties played and were there to affect plays (safeties especially). I just don't see it with ours. Bridges made some plays and that was good. After that, more "Shemar stats" than key plays, IMO. Yes, there were some plays on runs to the outside that were key, but not much in the passing game.

Now to the offense and what I need is some clarity. We are mainly a running team and we did not run the ball much. Take away the last TD run and Baugh's stats were very pedestrian. Jackson ran well. Why the game plan? The TOP was abysmal. If not for the pass rush and the home crowd...

Call it the old "fool me once/fool me twice" mantra, but I am going to watch intently...again...whether the team shows signs of turning the corner or merely hit upon the right combination for a quality win against a team that is...? Old Miss is going to be interesting to say the least. I do hope that the team...and Napier and Associates...are up to the task and represents. Is that too much to ask, or am I just peeing in the punch bowl?

 

"How did we get here?" indeed. We know it's mostly DJ the stud qb but Billy seems to have changed. I can't believe I typed that. Two months ago I was convinced he was a nitwit and now it looks like he's figured some things out. It was actually nice to see his on the field post game interview where he was smiling. Good for him.

What were the changes that SS eluded to? Portal and offensive coordinator?

 

If you have to ask if you’re being sour grapes or peeing in the punch bowl within 12 hours of that win, you likely already know the answer. Sans the Tex. game with the walk-on QB, this team has been playing like a top 15 team. The year to year improvement is obvious. Now stop urinating at the vineyard and enjoy a big win, please.

 

This is not my beautiful house.

 

Lagway had nothing yo do with holding lsu' s offense in check.

 

it’s DJ having that glow about him. He elevates the team in a way few QB’s a year on the college or/and pro level.

The D is playing better cause they aren’t always playing from behind which has been the case the last few years

 

Funny enough, Sagarin has us #26. Ole Miss is #5, so ugh for next week.

 

Even if ole miss beats us, then we get to beat the hell out of f$u and clinch a bowl bid.

 

LSU ran a lot on us. Frankly, looking at the box score and it’s sort of like a mirage. Lagway changes all aspects of the game. LSU presses more on offense, because they know they have to overcome Lagway. The players play a little harder for Lagway. And I don’t think CBN has a lot to do with the hands on of the defense.

 

This is just like every other school in the past 20 years that were pedestrian until their generational QB came in and took them to the top and as soon as said QB left, they went right back to being pedestrian. One only has to look at the recruiting rankings for the 2025 class to understand this. Can we improve that? Sure maybe a little. But many of the marquee prospects are already committed. Best case scenario is we wind up 12th out of 16 in recruiting (in the conference). Please never lose sight of the fact that this is a disgrace at UF.

 

Oh shut up

 

Maybe DJ will have some mobility going forward and we get some of our d back. It did seem some of those sacks took a while, maybe some decent coverage.

 

Not sure If I have ever seen a team have the ball for 41 minutes and only score 16 points -- not even sure how that is possible.
and the gators only had 13 first downs yet score 27 points.

Its called DJ finds a way. DJ is smoke and mirrors for sure for this team, because it still wasn't a very well called game offensively. We had no answer for their endless blitzez.

The 2nd half possessions are crazy -- how did we win this game. Wild only one possession the entire half that we got a first down.
4 plays, 20 yards punt
8 plays, 38 yards field goal
3 plays, -8 yards punt
3 plays, 45 yards TD
3 plays, 75 yards TD

This kid is magical don't get me wrong, but they better find him some help with a better play caller.

 

Funny enough, LSU was ranked #22 and we received no votes in the polls last week. You really do go out of your way to kill joy. Reread my previous sentence #1.

 

Ok….if that generational QB delivers a NC then am all for it…that’s better than a Ryan Day type tenure..in the last 50 years there has been on Saban and now Kirby is trying to be that. I doubt Kirby will win 6 NCs.

 

nah. If you can't handle an opinion that is likely shared by many, then that is your issue, not mine. I call it how I see it. Hell, I'm probably a little out in front on this because truthfully, we haven't had any sustained success yet. I'm just going by the eye test, which says DJ Lagway is elite. "Improvement" in losses does not equal sustained success. And while I don't think we will beat Ole Miss, I guarantee DJ Lagway will make it a game, at the very least.

 

Lagway is making the best of a bad situation. Remember he was about 80% last night with that hammy. But I agree, at a certain point, Lagway can't outrun bad play-calling. LSU looked horrible against Alabama last week. I believe Nussmeier was likely banged up. I'll take the victory every single day, but we didn't beat a playoff team yesterday. Questionable whether LSU will even finish in the Top 25 at the end of the season. But a win is a win and that's not something we had been doing much of, so gotta take it.

 

Wait, woah, my sentence is intended to be joyful. I'm a sunshine pumper of the first degree.

It sucks that FPI gives is statistically zero chance next week. But in my mind, we win in front of big recruits and all the dominos start falling.

 

You’re nothing short of terrible. Why the mods allow you to continue your incessant shitting all over our team is a total head scratcher

 

There are lots of very good coaches out there who consistently outperform based on the talent they have in house. But the truth is, we have seen this many times before where a Vince Young, a Jameis Winston, a Cam Newton will take a program to the top when said program otherwise would have been mediocre and we watched all of those programs fall apart as soon as those QBs left. So it is very much a thing.

If you go back to the start of the season, I made several posts ripping Napier for not starting Lagway from the Miami game on. There is a very good possibility that if Mertz had not been hurt, we would not be having all of these glorious discussions about Lagway's ability. Napier was playing him sparingly and do you think that would have changed going up against the gauntlet? Unlikely. So Napier's job may have been saved by the Mertz injury, as crazy as that sounds. He clearly wanted Mertz as the starter and Mertz would have played just well enough to stay in that role.