Tinker Town: "Improve ourselves and join Humanity, and help one another every which way we can. Watch out for your health, and education. Fill your life with the substance of the subjects we study about, that we hardly ever read about on TV. That help us to understand the true mystery of where we live. We should really stop wasting each other time, studying about war, crime, punishment. We know that sorry story all to well. Let's stick together and learn about making humanity a better place in the time we are living it. I am very tired of hearing about guns. aren't you?" http://www.youtube.com/watch?
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?
Geaux! Les Miles, and the LSU fighting tigers college football team!!!
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http://collegeallstargame.com/
Raycom College Football All-Star Game (LSU related)
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http://www.nola.com/lsu/index.
Greater New Orleans
LSU players leaving early is the business side of college football
By
Jim Kleinpeter, NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune
LSU welcomed six early enrollees from the 2013 recruiting
class Monday and two more were expected later in the week. That surely put a
smile on Coach Les Miles' face.On second thought, he may not smile until the midnight deadline passes Tuesday for college underclassmen to declare for the NFL draft.
LSU Tigers linebacker Kevin Minter (46) and safety Eric Reid (1) bring down Clemson Tigers wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins (6) during the Chick-fil-A Bowl. Both LSU players have declared for the 2013 NFL Draft. (Photo by Brett Duke, Nola.com | The Times-Picayune)
The most for LSU has been three each in 2003 (Matt Mauck, Michael Clayton and Marquise Hill) and 2011 (Michael Brockers, Morris Claiborne and Rueben Randle).
Only the number is shocking. Sometimes the planets align and allow a team to romp through a season with the right combination of talent, health, luck and good coaching. Other times the alignment unleashes a meteor shower of trouble.
What you are seeing is the intersection of the business side of college football with really good recruiting. As long as Coach Les Miles continues to bring in talent and develop it with his high-priced coaching staff, the revolving door will continue to spin in the "out" direction.
The rule of thumb is any projected first-round picks should go. But more and more juniors are jumping ship regardless of their draft potential to maximize their earning potential.
For a long time now, recruits view college as a stepping stone to the pros and the coaches use it as a recruiting tool to replenish. That's the silver lining for LSU in all of this. Recruits see LSU sending as many as 15 players, counting seniors, into the NFL. It's not just the openings in the lineup but the short path to their dream.
And why shouldn't they think that way?
Two years ago, LSU running back Stevan Ridley created a mild surprise among LSU observers with his decision to leave early, and now it's looking really smart. A third-round pick in the 2010 NFL Draft, he may get a Super Bowl ring in addition to becoming New England's top running back.
Ridley had one good college season as a junior and his reasoning was strong despite not being considered a high pick. Why risk injury at a position that has an average shelf life of four years at the next level? Why not get on the payroll now and maximize earnings? If he can stay healthy another couple of years he will be in line for the big contract all players want.
There's also a safety net for players who leave early. Like many schools, LSU has programs in place for those that leave early to come back and finish. Former LSU basketball player Stanley Roberts did it 22 years later.
LSU will survive but will have to look at 2013 as a rebuilding year, at least on defense. Six early entrants come off the 2012 defense, three from the offense and one special teams. Not one of the full-time starters from the 2011 defense that helped carry LSU to the BCS title game is still on the team.
Perhaps now fans who agonize over coaches who burn redshirts in an early-season game can understand the thought process. There's no telling how long they will have them, they've got to get the best players in the best positions to help the current team.
To me the biggest hits were linebacker Kevin Minter and left tackle Chris Faulk. Minter, like Ridley, blew up at the right time and will be sorely missed on a defense where he seemingly made every tackle.
Faulk, the team's best offensive lineman despite missing all but one game with an injury, plays the most important line position. He was a likely No. 1 pick had he played a full season and the injury looked like a way to keep him another year. Alas, that's not how this market works any more. Faulk won't be drafted as high because of the injury, but the size of the first paycheck isn't a consideration any more because of the NFL's changes to the rookie pay scale.
LSU coaches and fans knew the odds were against Barkevious Mingo, Sam Montgomery and Eric Reid coming back. Bennie Logan and Tharold Simon were iffy. That's one reason 15 incoming freshmen saw action. Usually the number is eight to 10.
Running backs Spencer Ware and Michael Ford had to consider the crowded LSU backfield as well as money. Ware's versatility will be missed but that also makes him desirable in pro football as a third-down back.
Brad Wing's decision could be questioned. NFL teams are careful about drafting punters and he will likely have to go the free agent route, but his potential will get him a chance.
Next year won't be as devastating, but the chance is real to lose guys like La'El Collins, Kenny Hilliard, Anthony Johnson and J.C. Copeland. Seems like they just got here, doesn't it?
Which LSU juniors made a good decision to go? All of them. If Sports Illustrated had called me in my junior year, I'd have hopped the next plane to New York City, and few can argue with that logic.
Playing college football has become more like a job than it was 20 to 30 years ago. It's a far more brutal and painful job than the average college student works and it doesn't always fit the price of a scholarship and the trimmings.
Fans should be grateful they got the efforts of those 11 Tigers for the time they did and look forward to the next batch. Read more...http://www.nola.com/
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http://www.sbnation.com/
Top 100 college football games of 2012 countdown: The Top 10
Mike Zarrilli
The rest of the Top 100 countdown: 100 through 71 | 70 through 41 | 40 through 11
Toughest games: Alabama (home), Ole Miss (away), LSU (away)
Verdict: Similar to Alabama, Texas A&M avoids the big boys in the East next season and doesn't face Florida, Georgia or South Carolina. There's also not a marquee nonconference game on the Aggies' schedule, and being able to play eight games at Kyle Field is always a nice perk. Back-to-back road dates at LSU and Missouri to end the regular season will be challenging, but the Sept. 14 home game with Alabama is the one everyone has circled and will go a long way toward shaping the SEC and national race.
South Carolina
Home games: 7
Non-league games: North Carolina (home), UCF (away), Coastal Carolina (home), Clemson (home)
SEC crossover games: Arkansas (away), Mississippi State (home)
SEC no plays: Alabama, Auburn, LSU, Ole Miss, Texas A&M
Toughest games: Georgia (away), Florida (home), Clemson (home)
Verdict: The Gamecocks get the favorable draw in the West in 2013. They don't have to play Alabama, LSU or Texas A&M. The Georgia game moves back to the second week of the season, and yes, we all know what the Head Ball Coach thinks about playing the Bulldogs early in the season. There aren't a lot of cupcakes on the Gamecocks' nonconference slate, and that trip to UCF to end the month of September has danger written all over it. All in all, it's a much more manageable schedule for South Carolina than this past season, but don't dismiss the difficulty of having to go on the road in the SEC for three straight weeks -- Arkansas on Oct. 12, Tennessee on Oct. 19 and Missouri on Oct. 26.
Georgia
Home games: 6
Non-league games: Clemson (away), North Texas (home), Appalachian State (home), Georgia Tech (away)
SEC crossover games: LSU (home), Auburn (away)
SEC no plays: Alabama, Arkansas, Mississippi State, Ole Miss, Texas A&M
Toughest games: Clemson (away), South Carolina (home), LSU (home), Florida (in Jacksonville)
Verdict: The "Palmetto State Invitational" to start the season will put Georgia's young defense to the test right away. Both Clemson and South Carolina will open the 2013 season ranked in the top 15. LSU also rotates onto the Bulldogs' schedule next season, but it helps that the game's at home. Four of Georgia's final six games will be played away from Sanford Stadium. But it's the first month of the season that will likely determine whether the Bulldogs will get back to the SEC championship game for a third straight year. In addition to the Clemson and South Carolina games the first two weeks, LSU comes to Sanford Stadium on Sept. 28.
Florida
Home games: 6
Non-league games: Toledo (home), Miami (away), Georgia Southern (home), Florida State (home)
SEC crossover games: Arkansas (home), LSU (away)
SEC no plays: Alabama, Auburn, Mississippi State, Ole Miss, Texas A&M
Toughest games: Miami (away), LSU (away), Georgia (in Jacksonville), South Carolina (away), Florida State (home)
Verdict: Right off the bat, the fact that four of the Gators' five toughest games are away from home jumps out at you. Obviously, one of those is the Georgia contest, which is played every year in Jacksonville. Still, it's an extremely challenging slate away from The Swamp, and the fact that Florida plays both Miami and Florida State next season is noteworthy. That five-game stretch from Oct. 12 through Nov. 16 will make or break Florida's season. Four of those games are away from home, and it starts with a trip to LSU and ends with a trip to South Carolina.
LSU
Home games: 7
Non-league games: TCU (in Arlington, Texas), UAB (home), Kent State (home), Furman (home)
SEC crossover games: Georgia (away), Florida (home)
SEC no plays: Kentucky, Missouri, South Carolina, Tennessee, Vanderbilt
Toughest games: TCU (in Arlington, Texas), Georgia (away), Florida (home), Alabama (away), Texas A&M (home)
Verdict: Not only did LSU lose a ton of talent with all those underclassmen declaring early for the NFL draft, but the Tigers will tackle what appears to be one of the toughest schedules in the country next season. According to colleague Mark Schlabach's way-too-early top 25 for 2013, LSU will face five of the top 14 teams in the country. LSU plays both Florida and Georgia in the East next season. A trip to Alabama on Nov. 9 is followed by a home date with Texas A&M two weeks later. The Tigers do have a bye between those two games. There are also trips to Mississippi State and Ole Miss in October. Throw in the opener against TCU, and there aren't many off weeks.
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10. Notre Dame 29, PIttsburgh 26 (3OT) (November 3).
No, a national title contender shouldn't have struggled this much with
Pittsburgh, even if the Panthers were much better in November than
September. Yes, Notre Dame suffered a bit of a hangover the week after
winning at Oklahoma. Yes, there was a little bit of luck involved along
the way. And yes, this game was incredible regardless.
9. MAC Championship: Northern Illinois 44, Kent State 37 (2OT) (November 30).
Toledo's win over Eastern Michigan was the most MACtion-worthy game of
the season. But with the unlikeliest of BCS bowl bids on the line, the
game between 11-1 Kent State and 11-1 Northern Illinois had the most
drama. Kent State raced to a 10-0 lead, but NIU went on a 27-3 run to
take complete control of the game. Having completely stalled out,
however, the KSU offense responded. Quarterback Spencer Keith found star
running back Dri Archer
for a 60-yard pass, and a five-yard Keith run completed a shocking,
96-yard touchdown drive to get the Golden Flashes to within seven
points...
...and 15 seconds later, the game was tied when Zack Hitchens took a fumble 22 yards for a score. But we were just getting started. NIU needed only 90 seconds to score and take a 34-27 lead, but Kent State responded again. Keith found Matthew Hurdle for 11 yards on third-and-10, Chris Humphrey for seven yards on third-and-3 and, with 44 seconds left, Tim Erjeavec for a 19-yard touchdown on third-and-7. In overtime, Kent State nearly lost a fumble on its opening possession following an ill-advised trick play from the NIU 7, both teams exchanged field goals, and the game finally ended when, down a touchdown, Keith threw an interception to Demetrius Stone on fourth-and-8 in the second OT. A day later, NIU found out it was going to the Orange Bowl.
8. Stanford 17, Oregon 14 (OT) (November 17). November likes to clean up messes. We entered the regular season's final month with four undefeated, name-brand teams fighting for two spots in the BCS title game. Alabama went down to Texas A&M (we'll get to that one), leaving just three undefeateds. And then November 17 happened. Not only did Kansas State get whipped by Baylor, but Oregon also fell. The Ducks came into their game versus Stanford averaging 563 yards and 55 points per game, but the Cardinal defense played its best game of the season, holding the Ducks to 14 points, limiting star back Kenjon Barner to 66 yards on 21 carries, and somehow overcoming a serious turnovers disadvantage to claim victory in Eugene.
Read more...http://www.sbnation.
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http://espn.go.com/blog/sec/
How big a role did schedules play this past season in the SEC championship race?
Judge for yourself. But the two teams making the SEC championship game -- Alabama and Georgia -- both avoided the toughest teams in the other division. Alabama didn’t play Florida, Georgia or South Carolina in the regular season, while Georgia didn’t have to face Alabama, LSU or Texas A&M.
No wonder South Carolina coach Steve Spurrier was advocating that only divisional games should count in a team’s conference record.
The 2013 season will feature a second straight year of “bridge” scheduling in the SEC to accommodate the addition of Missouri and Texas A&M. A long-term rotation won’t be in place until the 2014 season.
With that said, let’s take a closer look at the schedules for the top six teams in our early 2013 power rankings:
Alabama
Home games: 7
Toughest games: Virginia Tech (in Atlanta), Texas A&M (road), LSU (home)
Verdict: It looks like two of Alabama's toughest games will be their first two games of the season. That trip to College Station the third weekend (following a bye week) will be one of the most anticipated games of the entire season. Getting Kentucky and Tennessee in the East is a huge break for the Crimson Tide. The Wildcats and Vols combined for just one SEC win this past season, and that one win came when the Vols beat the Wildcats. Alabama also gets six of its next seven games at home after the Texas A&M trip. In other words, if the Tide can get out of College Station unscathed, they're as good a bet as any to win it all ... again.
Texas A&M
Home games: 8
Non-league games: Rice (home), Sam Houston State (home), SMU (home), UTEP (home)
SEC crossover games: Vanderbilt (home), Missouri (away)
SEC no plays: Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, South Carolina, Tennessee
...and 15 seconds later, the game was tied when Zack Hitchens took a fumble 22 yards for a score. But we were just getting started. NIU needed only 90 seconds to score and take a 34-27 lead, but Kent State responded again. Keith found Matthew Hurdle for 11 yards on third-and-10, Chris Humphrey for seven yards on third-and-3 and, with 44 seconds left, Tim Erjeavec for a 19-yard touchdown on third-and-7. In overtime, Kent State nearly lost a fumble on its opening possession following an ill-advised trick play from the NIU 7, both teams exchanged field goals, and the game finally ended when, down a touchdown, Keith threw an interception to Demetrius Stone on fourth-and-8 in the second OT. A day later, NIU found out it was going to the Orange Bowl.
8. Stanford 17, Oregon 14 (OT) (November 17). November likes to clean up messes. We entered the regular season's final month with four undefeated, name-brand teams fighting for two spots in the BCS title game. Alabama went down to Texas A&M (we'll get to that one), leaving just three undefeateds. And then November 17 happened. Not only did Kansas State get whipped by Baylor, but Oregon also fell. The Ducks came into their game versus Stanford averaging 563 yards and 55 points per game, but the Cardinal defense played its best game of the season, holding the Ducks to 14 points, limiting star back Kenjon Barner to 66 yards on 21 carries, and somehow overcoming a serious turnovers disadvantage to claim victory in Eugene.
Read more...http://www.sbnation.
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http://espn.go.com/blog/sec/
SEC Blog
Examining the SEC elite's 2013 schedules
January, 15, 2013
By
Chris Low | ESPN.co
How big a role did schedules play this past season in the SEC championship race?
Judge for yourself. But the two teams making the SEC championship game -- Alabama and Georgia -- both avoided the toughest teams in the other division. Alabama didn’t play Florida, Georgia or South Carolina in the regular season, while Georgia didn’t have to face Alabama, LSU or Texas A&M.
No wonder South Carolina coach Steve Spurrier was advocating that only divisional games should count in a team’s conference record.
The 2013 season will feature a second straight year of “bridge” scheduling in the SEC to accommodate the addition of Missouri and Texas A&M. A long-term rotation won’t be in place until the 2014 season.
With that said, let’s take a closer look at the schedules for the top six teams in our early 2013 power rankings:
Alabama
Home games: 7
Non-league games: Virginia Tech (in Atlanta), Colorado State (home), Georgia State (home), Chattanooga (home)
SEC crossover games: Kentucky (road), Tennessee (home)
SEC no plays: Florida, Georgia, Missouri, South Carolina, Vanderbilt
SEC crossover games: Kentucky (road), Tennessee (home)
SEC no plays: Florida, Georgia, Missouri, South Carolina, Vanderbilt
Toughest games: Virginia Tech (in Atlanta), Texas A&M (road), LSU (home)
Verdict: It looks like two of Alabama's toughest games will be their first two games of the season. That trip to College Station the third weekend (following a bye week) will be one of the most anticipated games of the entire season. Getting Kentucky and Tennessee in the East is a huge break for the Crimson Tide. The Wildcats and Vols combined for just one SEC win this past season, and that one win came when the Vols beat the Wildcats. Alabama also gets six of its next seven games at home after the Texas A&M trip. In other words, if the Tide can get out of College Station unscathed, they're as good a bet as any to win it all ... again.
Texas A&M
Home games: 8
Non-league games: Rice (home), Sam Houston State (home), SMU (home), UTEP (home)
SEC crossover games: Vanderbilt (home), Missouri (away)
SEC no plays: Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, South Carolina, Tennessee
Toughest games: Alabama (home), Ole Miss (away), LSU (away)
Verdict: Similar to Alabama, Texas A&M avoids the big boys in the East next season and doesn't face Florida, Georgia or South Carolina. There's also not a marquee nonconference game on the Aggies' schedule, and being able to play eight games at Kyle Field is always a nice perk. Back-to-back road dates at LSU and Missouri to end the regular season will be challenging, but the Sept. 14 home game with Alabama is the one everyone has circled and will go a long way toward shaping the SEC and national race.
South Carolina
Home games: 7
Non-league games: North Carolina (home), UCF (away), Coastal Carolina (home), Clemson (home)
SEC crossover games: Arkansas (away), Mississippi State (home)
SEC no plays: Alabama, Auburn, LSU, Ole Miss, Texas A&M
Toughest games: Georgia (away), Florida (home), Clemson (home)
Verdict: The Gamecocks get the favorable draw in the West in 2013. They don't have to play Alabama, LSU or Texas A&M. The Georgia game moves back to the second week of the season, and yes, we all know what the Head Ball Coach thinks about playing the Bulldogs early in the season. There aren't a lot of cupcakes on the Gamecocks' nonconference slate, and that trip to UCF to end the month of September has danger written all over it. All in all, it's a much more manageable schedule for South Carolina than this past season, but don't dismiss the difficulty of having to go on the road in the SEC for three straight weeks -- Arkansas on Oct. 12, Tennessee on Oct. 19 and Missouri on Oct. 26.
Georgia
Home games: 6
Non-league games: Clemson (away), North Texas (home), Appalachian State (home), Georgia Tech (away)
SEC crossover games: LSU (home), Auburn (away)
SEC no plays: Alabama, Arkansas, Mississippi State, Ole Miss, Texas A&M
Toughest games: Clemson (away), South Carolina (home), LSU (home), Florida (in Jacksonville)
Verdict: The "Palmetto State Invitational" to start the season will put Georgia's young defense to the test right away. Both Clemson and South Carolina will open the 2013 season ranked in the top 15. LSU also rotates onto the Bulldogs' schedule next season, but it helps that the game's at home. Four of Georgia's final six games will be played away from Sanford Stadium. But it's the first month of the season that will likely determine whether the Bulldogs will get back to the SEC championship game for a third straight year. In addition to the Clemson and South Carolina games the first two weeks, LSU comes to Sanford Stadium on Sept. 28.
Florida
Home games: 6
Non-league games: Toledo (home), Miami (away), Georgia Southern (home), Florida State (home)
SEC crossover games: Arkansas (home), LSU (away)
SEC no plays: Alabama, Auburn, Mississippi State, Ole Miss, Texas A&M
Toughest games: Miami (away), LSU (away), Georgia (in Jacksonville), South Carolina (away), Florida State (home)
Verdict: Right off the bat, the fact that four of the Gators' five toughest games are away from home jumps out at you. Obviously, one of those is the Georgia contest, which is played every year in Jacksonville. Still, it's an extremely challenging slate away from The Swamp, and the fact that Florida plays both Miami and Florida State next season is noteworthy. That five-game stretch from Oct. 12 through Nov. 16 will make or break Florida's season. Four of those games are away from home, and it starts with a trip to LSU and ends with a trip to South Carolina.
LSU
Home games: 7
Non-league games: TCU (in Arlington, Texas), UAB (home), Kent State (home), Furman (home)
SEC crossover games: Georgia (away), Florida (home)
SEC no plays: Kentucky, Missouri, South Carolina, Tennessee, Vanderbilt
Toughest games: TCU (in Arlington, Texas), Georgia (away), Florida (home), Alabama (away), Texas A&M (home)
Verdict: Not only did LSU lose a ton of talent with all those underclassmen declaring early for the NFL draft, but the Tigers will tackle what appears to be one of the toughest schedules in the country next season. According to colleague Mark Schlabach's way-too-early top 25 for 2013, LSU will face five of the top 14 teams in the country. LSU plays both Florida and Georgia in the East next season. A trip to Alabama on Nov. 9 is followed by a home date with Texas A&M two weeks later. The Tigers do have a bye between those two games. There are also trips to Mississippi State and Ole Miss in October. Throw in the opener against TCU, and there aren't many off weeks.
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