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Oh How The Mighty Have Fallen..A Look back at the greatest collapse in LSU History
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Following the most disgraceful, most hideous, and at times most comical performance in LSU's storied football program, many consequences are necassary. The tigers came out dominating the overmatched Volunteers by playing LSU football; what was to follow is the most disrespectful blow in a respected programs history. With a national television audience tuned away from ABC's MNF due to a runaway blowout, LSU's collapse at the hands of SEC rival Tennessee hurts recruiting, BCS chances, and most importantly the dignity of a once mighty national champion. Serious changes are mandatory, and must come at once. Bo Pelini, "acclaimed" Defensive Coordinator, is the architect of the most shameful losses in Nebraska (62-36 to colorado) and Oklahoma's (55-19 to USC) storied Programs. Well Pelini lived up to his resume in tonight's shellacking at the hands of a quarterback with more of a bow and arrow than a cannon for an arm. RickJimmyCasey Clausen cannot and has not shown the ability to complete passes down the field. Bo Pelini apparently has never recognized this, considering the fact that he played his corners 9-12 yards off the ball on the most important momentum changing possession of tonight's game. With LSU up 21-0, Tennessee took the field after being bruised and scarred by a blitzing, pressing, relentess first half Tiger defense. Certainly, Backup QB Rick Clausen enjoyed the spacious cushions the Tiger Defensive backs were instructed to give. Easily completing 6 yard hooks, the vol's swiftly moved down the field. Tennesse was never blitzed nor pressured on the drive, and took advantage scoring to make it 21-7. LSU was never the same. With a tie ball game, one timeout, and 2:02 lit on the game clock, the Tigers had possession on their 30 with a chance to undergo a game-winning drive led by reknowned clutch sharp-shooter JaMarcus Russell. It can be argued that Russell has performed best in the clutch (Oregon St., Iowa, Arizona St.) Yet Miles made the most crucial decision of the night, a decision that cost him the ball game and perhaps his job. Miles decided the Tigers should runout the clock and head to overtime although college football overtime is a crap-shoot at best in determining victors. Throughout the collapse, Miles showed the "Les Miles Face", a face proving he didn't belong on the stage his football team was performing on, a night game at tiger stadium against the #10 team in the land, 21-0 halftime lead...those circumstances would usually point to late touchdowns by Matt Flynn and maybe a glimpse of Ryan Perriloux. Tonight Miles allowed his team to choke away the game in a monumental collaspe, and his job should be the repercussions of such a mistake. Pat Hill, Butch Davis, Will Muschamp, someone that can handle the stage of a game of tonight's magnitude, those are candidates for the LSU job a job hopefully vacant following the season. It's always tough to breath down the stretch when one's hands are around one's throat. Following the wrath of two hurricanes, LSU had all the emotion, all the intangibles needed to win tonight's game but lacked the coaching. -Alex Lorio
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