Nick C'est Bon

NICK C'EST BON

Saban Staying at LSU
12/24/2004
by Len Pasquarelli
Today LSU Head Coach Nick Saban announced that he would not be the next Head Coach of the Miami Dolphins. Saban met with Dolphins officials two days ago and was apparently offered a contract by the team. Yesterday he met with LSU officials to talk over the possibility of a long-term deal to stay in Baton Rouge. Neither meeting ended with the signing of a contract.

Today Saban addressed the media at the Capital One Bowl Press Conference in Orlando, Fl. Stating "I never wanted to leave LSU. These are my boys, and there's no reason why I could ever imagine leaving them", Saban made it clear that returning to the NFL was never an option. He didn't shy away from admitting that the Dolphins had offered him a contract and that they were interested in his services either: "I appreciate the Miami Dolphins organization and Mr. Huizenga, and I thank them for the opportunity they presented me. But ultimately it came down to whether or not I wanted to stay at LSU for the long term, and that answer is yes."

The Tigers now head into the upcoming Capital One Bowl against the #12 Iowa Hawekeyes (9-2) with some stability in the coaching position. This development most certainly will help their confidence, especially that of freshman quarterback JaMarcus Russell, who will be starting against the Hawkeyes defense. If Saban and the Tigers win in that matchup it will be yet another double-digit win season for LSU and their fans.
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Jim Bates Hired as Miami Dolphin's Head Coach
by Chris Mortensen
12/28/04
Jim Bates, who went 3-4 as interim head coach of the Miami Dolphins this year, has gotten the interim removed from his title. Late last night the Dolphins finalized a deal that will make Bates the official Head Coach of the team. Bates, who was immensely popular with the teams players, will address the media at a press conference at the team's practice facility today.

Bates wasn't the Dolphins first choice. LSU Head Coach Nick Saban was offered a contract several days ago, but turned it down to remain in Baton Rouge. Following that setback, Miami was forced to chose between Bates and former Oakland Raiders Head Coach Art Shell. In the end, "it came down to who the players trusted the most. We talked to our veteran leaders, and they all said they wanted Jim back" stated Dolphins Owner Wayne Huizenga. Many of the organizations players offered similar praise for Bates no frills attitude.

For Bates, the highlight of the season was a win against the previously one-loss New England Patriots. Bates will be tasked with rebuilding a roster with some high quality pieces, especially on defense, but also many inconsistent offensive players such as wide receiver Chris Chambers. The position that will most need to be revamped is most likely quarterback, where the Dolphins have little in terms of future. Veteran quarterback Jay Fiedler is likely on his way out, while neither A.J. Feeley or Sage Rosenfells constitutes a long-term answer. For Bates, it will be an uphill road, but the organization and the players have faith that he can execute.
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2005 Capital One Bowl
1st 2nd 3rd 4th Total
Iowa Hawkeyes 3 7 0 10 20
LSU Tigers 0 3 14 6 23

1st Quarter
Iowa 5:30 FG Kyle Schlicher 33 yds. 3-0
2nd Quarter
LSU 13:31 FG Chris Jackson 28 yds. 3-3
Iowa 4:45 TD Scott Chandler 10 yd. pass from Tate (Schlicher kick) 10-3
3rd Quarter
LSU 9:58 TD Dwayne Bowe 8 yd. pass from Russell (Jackson kick) 10-10
LSU 7:21 TD Justin Vincent 39 yd. run (Jackson kick) 10-17
4th Quarter
LSU 14:22 FG Chris Jackson 37 yds. 10-20
Iowa 10:56 TD Jermelle Lewis 1 yd. run (Schlicher kick) 17-20
Iowa 0:45 FG Kyle Schlicher 37 yds. 20-20
LSU 0:03 FG Chris Jackson 47 yds. 20-23

Iowa Hawkeyes
LSU Tigers
First Downs
19​
20​
- Rushing
5​
6​
- Passing
14​
12​
- Penalty
0​
2​
3rd Down Eff
7/19​
5/15​
4th Down Eff
0/0​
0/0​
Rushes-Yards
44-97​
47-187​
Avg Rush
2.2​
4.0​
Comp-Att-Int
17-33-1​
13-22-0​
Passing Yards
200​
183​
Sacks-Yards
1-6​
0-0​
Fumbles-Lost
0-0​
2-2​
Punts-Avg
9-41.0​
7-41.0​
KR-Avg
6-19.5​
5-17.6​
PR-Avg
7-9.7​
9-10.1​
Penalties-Yard
4-40​
4-20​
Time of Possession
32:16​
27:44​

Iowa Hawkeyes Individual Stats
Rushing
Att Yds 20+ L TD
Sam Brownlee 15 45 0 13 0
Jermelle Lewis 20 39 0 11 1
Drew Tate 7 8 0 10 0
Marques Simmons 2 5 0 3 0

Receiving
Rec Yds 20+ 40+ L TD
Ed Hinkel 5 82 1 0 30 0
Clinton Solomon 5 67 1 0 21 0
Calvin Davis 3 32 0 0 13 0
Sam Brownlee 1 13 0 0 13 0
Scott Chandler 1 10 0 0 10 1
Warren Holloway 1 -2 0 0 -2 0
Jermelle Lewis 1 -2 0 0 -2 0

Passing
Comp. Att. Yards TD INT
Drew Tate 17 33 200 1 1

Field Goals
Made Missed
Kyle Schlicher 33,37 37

LSU Tigers Individual Stats
Rushing
Att Yds 20+ L TD
Alley Broussard 16 102 1 42 0
Justin Vincent 9 45 1 39 1
Joseph Addai 11 29 0 11 0
Shyrone Carey 7 12 0 4 0
JaMarcus Russell 4 -1 0 0 0

Receiving
Rec Yds 20+ 40+ L TD
Dwayne Bowe 4 79 3 0 25 1
Craig Davis 3 51 1 0 23 0
Skyler Green 3 24 0 0 11 0
David Jones 2 22 0 0 11 0
Early Doucet 1 7 0 0 7 0

Passing
Comp. Att. Yards TD INT
JaMarcus Russell 13 22 183 1 0

Defensive
Sacks INT
Cameron Vaughn 1 0
LaRon Landry 0 1

Field Goals
Made Missed
Chris Jackson 28,37,47 47

MVP: Dwayne Bowe (WR, LSU)
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Final AP Top 25
1. Southern Cal (62) 13-0
2. Auburn (1) 13-0
3. Oklahoma 12-1
4. Utah 12-0
5. Texas 11-1
6. Louisville 11-1
7. Georgia 10-2
8. Louisiana State 10-2
9. California 10-2
10. Virginia Tech 10-3
11. Miami-Florida 9-3
12. Boise State 11-1
13. Tennessee 10-3
14. Michigan 9-3
15. Florida State 9-3
16. Iowa 9-3
17. Wisconsin 9-3
18. Texas Tech 8-4
19. Arizona State 9-3
20. Ohio State 8-4
21. Boston College 9-3
22. Fresno State 9-3
23. Virginia 8-4
24. Navy 10-2
25. Pittsburgh 8-4

2005 LSU Recruiting Class
Five-Stars
Ryan Perrilloux-QB (Reserve, LA)
Dajleon Farr-TE (Galena Park, TX)
Four-Stars
Alfred Jones-DE (New Orleans, LA)
R.J. Jackon-RB (Houston, TX)
Kyle Anderson-TE (The Woodlands, TX)
Antonio Robinson-RB (Winnfield, LA)
Ricky Jean-Francois-DE (Miami, FL)
Ciron Black-OL (Tyler, TX)
Lyle Hitt-DT (Baton Rouge, LA)
Brandon LaFell-WR (Houston, TX)
Bryan Adams-CB (Jacksonville, FL)
Michael Turkovich-OL (Valley Forge, PA)
Kevin Myers-OL (Compton Community College, CA)
Chris Keys-S (Stevenson, AL)
Three-Stars
Chris Hawkins-CB (Walker, LA)
Darry Beckwith-LB (Baton Rouge, LA)
Steven Korte-RB (Mandeville, LA)
Two-Stars
Trindon Holliday-WR (Zachary, LA)
 
Nice start.

Though I don't see Saban staying at LSU forever, it'll be interesting to see what he does with his own players, if he actually can do better with his players than what Miles did. (which he probably would)

Uber LSU dynasty coming to compete with the emerging USC one?
 
Just a thing : I know it's unintentional, but in Franch, your title roughly translates as "Fucking, it's good..."

Not that I object, though.:p
 
What happens with Les Miles, Mike Gundy, and Oklahoma State? I can't say if Miles or Gundy has been a better coach for OSU. I do favor Gundy as coach, since we were at OSU at the same time.

There are also the follow on effects on Alabama.

I like this TL.
 
What happens with Les Miles, Mike Gundy, and Oklahoma State? I can't say if Miles or Gundy has been a better coach for OSU. I do favor Gundy as coach, since we were at OSU at the same time.

There are also the follow on effects on Alabama.

I like this TL.

Les Miles is still the Head Coach at Ok. State with Mike Gundy as O-Cordinator.
 
2005 LSU Season Preview
Preseason Top 25
1. USC Trojans
2. Texas Longhorns
3. LSU Tigers
4. Florida Gators
5. Michigan Wolverines
6. Tennessee Volunteers
7. Miami (FL) Hurricanes
8. Oklahoma Sooners
9. Ohio State Buckeyes
10. Virginia Tech Hokies
11. Georgia Bulldogs
12. Louisville Cardinals
13. Iowa Hawkeyes
14. Texas A&M Aggies
15. Florida State Seminoles
16. Boise State Broncos
17. Cal Golden Bears
18. Auburn Tigers
19. Fresno State Bulldogs
20. Arizona State Sun Devils
21. Pitt Panthers
22. Purdue Boilermakers
23. Bowling Green Falcons
24. Colorado Bison
25. Wyoming Cowboys

Preseason Heisman Watch List
1. Reggie Bush (RB, Jr., USC)
-Pros: Arguably the most explosive player in college football, Bush is a three-way threat who can turn any play into a touchdown.
-Cons: Playing in the potent USC offense, Bush will need to put up big numbers every week. He needs to avoid being overshadowed by Matt Leinart, and will also lose touches to LenDale White in short-yardage situations.
-Outlook: Bush is most definitely the Heisman frontrunner, but will need to put up great stats each and every Saturday. The Heisman is typically a quarterback's award, and to win it Bush will need to emphasize the "wow" factor for which is so known.
2. Matt Leinart (QB, Sr., USC)
-Pros: Leinart has put together a great two year career at USC so far, capped off by winning the Heisman last year. He's a pure pocket passer in an offense loaded with weapons. In theory, he should be able to win the award by repeating last years success. He should improve in his last year in college.
-Cons: Despite winning the award last year, Leinart has been overshadowed by his explosive teammate in the backfield. It's been nearly impossible to repeat as a Heisman winner, and to do so Leinart will need to improve upon his stats. Even then, if Bush is the headliner for the Trojans then Leinart may be out of luck.
-Outlook: Matt Leinart's going to put together a solid season. The question is if that's good enough. If they go undefeated, Leinart will still need to prove that he is the team's best player. If he can do that, he could win a second Heisman trophy.
3. Vince Young (QB, Jr., Texas)
-Pros: Young is one the best dual threat quarterbacks in the game today, and his ability as a game changer is unquestionable. As a runner and passer he is top notch, and the fact that he is the top dog on a top teer Texas team means that he won't have to compete with his teammates for the award.
-Cons: As a passer, Young isn't as technically sound as either Leinart or Chris Leak. If he struggles with his passing numbers than it's likely his stock will fall, no matter the rushing stats. He'll need to prove that he can throw as well as run, and that's still a major if.
-Outlook: Overall, Young is one of the most talented athletes in the game today. If he can carry Texas to the title game, then he can most certainly win the Heisman. But it'll take an impressive effort to overtake Leinart and Bush.
4. Adrian Peterson (RB, So., Oklahoma)
-Pros: When it comes to pure running backs, it's hard to find anyone better than Peterson. He's a dominant power back who can tear apart any defense on the ground. Plus, he's only a sophomore and his stock will be on the rise throughout his career.
-Cons: Fumbles, fumbles, fumbles. Peterson may be a dominant back between the tackles, but turnovers kill drives and he hasn't quite figured out how to keep the ball on his body. He's not a great pass-catcher either, and therefore his chances at the Heisman are largely dependent on his running stats alone.
-Outlook: Adrian Peterson might not win the Heisman this year, but that doesn't mean that he won't next year or some other time in the future. His talent is undeniable and it will take a lot to stop him from running over defenses and setting Oklahoma records.
5. Chris Leak (QB, Jr., Florida)
-Pros: Leak's a very talented passer who succeeded despite playing on a very disappointing Florida team last year. Now that Urban Meyer's the head coach, and now that he's in a spread offense, Leak will have more opportunities to light up defenses. It's hard to imagine him struggling statistically, and playing in the SEC is always a boost.
-Cons: It's Leak's first year in the spread offense, so while he'll throw the ball quite a bit, he'll also have to learn a complex and detailed offense. Playing in the SEC isn't easy either, and if he has a rough game against a conference foe than it could permanently damage his Heisman stock.
-Outlook: Chris Leak is a talented quarterback in a talented offense. But he's not a superstar yet and there is a definite question as to whether or not he can put up the sort of numbers Alex Smith did last year in the same offense. But if he can, he'll have a real shot at making some noise this year in the Heisman race.

2005 Preseason All-Americans
Offense
QB: Matt Leinart (Sr., USC)
RB: Reggie Bush (Jr., USC)
RB: Adrian Peterson (So., OU)
WR: Derek Hagan (Sr., ASU)
WR: Greg Lee (Jr., Pitt)
TE: Marcedes Lewis (Sr., UCLA)
OL: D'Brickashaw Ferguson (Sr., UVA)
OL: Max Jean-Gilles (Sr., UGA)
OL: Davin Joseph (Sr., OU)
OL: Marcus McNeil (Sr., AUB)
C: Greg Eslinger (Sr., MIN)
Defense
DL: Mathias Kiwanuka (Sr., BC)
DL: Jesse Mahelona (Sr., TENN)
DL: Darryl Tapp (Sr., UVA)
DL: Mario Williams (Jr., NCSU)
LB: Ahmad Brooks (Jr., UVA)
LB: Chad Greenway (Sr., UI)
LB: A.J. Hawk (Sr. OSU)
DB: Jason Allen (Sr., TENN)
DB: Darrell Bing (Jr., USC)
DB: Ko Simpson (So., SoCar)
DB: Jimmy Williams (Sr., VT)
Special Teams
K: Mason Crosby (Jr., CO)
P: Daniel Sepulveda (Jr., BAY)
RET: Ted Ginn Jr. (So., OSU)

2005 LSU Depth Chart
Offense
QB: JaMarcus Russell (SO), Matt Flynn (SO)
RB: Alley Broussard (JR), Joseph Addai (SR), Justin Vincent (JR)
FB: Jacob Hester (SO), Kevin Steltz (SR)
WR: Skyler Green (SR), Craig Davis (JR), Xavier Carter (SO)
WR: Dwayne Bowe (JR), Early Doucet (SO), Amp Hill (SO)
TE: David Jones (SR), Keith Zinger (JR), DajLeon Farr (FR)
OT: Andrew Whitworth (SR), Ryan Miller (FR)
OG: Michael Turkovich (FR), Kevin Myers (FR)
C: Rudy Niswanger (SR), Ryan Miller (FR)
OG: Brian Johnson (JR), Ryan Miller (FR)
OT: Nate Livings (SR), Herman Johnson (FR)
Defense
DE: Chase Pittman (JR), Ryan Willis (JR)
DT: Claude Wroten (SR), Charles Alexander (FR)
DT: Kyle Williams (SR), Glenn Dorsey (SO)
DE: Melvin Oliver (SR), Kirston Pittman (JR)
OLB: E.J. Kaule (SR), Luke Sanders (SO)
ILB: Ken Hollis (SR), Quinn Johnson (SO)
OLB: Cameron Vaugh (SR), Ali Highsmith (SO)
CB: Ronnie Prude (SR), Chevis Jackson (SO)
CB: Sammy Joseph (JR), Mario Stevenson (SR)
SS: Jesse Daniels (JR), Craig Steltz (SO)
FS: LaRon Landy (JR), Nick Child (JR)
Special Teams
K: Chris Jackson (SR), Ryan Gaudet (JR)
P: Chris Jackson (SR), Patrick Fisher (JR)
RET: Skyler Green (SR)

Offensive Preview: LSU will live or die on the arm of it's sophomore quarterback, JaMarcus Russell. Russell, who took over for Marcus Randal last year, proved to be inconsistent and often times frustrating for the Tiger faithful. However he also has a cannon for an arm, a 6'6" frame, and 4.7 speed. If Russell can develop some poise and command behind center than he could be very dangerous indeed. Russell will be joined in the backfield by a plethora of talented running backs. Junior Alley Broussard burst onto the scene last year as a deadly ground-and-pound back in Jimbo Fisher's offense. He will be joined by the highly versatile senior Joseph Addai, who will probably lead the team in touches. Addai can run, block, and catch with the best of the SEC and will probably be a high-round pick in next spring's NFL Draft. Finally, the speedy Justin Vincent will look to recapture the explosive production of his first year in Baton Rouge. All three of these backs will be aided by the presence of fullbacks Jacob Hester and Kevin Steltz who will split time in the LSU backfield. The receiving corps is another talented corps of the Tigers offense. 6'4" junior Dwayne Bowe is the deadliest weapon in Russell's arsenal. He's the complete package and is a threat to score on every play. Opposite Bowe is the shorter Skyler Greene. Greene is a versatile threat who can line up in a variety of formations. But it's Craig "Buster" Davis who led the team in receiving last year. It will be interesting to see how Fisher and Saban utilize the hard-working junior pass-catcher. Tight-Ends David Jones and Keith Zinger are both red-zone threats who are first and foremost blockers. They will be joined by DalJeon Farr, a dynamic blue chip recruit. If he can prove to be as talented as Nick Saban believes, then he will be a very valuable asset in the Tigers offense. The offensive line is also pretty strong, with potential All-American Andrew Whitworth at left-tackle and the versatile Rudy Niswanger at center. Senior Nate Livings will pair with Whitworth at tackle, forming a deadly pair. The guards will be returning starter Brian Johnson and freshman Michael Turkovich, a highly touted recruit out of Pennsylvania. On the whole, this offense relies on Russell to take care of the ball and make big plays when needed, while letting the playmakers around him do the rest.

Defensive Preview: Up front, LSU is led by Claude Wroten and Kyle Williams, both seniors. They need to be able to shut down the run to the inside, while generating the pressure needed in the absence of Marcus Spears. Speaking of Spears, his replacement at defensive end will be junior Chase Pittman. Saban hopes that Pittman can at the very least prove to be as effective at rushing the passer, even if he doesn't command the double teams and effect offensive gameplans in the same way. Senior Melvin Oliver will take some of the pressure off, and once again the hope is that the Tigers d-line can cope with the loss of an all-american talent. In contrast, the linebacking corps is anything but certain. Outside linebacker Cameron Vaughn is a speedy threat, but isn't a reliable player. In the inside, E.J. Kaule will take in for Lionel Turner. Turner was a veteran leader for this defense, and Kaule will have to both play stongly as well as take the calls from Saban and the defensive coaches. If he can't handle that, sophmore Luke Sanders will need to take over. Sanders is unproven, but is loaded with potential. On the other side, Kenneth Hollis remains the best run-stopper among the group. He's a liability in pass-coverage which means that the speedy Ali Highsmith could get his fair share of playing time. In the secondary, the tandem of LaRon Landry and Jesse Daniels are a dominant tandem. Landry is a playmaking ball hawk who can read quarterbacks like a book. Daniels is a hard-hitter, but can cover like a corner. This will come in handy, as two new corners are the starters. Ronnie Prude and Mario Stevenson are both top tier athletes, but neither are fundamentally sound. Freshman Chris Hawkins will get a lot of action, and both Daniels and Landry will be shading receivers for much of the year. Overall the defense should be good once again, but replacing Spears, Turner, and two starting cornerbacks will be quite a challenge.

Special Teams: Chris Jackson returns as the starting place-kicker for the Bayou Bengals. He will need to improve upon his paltry 80% on PATs, but is nonetheless a reliable kicker in most situations. Back-up Ryan Gaudet is a solid talent as-well. At punter, both Chris Jackson and Patrick Fisher will get action, though Jackson is a favorite of Saban. At returner Skyler Greene returns 100% from injury, and is one of the most dangerous players in college football with the ball in the open field. While the special teams unit isn't top tier, it is definitely good enough to get the job done.

Season Outlook: LSU should once again be in the hunt for the SEC title, and with Nick Saban at the helm they won't be out coached by anyone any time soon. The offense rests on Russell's arms and the backfields legs, and should be a high-scoring if inconsistent group. The defense will once again be quite solid, and there's no way Saban let's the group sag much at all. If they can overcome any diversity that comes they're way, then they will be in it to the finish.
 
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