Grasping the Wildcat
by John Berkowitz on Sep 1, 2009 7:51 AM PDT
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PrintLSU players have been raving about something they are going to run this season called the "Wildcat". The "Wildcat" is the old single wing with a some new twists brought in to modernize it. Arkansas used it with great success a couple of years ago and David Lee who was with the Hogs back then brought it to the NFL last season for the Miami Dolphins who had success running it.
The "Wildcat" is a variation of the offense that was once used by Tubby Raymond when he was at Delaware. So it isn't something that is exactly new. That offense gained a lot of popularity with HS teams and in the smaller divisions of college football. Jake Locker ran a version of the Delaware Wing T while at Ferndale HS.
The "Wildcat" offense's key trait is that either the quarterback, running back, or wide receiver can receive a direct snap. ( You heard it right...the QB won't always receive the snap. Hence the difficulty the defense has reading the play.)
Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times covered the press conference yesterday and one of the LSU players made this comment.
"It's a killer," offensive lineman Ciron Black said of the formation. "It's going to gash a lot of people. They're not going to see it coming. The scheme that coach has got in right now is phenomenal."
The first advantage of course is deception because the defense has to read who has the ball. The most important advantage is you have an 11 on 11 blocking situation rather than a 10 on 11. In most offenses once the QB hands off or passes he is done for the play. In the Wildcat he is still out there blocking.
Defending a well run "Wildcat" is no easy task. The only real defensive strategy is to lineup up in a man to man accountability zone that pits each player against one from the offense. To be succesful you have to have the same type of discipline you use when you go up against the triple option. One defensive option is to simply stuff the box when going up against the "Wildcat". Solidifying the middle and forcing everything inside is a key component to stopping this package. Usually you put a man directly over center and punish him because he has to have his head down on every snap. Most teams then line up tackles directly over the guards which seals the interior. The LB's play close up and force everything inside.
Base Wildcat
In the initial version of the Wildcat used in college football by Arkansas (later adapted by other college and pro teams), the "Base Wildcat" is an unbalanced set with a guard, an eligible tight end, and a slot receiver on one side of center, and a guard, two tackles next to each other, another receiver, and quarterback on the other side.
Wildcat QB Counter
In the QB Counter the hand off is faked and the one taking the snap (usually a running back) runs in the opposite direction with the ball.
Wildcat Sweep
In the sweep the lefthand slot receiver or a TB is handed the ball while sweeping. Look for LSU to try to run a lot of this to take advantage of their speed. You think that may want Trindon Holiday to receive theball in this manner at least a couple of times?
Wild Cat Split Zone
In "Split Zone", a basic inside zone run is used with the one taking the snap running directly upfield or cutting.
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Sounds like it'll be...
…tough to defend. Hopefully the crowd noise can create problems for them.
Washington Husky Football-Undefeated 1991 National Champions 12-0!
No tougher to defend than what Oregon runs
I think the key is figuring out who has the ball and we haven’t been able to do that against Oregon. Frankly I think what Oregon runs is tougher to defend. Just my opinion.
Option Offenses
require sound and precise defense. You HAVE to know your assignment and stick to it. Defend your man and dont get taken out of the play. It typically works when defenders leave their man or try to be a hero. You have to play perfect assignment football. Holt will have this team ready.
Wildcat
i don’t think any scheme the Tigers throw at UW will surprise them. however I do think UW will have a problem adjusting to the team speed which LSU has at its disposal.
That is always the hardest thing to adjust for...
you can simulate speed…either you have it or you dont. Thats why we have to Hit Hard and Smack them around so that they play slower.
On a side note…if you want to know what Sark & Co are going through on the recruiting trail read “Meat Market”. Bruce Feldman follows Oregron around Ole Miss during the recruiting year and you get to see what goes on in the war room. Obviously Oregron and Sark are different people but you will get a good idea of what kind of work goes on and what they are thinking about when watching a player. Over half way done and I have enjoyed it very much…worth the purchase.
No different than USC
I think USC has superior ..natch…I KNOW that USC has superior athletes and better coaching.
LSU will be fast but we’ve played fast teams before and kept the game close (@home vs USC 2007 )
I just look at the last two years and I see a Dawg team that fought hard on the big games and just didn’t have enough firepower. This year is much the same but the firepower is better from the coaching down to the players.
I look for the TE to be big in this game. You want to keep LSU from rushing the whole team let Kavario and Chris run out there and grab some balls.
fumblerooski
First game jitters, let’s get complicated. Sounds like fumblerooski time. Remember “DAMMIT DUMMIT FUMBLE”? It worked over and over.
LSU & the "Wildcat" formation...
{First, let me thank you guys for allowing me to post and spend some time with you this week. It’s fun to hang out with the opponent, sometimes. No flaming. Just talking up the contest and the teams involved. Providing insight to your program where possible.}
FYI: A new wrinkle to LSU’s “Wildcat” formation is who will be playing the QB position. Last year, 3rd string RB – Richard Murphy ran the play and not very well. He’s a fast, shifty back, but it was obvious that he was running the ball when in that formation. Many believe now that True Freshman QB – Russell Shepard will be in that role. If that is the case, it adds another dimension to the formation because: 1) He is faster & shiftier; 2) He can throw the ball fairly well. If you have Trindon Holliday on the field at the same time, it could be much effective. Even if he’s just a decoy. Trindon is 5’6" and the 2009 NCAA Outdoor 100m Champion (10.00 sec) – 4.27 in the 40.
That is scary fast...
…I’m sure glad this isn’t a track race!
Washington Husky Football-Undefeated 1991 National Champions 12-0!
Classic Fan ... dawgfan22
I see you’re one of the more mature, wittier UW fans. I’m sure you do your fanbase proud with your awesome contributions. Thanks for your politeness and class.
by Bayou Bengal on Sep 1, 2009 11:54 AM PDT up reply actions
Dawgfan22
Come on, a little harsh on the response, don’t you think? Dawgfan22 is well liked around here, and does bring good stuff to the table. He’s got a point, speed without the ability to hold on to the ball, is just a faster way to get a fumble.
Thanks for the info, good stuff, speedy QB’s can be quite dangerous, they really keep the defense honest and take away the ability of the defense to pin their ears back and pressure the QB. I’ll be curious to here an “outsiders” view of our team after the game is over, I don’t expect a win, but I bet you’ll be surprise with an “0-12” team. Then again, I can’t wait to get MY opinion of our team once the game is over, finally we can stop talking about the potential of the new coaching staff and actually start talking about the performance of the staff.
"Bow Down to Washington"
"Kick the tires and light the fires!"
Lear pilot...
Up to this point, everything is concept and theory. Our offense has been trying things out against each other. Having it work in live action is what matters. I’m not sure how things will unfold on Saturday, but I will tell you that LSU is not the same from 2008 (just as UW). We have most of the same talent with a #1 recruiting class to add to the depth, but these guys are angry and frustrated because of what unfolded last year. Just as I’m sure your players are. Anyone comparing 2008 LSU and 2008 UW is clearly not a football fan, but an onlooker. The 2009 versions of these teams will play with more passion and attitude with new coaches helping to “guide the ship”.
I’d be more than happy to provide impartial feedback about UW’s team, as an outsider, following the game.
Make no mistake by thinking that LSU is arriving to play an 0-12 team. They have been prepped for an 0 – 0 team with a huge chip on its shoulder that would love to make a statement to national pundits and conference foes at LSU’s expense.
It’s going to be an interesting balancing act for the Dawg D. From a pure talent standpoint, they probably fall a little short of LSU. I would guess that in general, Nick Holt will want his defense playing very aggressive, but they’ll also have to play with a lot of discipline, especially given misdirection types of formations like the Wildcat.
That’s going to be interesting to watch – can this Dawg defense play aggressively but also disciplined (i.e. playing their assignments and trusting their teammates and the scheme), and will it be enough to keep LSU from scoring a ton of points?
One thing that would help a lot is if Ta’amu has improved is strength and technique. He’s certainly got the size at 6’3", 348 lbs to be a guy that can clog the middle and occupy multiple blockers. If he can hold his ground and draw multiple blockers, it will allow Elisara to be more effective in penetrating into the backfield and opening up room for the LB’s to shoot gaps.
I can’t count the number of times in the last several years the Huskies D has sent blitzes after opposing offenses only to see everyone blocked and the QB complete a big pass, or the RB adjust his path and find open daylight.
The Huskies are going to need to be able to get effective upfield pressure to succeed, as I don’t have a lot of confidence in our pass coverage.
Totally agree about the Husky blitzes.
Terrible execution.
It’s easy for an offense to pick up a blitz when the defense gives away who is blitzing and from where 10 seconds before the snap. How about a little creativity in disguising some things?
Aggressive, attacking defenses are more about creating confusion than they are about bringing the house on every play.
I would
A package with one of the LB’s or even a nickle type package with Batts shooting a gap and flying to the ball could combat that. It seems like we need some of our faster (and better tackling) defenders on the field for this game to combat LSU’s athletes. But as stated below, our D line MUST get penetration and create gaps to hassle the backfield.
I’m not comepletely sold on our D line to do that. I would love to see Ta’amu and Elisara have breakout games but I just have an uneasy feeling. I am confident however that Holt will call a game to suit this defense and get the most out of it.
by B Money on Sep 1, 2009 1:39 PM PDT via mobile up reply actions
Shepard
Shepard is a guy to keep an eye on from what we have read. One thing for sure is you guys have a lot of tools to use.
by John Berkowitz on Sep 1, 2009 3:31 PM PDT up reply actions
A thought on LSU..
I’ve heard a few times recently (especially on Softy’s show) that LSU fans are pretty upset about their 8-5 season last year. Around here we would consider that an average or good year (if you don’t then your standards are pretty dang high). So I decided to look at their schedule from last year and honestly the Huskies could have won 4 games last year with that schedule. Their non-conference opponents were Appalachian State, Tulane, Troy, and North Texas and their conference wins were Auburn (5-7), Mississippi State (4-8), and South Carolina (7-6). If you throw out the joke of a non-conf you’re looking at a 4-5 season. The win over Georgia Tech in their bowl game was quite impressive but aside from that I see a team that was mediocre at best last season and had 4 free wins.
With that being said, I think when we face LSU it will be on par with facing California or Oregon State. That is to say, I think the game is very winnable but definitely an uphill battle. I’m sure LSU has improved in many areas over the off season but the Tigers should be coming in expecting a tough game as opposed to a blowout. Traveling across the country and playing in the rain in an opposing team’s stadium with a quarterback making his 3rd(?) career start is historically not a very good recipe for success.
This is our house
Remeber the song that went:
“i’m only happy when it rains.
I ‘m only happy when it’s complicated.”
Ear flaps down required. Lots of tequila.
Cal or OSU?
Talent wise I think the tigers are better than OSU and Cal. How you play as a team of course is always the deciding factor. The thing is don’t kid yourself…LSU has a lot of talent and depth.
by John Berkowitz on Sep 1, 2009 3:33 PM PDT up reply actions
I agree they have superior talent but I don’t see them being as strong as Oklahoma or USC were last year. When I say as difficult as Cal and OSU I mean how hard they are for us to play against and I see them as teams we would beat maybe 1 out of 7 times right now. The real question is how much have they improved from last year and how much have we? I think they’re around a 10-3 team and we will be about 4-8. So again I expect a tough game that we could win but probably will not. Just as it should be when we face the upper tier Pac-10 teams.
A Reply ...
You’re right. LSU sucks. They look for cupcake OOC games. You guys would have gone right through the rest of our schedule, too (@ Florida, UGA, Ole Miss, Ark, @ Aub, @ S.Car, etc.). I think that UW could win the SEC with an undefeated record – last year and this year. Honestly. We apologize for waisting your time this Saturday. Please forgive us. LSU should be in FCS instead of FBS.
I’m glad that you think that our talent level is on par with Cal and OSU. I guess they have a roster with players wearing BCSNC rings as well. Their recruiting classes are on par with LSU’s as well. I’m not sure why folks even have us ranked in a pre-season poll. We’re the same exact squad with the same exact coaches from last year. Just like UW. We shouldn’t even play the game. We’re extremely overrated. Trust me. Lol.
Also, your stadium is louder than Bama’s, Tenn’s, Florida’s, Auburn’s, South Carolina’s, etc. LSU’s last game was in the Ga. Dome – 2 miles from GaTech’s campus. It was a home game for #14 ranked GT that ended 38-3 because Miles didn’t want to run up the score – (35 – 3 at halftime). Oh, that was a true freshman QB making his 2nd career start.
UW is a much scarier place to play than the conference stadiums we face every year. With your rabid fans and all. SEC games are just tea parties played in botanical gardens with 25k – 40k more fans than your stadium holds. That’s “Every” Saturday. Not just home openers because fans are excited about a new coaching staff and a new era.
Oh yeah – it rains in the south so I don’t think our players will go into shock. We’re familiar with precipitation, hurricanes, tornadoes, etc. Light rains are welcomed to those that are accustomed to evacuating a few times each year due to severe weather developments coming ashore from the Gulf. But whatever gets your hype and optimistic! Cheers.
Jeebus, a little sensitive aren’t you?
It’s a fact that LSU played some weak OOC teams last year. I’m not going to pretend to know what difficulties LSU has in scheduling opponents, what level of opponents the program has attempted to play and what teams may have backed out of commitments to play LSU. But you guys did play:
Appalachian State (FCS, i.e. Division 1-AA)
North Texas (a 1-11 team from the Sun Belt)
Tulane (a 2-10 team from Conference USA)
Troy (an 8-5 team from the Sun Belt)
Of those team, only Troy was anything more than pathetic. The UW last year would’ve beat at least 3 of them, if not all 4.
As for the comparison to Oregon State or Cal, I would tend to agree that the talent level of LSU is higher than both schools (particularly OSU, less so for Cal), but in terms of actual on-field production, I’m not sure how you can assume that LSU is better than Cal unless you base everything off of recruiting rankings (and even then, the gap between LSU and Cal isn’t that large). And Oregon State has proven over the last several years that they play a lot better than their recruiting rankings would suggest.
Sorry you feel so offended by the comparison and so sensitive to anyone suggesting LSU is anything other than world-beaters, but out here in Pac-10 country we don’t drink the Kool-Aid that says the SEC is vastly superior to everyone else.
Not at all...
Just having fun with a post. see “lol”. Just going along with the theme, here. Sensitive would be to think that my post is such and not catch the sarcasm. Hence, your response.
If you throw a rock into a pack of dogs, the one that “barks” is the one that got hit. Are you ok? :-)
Seriously, you can track my posts on here and see that I respect your program and fanbase. I won’t attempt to nitpick a schedule from 2008 of UW games that I never watched to make me feel better about my chances on Saturday.
As our staff has been doing with the team, I’ll see you guys as if you won the title last year. When the last second ticks off the clock, that’s when we’ll determine the level of competition we faced. It’s a huge mistake to underestimate your opponent. Especially, when you use some data/stats from a year ago.
No, I caught your sarcasm all right. Your sarcasm was evidence you felt the post you were responding to was ridiculous and without merit, and suggests that you are sensitive to any slights to your favorite program. And I pointed out why that original post had merit and didn’t warrant such a sarcastic reply.
Seems the real barking here is coming from you if anyone dares to suggest LSU isn’t something other than awesome.
I do appreciate that LSU is willing to travel across the country to play in a Pac-10 stadium. There hasn’t been nearly enough of that from your conference brethren, and as pointed out earlier, this is the first time an SEC team has played in Husky Stadium since Alabama did so in 1978. When the Huskies return to their winning tradition, it’ll be interesting to see when the next SEC team is willing to pay a visit.
really?
Thanks for diagnosing me and letting me know what I meant.
Slight LSU’s program? Who cares? We still have to play the game on Saturday. Your respect for our program doesn’t mean a hill of beans. We’ve been winning for a while without UW’s affirmation. I think we’ll continue to do so.
How often does Pac10 teams travel to the south? Play that questions both ways.
LSU has played Ariz. and Arizona St. in 2003 and 2005 without return trips to Baton Rouge. We’re not crying though. We went. We played. We won. End of story. That’s football. Not a bunch of ticky tack whining.
Oregon State came to LSU in 2004
Jamarcus’s first game. He came off the bench to relieve Marcus Randall. We won in overtime, only because Oregon State’s freshman kicker Alex Serna (who would later go on to win the Groza award) got the worst case of the yips I’ve ever seen and missed 2 extra points and a 25 yard field goal.
I vividly remember watching that game from the student section. I assume you were still in middle school at the time. And, of course, Arizona DID come to Baton Rouge in a return trip, in which the Tigers won somewhat more handily.
Also of note was Southern Cal’s recent visit to Arkansas, where they pasted the hogs like 66-3 in a game that was nowhere near as close as the score indicates. Stanford went to TCU in ‘08. And Cal went to Maryland last year, although whether that’s the “south” is open for interpretation.
by 4.0 Point Stance on Sep 1, 2009 5:32 PM PDT up reply actions
It takes a real man
To come to the blog of an 0-12 team and trash our opinions and our entire conference.
It is fact that you play a cupcake OOC schedule. It’s also a fact that the SEC is the toughest conf. this year. But you seem to think you could march right through the likes of Oregon,Or St., Cal and USC.
UW will give you a game, even though we’re outmatched.
Hopefully you are coming to the game. You’ll see why we “only” have 72,000 peole show for our games. Most noteably, pro sports and lots of things to do. Not all schools have the privilage of one attraction covering 10,000 sq. miles.
P.S. If I recall, both Cal and OSU finished with a better record than you while playing a tougher OOC schedule. So yes, I think their talent is on par with yours (they also return their successful coaching staffs).
by B Money on Sep 1, 2009 4:44 PM PDT via mobile up reply actions
no need to stick your chest out ... (it's a joke)
You guys get fired up the closer we get to gameday. Lol.
I don’t think that you’re overmatched. We’re just like OSU and Cal as you said.
Stop playing yourselves down as an 0-12 team. That was 2008. This is 2009.
Never denied playing an OOC sponsored by Krispy Kreme. Our ticket holders were very upset about paying all that money to see weak opponents. Sometimes scheduling can be tough when you’re a strong team trying to get opponents to travel to your house to play you.
The 2010 OOC has UNC, West Virginia, Tulane, and Southern Miss. Many of our fans are excited about that.
See UW vs. Nebraska 1992
Every fan can talk about how “loud” their stadium is, and 99% of it is BS. Boise State thinks they have a louder stadium than us, with only HALF of the fans that fill Husky Stadium.
I’m sure it’s extremely difficult for an SEC fan to think that a Pac10 stadium could actually be loud. But Seattle fans are known for making noise, check out Qwest Field, known across the NFL for stadium noise. Husky Stadium has been well known as one of the loudest stadiums in college football, forgive us for slacking off last year, it’s pretty tough to be loud for 0-12.
I like facts, I like proof, I like stuff that can be measured.1992 Husky stadium – 138 decibels. Got any numbers on your stadium, or any other SEC stadiums??
"Bow Down to Washington"
"Kick the tires and light the fires!"
ah ha ...
What’s with the inferiority complex? I never said that Pac10 stadiums cant be loud. I just made a post because for some reason, it appears that some think that LSU’s players have never played in bad weather nor loud stadiums. Most stadiums in the SEC seat 80k – 100k fans.
I’m just wondering why would it be so difficult for our players to play in UW all of a sudden.
As for decibels, see LSU vs Auburn in 1988 (measured as an earthquake). We know noise, guys.
You talk such a tough game
Yep, you are right, it’s easy to play in 80-100K seat stadiums, not tough at all!
Ya, you guys are use to play in tough stadiums, is that fair to say? Yes? Ok, it’s still a TOUGH stadium. Just because a team is use to it, doesn’t mean the stadium is now quiet! Loud is tough, whether you are use to it or not.
I’ve heard all about the “earthquake”, but that can’t be measured against decibels, it’s comparing apples to oranges. I need to know how loud, in decibels, SEC stadiums can be. Until we have something equal to compare, it’s all speculation.
"Bow Down to Washington"
"Kick the tires and light the fires!"
Wow...
And you say I talk tough? You guys are internet gangstas if I’ve ever come across any.
I’m trying to be a good guest in your house and contribute what I can about my team being that I know more about them than you, but all I’m getting is static and allegations that I’m the bad guy.
LSU and UW are not rivals. I keep stating that. My goodness.
I post a comment as a response to something one of you guys post. Then, I’m being cocky and demeaning.
You don’t see anywhere in my posts where I’ve said that the game or the stadium would be easy to play in, yet thats what you want me to say so that you can get agitated. I just said that LSU’s players play in hostile environments all the time so why would UW be any different? I never said that it would be easy. Just not unusual.
I gotta tell ya...
…I was at that 92 Nebraska game and it was unreal! Husky Stadium has the roof tops that the other stadiums don’t. It funnels the noise down onto the field, think of the horns that the cheerleaders use to amplify noise. I know it’s hard for you to believe coming from down south but Husky Stadium CAN be LOUD! The last few years though under TWillingham the noise level has dropped but it’s coming back under Sark! We ARE excited for Husky Football’s future!
GO DAWGS!!
Washington Husky Football-Undefeated 1991 National Champions 12-0!
Yes I specifically put the words “LSU sucks” in my post just for you to read. I’m not sure why you feel so insulted about my post but the point was that if Washington played the OOC schedule that you had last year they would have won 4 games. The point in my post was that you were about a .500 team last season and unless you made drastic improvement you should be a fringe top 15 or so team this year (that is what Cal and OSU have been). Your three in conference victories were against .500 or worse teams and I noted that your bowl game victory was impressive.
I’m big on statistics and historical trends because they are far more accurate ways to predict results than whims and guesses. Historically, new/fairly new quarterbacks do not do well in road games at hostile stadiums. I don’t care if you’ve played in the rain before or if Washington has, playing in the rain makes it harder on a quarterback and the LSU quarterback just happened to be the topic of that sentence. I won’t argue with you that SEC stadiums are very difficult to play in, they do have higher seating capacities and many of them are louder. However, Husky Stadium is one of the toughest places to play in when it is loud and there is quite a bit of excitement up here for this game. Also, how many of those tough SEC stadiums did your quarterback play in last year?
Thanks for YOUR politeness and class. If you’re coming to the game I hope you have a great time and, win or lose, walk away with a little more respect for Washington football and the opinions of its fans than you seem to be coming in here with.
Washington win four games in 2008?
I don’t think so with locker out and Tyrone in command even with LSU’s OOC schedule.
Keep in mind that the SEC schedule is a gauntlet.
by John Berkowitz on Sep 1, 2009 9:39 PM PDT up reply actions
John, as bad as team morale was last year under Ty and even with Jake out, there’s no way that team loses to Appalachian State, North Texas and Tulane. Not as sure about Troy.
Very tough to say with Ty
Michigan lost to A-State the previous year.
by John Berkowitz on Sep 2, 2009 5:58 AM PDT up reply actions
Wazzu was worse than any of those teams
And you somehow managed to lose to them
by 4.0 Point Stance on Sep 2, 2009 9:21 AM PDT up reply actions
Ditto Bayou Bengal...but
I had to laugh when people on the board compared LSU to Oregon State and Cal. However you should never take anything personal on an opposing board the week before a game. Both sides need to keep in mind that the game is played on the field not in the blog or the stands.
LSU has similar talent and depth to USC.
As for Husky Stadium…I think my Bayou friends are in for a surprise. It can be one of the noisiest places to play in the country and you will figure that out quickly at kickoff. The guys on this board aren’t exagerating.
by John Berkowitz on Sep 1, 2009 9:37 PM PDT up reply actions
LSU may have similar depth and talent with USC, but the fact remains they went 3-5 in conference last year and 4-5 overall against BCS competition. While I will grant you that the SEC was probably the top conference last year, I don’t think they were head and shoulders above the Pac-10, and I don’t think it’s so far-fetched to compare them to Cal and Oregon State, or at least Oregon State of the last couple of years (maybe not this year though).
I will grant you that it was probably just an off-year, similar to how Cal fell apart a couple of years ago to 7-6.
Similar depth and talent
Depth and talent are only part of the equation or Paul Hackett would still be coaching at USC.
by John Berkowitz on Sep 2, 2009 5:59 AM PDT up reply actions
Yep. I’m trying not to sound like I’m picking on Les Miles – he had 3 great years following Saban before last year’s disappointment, and the man can clearly recruit. This will be an interesting year for him – win 11+ and last year is just considered a blip and Miles is considered among the top coaches in the country; have another disappointing year (8 or less wins) and he’ll start facing a lot of heat, a la Frank Solich at Nebraska.
Wildcat skeptic
I’ve still never really seen this work as a “wrinkle”. The pro teams that try to run it look ridiculous most of the time. Like any offense, you have to practice it all the time to make it work half the time. Too many different schemes results in doing nothing well (exhibit A: Lappano’s spread/whatever combo platter of the last few years).
The greatest value something like the wildcat brings to an offense is simply to make defenses waste time practicing for it, but I truly doubt that coaches on either side are putting a lot of stock into the wildcat formation.
Lighten Up ...
I really don’t care what you think about LSU as much as you care what others think about UW or the Pac 10.
LSU has a very bright future. It would be silly to really get caught up in what some of you think.
What’s ironic is how many say SEC fans are arrogant. Then I read your posts and you do no different. But when you don’t look in the mirror, you wouldn’t notice what others notice about you.
Keep it classy and stop worrying about someone being sensitive. It makes you look sensitive.
Lets play ball on Saturday and meet back here on Sunday!
I really don’t care what you think about LSU as much as you care what others think about UW or the Pac 10.
Uh huh. That’s why you posted a long, sarcastic response to someone pointing out how LSU played a cupcake non-conference schedule last year and was below .500 in conference, and pointing out how that isn’t much different from a performance standpoint than what Cal and Oregon State did last year – all facts.
Dude, you clearly are unable to see how you come across to others.
you are hilarious...
It was having fun, big kirk.
Is that allowed on the internet?
If you want me to be upset, I’ll be upset. Ok. There! You happy!
Lol. Just messing with you, guy.
I don’t care if you’re upset or not, nor am I. I just find it amusing how much of a disconnect there is between how you perceive your posts and how everyone else does.
But out of curiosity, how exactly were we supposed to be taking your sarcastic reply to JoeinFW’s post? I can tell you that it comes across as very defensive.
And it’s funny how it’s not just UW fans reading your posts that way, but an LSU fan as well.
Not going to go back through Joe’s post.
If you read my post, again, you might find if humorous.
I keep telling you that I’m just trying to visit with you guys because I don’t know much about your 2009 team and thought it would be cool to hang out with the opponents and share info about my team.
For some reason, a few are insisting that I’m trying to incite some sort of controversy, but are not providing evidence.
If you take offense to a post because you refuse to accept my explanation of it, that’s not my fault, Kirk. Some people just want a reason to hold a grudge. I liked the northwest before this game and will do so after this game. Why let some typing on a blog taint my view of an entire community of people that I’ve never met before? That’s just immature and silly.
It’s just a game. I’m taking more heat than I’m dishing. It doesn’t bother me because this is entertainment/recreation. I don’t know you guys and you don’t know me so why get all tense?
I don’t think you’re trying to incite some controversy – I simply pointed out that your sarcastic reply to JoeinFW came across as very defensive. That everyone else has read your posts here similarly suggests to me that the communication problem here isn’t on our end…
I’m not taking offense to your posts – I just find them amusingly devoid of perspective, i.e. you have little clue of how you are coming across to others.
AND YOU ALL THOUGHT CRAZI WAS THE BAD GUY?
For Pete’s sake, give it up fellas. LSU deserves the respect that comes with winning. I respect the hell out of the LSU program. I’m not a big fan of Les Miles (the mad hatter), he won that last national championship with Sabans recruits and from my angle it appears as if the LSU mystique is slowly sinking. To a point that all it would take is for an upstart Miami or Florida State to rob the state of Louisiana of the in-state recruits LSU preys upon. Now this is merely speculation so don’t read too much into anything.
LSU, USC, and Florida have been the kings of college football. Sure the SEC plays a week OCC schedule and every rivaling conference should call them on it. It’s down right laughable. But the fact still remains- LSU is at the top of their game. To think we can actually pull off an upset that will have our grandkids talking about it for generations to come is delusional at best. Like I said earlier, it is going to take everything we’ve got to stay with the bayou tigers. No not win, but to just stay with them. Do I expect to win? Answer: Yes If you don’t expect to win you’ll never win, but I have to say that beating LSU would be a generational-sized upset even after coming off an 8-5 record.
Bet you, Bayou Bengal, that you wished we were still discussing the word “abuse” right about now- right? We can play this song and dance all we want fellas, yet Washington fans are going to be loyal to the Dawgs and LSU fans are going to be loyal to the Bayou Tigers. Nothing wrong with that, no need to get testy. It is what it is. See you on Saturday! WOOF!!!
All I saw was purple
Way to give the Huskies a positive impression of LSU fans
or not.
In any event, LSU ran the wildcat about three times last year, and I don’t think they ever made it back to the line of scrimmage. On the list of things the Huskies have to worry about from the Tigers, the “Wildcat” should rank about #50.
For what it’s worth, I am an LSU grad in exile in PAC 10 country, so I’m uniquely qualified to talk about both teams. It’s damning with faint praise to say that UW in 2008 was the most talented 0-12 team I’ve ever seen, but there you have it. So why weren’t they 3-8 or 4-7, which is what the talent level would seem to dictate. You know better than I; they flat out quit halfway through the year. I’m assuming Sarkasian has managed to light a bit of a fire up there, but I still have little doubt that the talent differential between UW and LSU is significant.
by 4.0 Point Stance on Sep 1, 2009 5:25 PM PDT reply actions
they flat out quit halfway through the year
Bingo.
I’m assuming Sarkasian has managed to light a bit of a fire up there, but I still have little doubt that the talent differential between UW and LSU is significant.
Agreed. I don’t think anyone here is pretending that the UW’s talent level stacks up with LSU, and certainly not with the same quality of depth. For the UW to win, a lot of things will have to go right. But it’s certainly not out of the question – we’ve all seen upsets happen every week in college football.
no problem...
I’m really a bad person that has been attacking you guys on your own website.
Thanks for giving me a great impression of the UW fans as well.
The only thing is that I won’t label an entire community of people because of a couple of knuckleheads.
Read my posts and the those that I responded to, sir. Thanks.
I already did
Someone suggested, “sir,” that although LSU is clearly a better team it is within the realm of possibility that, if it rains, and the crowd is hostile, Jefferson might have a bad game and the Huskies have some nonzero chance of pulling off an upset. To which you flew off the handle with a variety of non sequiturs, ad hominems, and other Latin phrases that basically screamed out “I’m a tool.”
And, while we’re on the subject of reading comprehension, please notice that I’m an LSU fan as well. So I’m familiar with the bizarre sense of inadequacy that many Tiger fans have that leads them to fly off the handle and get all butthurt when anyone, anywhere, dares to suggest that – just maybe – LSU * might * not be the single greatest football team in the history of mankind.
by 4.0 Point Stance on Sep 1, 2009 5:36 PM PDT up reply actions
I have no idea who you’re a fan of. Just because you post something on here doesn’t make it fact.
Who is flying off the handle, sir? Go back through your tone and language, please.
(notice I didn’t quote, sir. that’s because I’m not trying to mock you.)
This is cool, though. I haven’t been addressed by UW fans before. It’s all good, though. Have your way. Lol.
Come on guys..
…you can’t read “inflection”. Why don’t we all just relax and take 5.
Washington Husky Football-Undefeated 1991 National Champions 12-0!
Ah, this is nothing.
You should checkout the Tiger Rant (tigerdroppings.com) and see some of the threads that your fans have started.
It would be embarrassing for some of you, but many are just excited that the season is just about here and we get to start making up for down seasons in 2008.
I say save your passion for those Pac10 games and beat the Trojans. You can warm-up with me, though. Kinda like a pre-season/training camp for your fans. Lol.
Dang what happened guys?!...
…did I miss something or what? What happened to let’s have fun and be loud in support of our teams? I have to tell you that we have a few in our own conference who are the worst fans I’ve ever seen. Somehow I don’t think LSU is going to go that route, although EVERY school has it’s jackasses.
Washington Husky Football-Undefeated 1991 National Champions 12-0!
I can assure you that LSU fans will be like nothing you've ever seen or imagined
And I mean that in both the best way possible and the worst way possible. It’s simply staggering to me how … nonchalantly … people treat football on the West Coast. No one will ever accuse any LSU fan of being nonchalant.
by 4.0 Point Stance on Sep 1, 2009 5:43 PM PDT up reply actions
Husky Fans...
…are passionate too but you’re right I’ve never been around LSU fans.
Washington Husky Football-Undefeated 1991 National Champions 12-0!
It’s going to be fun.
The south will be a bit more intense.
You don’t want to meet Bama fans. Trust me.
I don't?...
…that’s where I was born.
Washington Husky Football-Undefeated 1991 National Champions 12-0!
Yep, we done nevr seen real football fans before, we just ignant country fok out her in da wild wild west!
We don’t even know what electricity is yet!!! I forgot that LSU fans are the ONLY REAL fans in college football. Stop being a bonified homer, and understand that there are crazy, rabid, fanatic, loud, obscene, and diehard fans through out the USA, not just in Baton Rouge.
"Legends are made on the shores of Lake Washington"
"BOW DOWN TO WASHINGTON"
If you’ve been around that fanbase, then you’ll know how passionate they are about football. No other sport in that state matters.
Paul “Bear” Bryant is still alive to some. (joke).
Concerns?
Do you guys have any concerns about your football team? Weaknesses? I won’t email the Husky coaching staff, I promise! (secretly crosses fingers behind his back…)
Washington Husky Football-Undefeated 1991 National Champions 12-0!
Hmmmm ...
I can’t really say “concerns”, dawgman.
What I’d say is “question marks”.
1) Our QB is very talented, but needs more live game experience.
2) Our Center position has been a tight battle since the spring.
3) Our D-Line has 4 new starters with only 1 being an All-SEC DE. Most of the decade, we’ve been about 8 -10 deep on D-Line rotation with highly rated recruits. So this is not a concern. We generally just reload. We’ll need them to gel within the first 3 or 4 games though because we can go into conference unsettled.
4) We have new kicker and punter.
WOW!
We’ve got some similar concerns. I guess we may not be as different as we might think.
Washington Husky Football-Undefeated 1991 National Champions 12-0!
That thing that makes us comfortable is the fact that we have depth.
Both of our OT’s are All-SEC caliber players. Ciron Black is projected as a high-1st rounder and Barksdale (a Jr.) can possibly enter the draft as a 1st or 2nd rounder as well. Recruiting has been the key.
I would only be concerned about QB if Jefferson go hurt.
D-Line will be a project, but we have some very talented guys that have been waiting for their shot so I wouldn’t take them lightly. They have started at programs with less depth.
Our Oline...
is one of ours, the good news is half of it is pretty experienced. Our depth is really not what we want it to be.
Washington Husky Football-Undefeated 1991 National Champions 12-0!
O-Line and D-Line ...
We’re two-deep on both. Miles is a former O-Lineman and has an eye for line talent. He’s not the sharpest crayon in the box on gameday, but he can recruit and manage his staff.
We have a couple of schools with O-Line depth issues in the conference which is a no-no. Tennessee being the main one and Kiffin has placed a large target on his team and every weakness.
FWIW, many feel that you guys got the better USC Assistant in Coach Sark.
Remember this...
Win or lose we booze! ;O)
Washington Husky Football-Undefeated 1991 National Champions 12-0!
I know many LSU fans that will drink to that! Lol.
For the most part, our fans are really nice people. Customary to Louisiana culture.
Our younger, undergrad, fanbase might be the ones that get bit rowdy and unsportsmanlike. A trend I’ve seen across the nation with the younger fanbases.
Yeah I've seen that too...
…I’m getting older and I just don’t want anyone to get hurt. It’s a shame to see that happen with the few that get out of control.
Washington Husky Football-Undefeated 1991 National Champions 12-0!
I’m <40, but I feel older because I’ve traveled and seen so much as a military veteran.
For some reason, our young people confuse passion with going overboard.
To act idiotic doesn’t make a you a better fan. It does the opposite and exposes you as an “attention whore”. While you should want people to watch and cheer your team/players, you are a distraction and have their attention on you. Thus, causing them to miss what’s happening in the game.
Appreciate your service...
…my father was career US Army. He fought in WW2 and retired a Colonel.
Washington Husky Football-Undefeated 1991 National Champions 12-0!
Thanks ...
A small sacrifice to pay for the opportunity to live freely…
…and enjoy fans of the opponent over the internet. Lol.
Many are at war, right now, while we’re jaw-jacking in the comforts of our homes over a game.
Glad for 2009 @ Washington
…because to make this road trip in 2012 would make for a much tougher game. Not that this one won’t be tough, but in a few more years, not many teams will want to schedule you guys if Sark and his staff is all that many are projecting them to be.
Glad we get this out of the way, now. Lol. Then, let you guys make the trek down to Baton Rouge in a few years.
That will be a very good game. Should surely have some bowl and ranking impact.
Are we coming down there?
I’m going to have to try and make that trip. Is it safe for opposing fans? I went to Miami in 94 and I think we were lucky to get out of there in one piece.
Washington Husky Football-Undefeated 1991 National Champions 12-0!
Yes...
You’ll be fine.
Be prepared to gain weight.
Our fans love to tailgate. Especially with out-of-town guests. Lol.
Even, fans of conference foes enjoy the tailgate experience on the bayou.
They’ll be extra nice to you being that you are not a rival.
OK I feel better about making...
…the trip. I told myself awhile back that I won’t risk life and limb for a frikken football game! Especially with some of these nut case youngsters out there!
Washington Husky Football-Undefeated 1991 National Champions 12-0!
You too...
…be safe and we’ll just have some good ole American Football come Saturday. Good Luck!
Washington Husky Football-Undefeated 1991 National Champions 12-0!
Lol.
We have them, dawgman, but not life-threatening.
Not to scare you, but there was a homicide in Alabama over an argument following the LSU – Bama game last year. Not sure how or why it happened because the game was in Baton Rouge.
This is in Alabama: http://blog.al.com/live/2008/11/football_dispute_leaves_2_dead.html
Read the article...
…and gee what a surprise, I was right, it was fueled by alcohol!
Washington Husky Football-Undefeated 1991 National Champions 12-0!
Unreal...
…that is nuts! But one thing I’ve learned if you combine that heated passion with alcohol it’s a recipe for disaster.
Washington Husky Football-Undefeated 1991 National Champions 12-0!
Your wish is my command Jonno
by the way…thanks for all the good commentary from you and the other LSU fans!
by John Berkowitz on Sep 2, 2009 8:36 AM PDT up reply actions
Hey guys. LSU fan/alum here
This was written by Purple Reign from And the Valley Shook recently:
Yes, LSU went 8-5 last year. But four of those losses were to teams that finished the year ranked in the top 14 (Florida – 1; Alabama – 6; Georgia – 13; Ole Miss – 14). No, I still don’t know how the Arkansas game happened. I’m looking for rationalization, I’ve just been unable to find it.
Notice that four of out five losses were to very good teams. We had one loss to Arkansas that was a legit upset. We demolished Georgia Tech in the Peach Bowl. Despite the rumblings that 8-5 was a disastrous season for us, I merely found it a bit of a letdown, especially since we were still euphoric from the 2009 MNC. Naturally I’m expecting better things this year.
BTW: we absolutely DO play cupcake OOC schedules. There’s no defending it, so I won’t try to here. Games against the likes of UL-Monroe and Western KY are glorified practices. However, Tulane is a long time rival — we DO get a pass on that one.
How I see UW: I think of you guys as a sleeping giant. I know you have a good qb, and likely a very good coach. I am not taking this game lightly. I expect we will win, but also think you guys might make it closer than many LSU fans would like. College football is crazy though, and the first game of the season, new (probably very good) coach, new expectations, road game… I’m not taking anything for granted.
Good luck to you guys this season (aside from the first game of course).
Gregatron is not responsible for any of the crap he just wrote.
St. Louis vegetarian blog
Good points Gregatron. I don’t think anyone is trying to imply that LSU wasn’t good last year, just that they weren’t top-5 like they usually are of late.
Probably a lot of the disconnect is the difference in perception between the SEC and P10 – the P10 doesn’t get as much respect, and thus outsiders find it absurd to compare LSU to Cal. I think that LSU is a stronger program than Cal, and more talented, but the gap isn’t very large. There’s a definitely talent gap between LSU and Oregon State, and LSU is a stronger program, but again, the gap isn’t as large as some from the SEC might assume.
I think it’ll take a whole lot of things to go right for the UW to win Saturday night, and it will take a few years of strong recruiting and changing of the culture by Sarkisian to get the UW up to a level where it can compete on more even ground with LSU. But I’m looking forward to the game and what should be epic tailgating beforehand – welcome to our LSU visitors, and I hope you enjoy the stay!
E.P.I.C. F.R.E.A.K.I.N.G. T.H.R.E.A.D !!!
Way to go Joe, Kirk, and Lear! Called him on on his passive/aggressiveness and took him out to the shed!
By the way, BB- whatcha got against Bama fans?
UW Dawg Pounders. . . . .WOOOOOOOOOOOOF!
"As for being a Raiders fan, I wouldn't wish that fucking shit on anybody." [the venerable OTS at Roll Bama Roll}
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