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ESPN: LSU's defense exposed in blowout loss
Posted 10-12-2008 at 03:59 AM by Solari
By ESPN.com's Chris Low
GAINESVILLE, Fla. -- In the bigger picture, all is not lost for LSU.
The defending national champion Tigers, spanked around pretty good Saturday night by Florida in a humbling 51-21 loss at the Swamp, still control their own destiny in the Western Division race.
That's the good news.
The bad news is that their defense isn't playing at a level right now that gives anybody reason to think that this team is going to be back in Atlanta this December.
Let's face it. As talented as LSU is on defense, the Tigers came into the Florida game very much untested. The two SEC offenses they had faced (Mississippi State and Auburn) were ranked 103rd and 104th respectively in the country entering the weekend.
What's more, the Tigers' defensive numbers were already hovering somewhere in the middle of the pack in the SEC.
On Saturday, they were exposed -- pure and simple -- and shredded to the tune of 475 yards by Florida's offense. And the most frustrating thing for LSU fans is that the talent on this defense is much better than the production has been for much of this season.
"We played a very talented team that executed extremely well," said Les Miles, who suffered his worst loss as LSU's head coach. "We spotted them 20 points in the first half and really never got out of that hole."
The bigger question: Can the Tigers climb out of this defensive hole. They don't have much time with a trip to improving South Carolina next Saturday and then Georgia coming to Baton Rouge on Oct. 25. And, of course, the Alabama game looms on Nov. 8 in Baton Rouge.
The Tigers were shorthanded with top defensive tackle Ricky Jean-Francois missing the game with a groin injury. Unfortunately for the Tigers, he was there in spirit, though. His comments earlier in the week about knocking Florida quarterback Tim Tebow out of the game only seemed to galvanize the Gators.
"Our team came out with a chip on our shoulder and played like we think we should play every week," Tebow said.
Now, it's on LSU's defense to find that same chip.
GAINESVILLE, Fla. -- In the bigger picture, all is not lost for LSU.
The defending national champion Tigers, spanked around pretty good Saturday night by Florida in a humbling 51-21 loss at the Swamp, still control their own destiny in the Western Division race.
That's the good news.
The bad news is that their defense isn't playing at a level right now that gives anybody reason to think that this team is going to be back in Atlanta this December.
Let's face it. As talented as LSU is on defense, the Tigers came into the Florida game very much untested. The two SEC offenses they had faced (Mississippi State and Auburn) were ranked 103rd and 104th respectively in the country entering the weekend.
What's more, the Tigers' defensive numbers were already hovering somewhere in the middle of the pack in the SEC.
On Saturday, they were exposed -- pure and simple -- and shredded to the tune of 475 yards by Florida's offense. And the most frustrating thing for LSU fans is that the talent on this defense is much better than the production has been for much of this season.
"We played a very talented team that executed extremely well," said Les Miles, who suffered his worst loss as LSU's head coach. "We spotted them 20 points in the first half and really never got out of that hole."
The bigger question: Can the Tigers climb out of this defensive hole. They don't have much time with a trip to improving South Carolina next Saturday and then Georgia coming to Baton Rouge on Oct. 25. And, of course, the Alabama game looms on Nov. 8 in Baton Rouge.
The Tigers were shorthanded with top defensive tackle Ricky Jean-Francois missing the game with a groin injury. Unfortunately for the Tigers, he was there in spirit, though. His comments earlier in the week about knocking Florida quarterback Tim Tebow out of the game only seemed to galvanize the Gators.
"Our team came out with a chip on our shoulder and played like we think we should play every week," Tebow said.
Now, it's on LSU's defense to find that same chip.
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