Thread: College Football Recruiting: Looking To Next Season

Originally Posted by rock_lobster

After LSU handles up on Oregon in Jerry World, we'll claim our rightful spot among the top of college football.

We'll see about that.

As long as Oregon has a better gameplan than they did against Auburn, I think they stand a good chance. Running the ball up the middle simply isn't going to cut it. They can save that for when they play the rest of the Pac 12.

Look out, nation...the 'Noles are back...

College Football Class Rankings 2011 - ESPN

Scout.com: Football Recruiting

Originally Posted by rock_lobster

Then you woke up.... =)

After LSU handles up on Oregon in Jerry World, we'll claim our rightful spot among the top of college football.

GL doing that with Les Miles, he has yet to win it all with his own players. Sure he has a NC but with Nick Sabans players :P LSU was shit before Saban, he put them on the map. Hence why they do fairly well today. I am not saying Les is a bad coach but he is no where close to what/is Saban.

Originally Posted by rock_lobster

With the exception of the Capital One bowl played on a big plot of slop they called a field, Les dominated bowl games and gets a top 10 recruiting class every year. He isn't a bad coach, and he's a fantastic recruiter. Don't let these last couple years fool you. The O-coordinator was a HUGE reason our offense was terrible, and we still destroyed a great team in the Cotton Bowl. With Kragthorpe calling the shots now with Mettenberger at QB, LSU is only going to get better.

And Sabaan is overrated anyways. And bama is only good b/c Bear Bryant made it a historical place to play.

You are really ok with Capital One bowl games? Wouldn't you rather be winning Divisions/SEC championships/National Championships?

On January 2, 2005, Miles was named the 32nd head coach of Louisiana State University. He replaced Nick Saban, who had left LSU to take over the Miami Dolphins. In his first season as coach LSU won the 2005 SEC Western Division title with a 10-1 regular season record – including wins over #15 Arizona State (9/10/05), #11 Florida (10/15/05), #16 Auburn (10/22/05) and #4 Alabama (11/12/05). LSU's only regular season loss was an upset at home to #10 Tennessee (9/26/05). In the Tennessee game, after building a 21–0 lead at halftime, the Tigers failed to score another touchdown and lost to UT 30–27 in overtime. In the SEC Championship Game in Atlanta, Georgia, the #3-ranked LSU Tigers, though favored, lost to #13 Georgia 34–14. LSU recovered to win the 2005 Peach Bowl with a 40-3 romp of the #9-ranked Miami Hurricanes. Miles finished his first season at LSU with an 11-2 record, a #6 ranking in the USA Today Coaches Poll, and a #5 ranking in the AP Poll with NICK SABANS PLAYERS


In 2006, LSU finished the regular season with ten wins (10-2), and ended the season with six straight wins. 2006 marked the first time in LSU history that the Tigers finished with back-to-back 10-win seasons. Miles was able to do this in spite of his team playing its four toughest games on the road. All four games were against teams ranked in the top eight when the game took place, with three of the teams in the top five (Auburn, Florida, Arkansas). LSU split those four games, losing to Auburn and Florida, but beating Tennessee and Arkansas. LSU did not win the SEC West title, finishing one game behind Arkansas. However, the Tigers were ranked ahead of Arkansas at the end of the regular season, and were rewarded with an invitation to face Notre Dame in the Sugar Bowl where they defeated the Irish 41–14. LSU finished the 2006 season ranked #3 overall in both the AP and ESPN polls WITH NICK SABANS PLAYERS


Les Miles celebrates his team's victory in the 2008 BCS National Championship Game.In 2007, Miles gained national attention due to numerous unconventional play calls during nationally televised games. LSU was ranked #1 twice during the regular season, but lost at #17 Kentucky in triple overtime 43-37 before losing its final regular season game at home to unranked Arkansas 50-48, also in triple-overtime. As of the end of the 2007 regular season, which featured victories over six different coaches with national championships, Miles' record as head coach at LSU is 34-6. Coincidentally, the 2007 regular season also ended with a loss to Arkansas in a game marked by several of Miles' hallmark unconventional calls. Despite the loss, LSU would go on to the SEC championship game. On the day of the SEC championship game, Kirk Herbstreit wrongly reported on ESPN's College GameDay that Les Miles had accepted an offer to succeed Lloyd Carr as the head coach at the University of Michigan.[2] Despite the media distractions, LSU won the 2007 SEC title, beating Tennessee 21–14. The night of LSU's SEC title victory, the teams then ranked number one and two lost allowing LSU to be ranked #2 in the AP, Coaches, Harris, and BCS polls. LSU beat the Buckeyes in the 2008 BCS Championship, 38-24, giving Les Miles his first national championship WITH NICK SABANS PLAYER & help from putting them on the map.






Saban: 2000 – In 2000, the Tigers went 8–4 and won the Peach Bowl. The season was somewhat marred by several lopsided losses, including a 34–17 loss to the Auburn Tigers, a 13–10 loss to the UAB Blazers, and a 41–9 loss to the Florida Gators.

2001 – Saban led LSU to a 10–3 record, including an SEC Championship and a Sugar Bowl victory. After a loss to the Ole Miss Rebels, the Tigers finished the year with six straight wins, including a win over #2 Tennessee in the 2001 SEC Championship Game, and a 47–34 win over Illinois in the 2002 Sugar Bowl. It was the first
outright SEC championship for LSU since 1986, and the first time the Tigers had won the Sugar Bowl since 1968.

2002 – The season opened with high expectations, but a 26–8 loss at the hands of Virginia Tech raised serious questions about their outlook. However, the Tigers would rebound to win their next six straight, but after a mid-season injury to quarterback Matt Mauck, LSU lost four of their last six games to close the season, including a 35–20 loss to Texas in the Cotton Bowl Classic, and finished 8–5.

2003 – The Tigers started this season with five wins, including a 17–10 victory in Tiger Stadium over the defending SEC champion, and then undefeated, Georgia Bulldogs. They lost the following week to Florida, 19–7. After the loss to Florida, LSU did not lose again in the regular season and ended their regular season with a win over the Arkansas Razorbacks to win the SEC West. After winning the SEC West, the Tigers defeated the Georgia Bulldogs in the SEC Championship Game in Atlanta. They were ranked #2 in the BCS standings and advanced to play the #1Oklahoma Sooners in the Sugar Bowl, which was the host of the BCS Championship Game in 2003. The Tigers won the game 21–14. By virtue of winning this game, LSU finished first in the USA Today Coaches Poll and became national champions for only the second time in school history, and for the first time since Paul Dietzel and Billy Cannon led the Tigers to the 1958 National Championship.

2004 – LSU finished the season 9–3, after losing to the Iowa Hawkeyes in the Capital One Bowl 30–25 on a final play touchdown pass. Other losses that season were on the road at Auburn 10-9, and a loss on the road to Georgia 45-16. At the end of the 2004 season, Saban left LSU to coach the Miami Dolphins.

So my point is Saban left a national championship team, you could have coached that team and still won it all. He left a couple top ten recruiting classes, which didn't ever happen before Saban coached at LSU. The only reason Miles came to LSU over Michigan was, he knew he could win with the players in place. He knew if he went to Michigan and didn't win by the 3rd year he would be without a job. That just tells me he has come common sense. He put the school in the spotlight and won you 2 National Championships but was only present for 1. Just think how many you could have had if Saban stayed. Saban always wanted to be a NFL head coach so when he left, LSU was butt hurt. Saban found out he would never have full control over any NFL team and decided it wasn't for him. LSU is still butt hurt about it!

Lets look at Saban & Miles in a whole:

Miles: 90-38
Miles earned all-state honors in football at Elyria High School in Ohio as well as letters in baseball and wrestling. He attended the University of Michigan where he was a two year letterman under Coach Bo Schembechler from 1974 to 75. In 1980, Miles returned to Michigan as an assistant coach to Schembechler. He left Michigan in 1982 to coach at the University of Colorado where fellow Michigan assistant Bill McCartney had just been named head coach. Coincidentally, one of his fellow assistants on the Colorado staff was another future LSU head coach, Gerry DiNardo, who coached at LSU from 1995–99.

He returned to Michigan in 1987 where he helped lead the team to eight consecutive winning seasons and bowl appearances, including four Rose Bowl appearances. After Gary Moeller's resignation, Miles left Michigan again to join former Colorado assistant Bob Simmons staff at Oklahoma State as offensive coordinator. A rift with the University of Michigan occurred near the time of Moeller's resignation, forcing him to seek employment elsewhere. During the 1998 through 2000 seasons he was the tight ends coach for the NFL's Dallas CowboysOklahoma StateMiles returned to Oklahoma State in 2001 as head coach. In the three years prior to Miles's arrival in Stillwater, the Cowboys finished 5–6, 5–6, and 3–8. Oklahoma State posted another losing record (4–7) in Miles's first season at the helm, but subsequently achieved winning records during each of the following three seasons - 8–5, 9–4, and 7–5, respectively. His last three seasons at Oklahoma State ended in invitations to the Houston, Cotton, and Alamo Bowls, respectively.

During the last game of Miles's first season as head coach, OSU faced Oklahoma, who was ranked #4 in the nation. Despite the fact that OSU was facing Oklahoma on the road, Miles led his team to a 16–13 upset victory over the Sooners (who ended up finishing the season ranked #6 after winning the Cotton Bowl Classic).

During Miles's second season, OSU again ended the regular season with a game against Oklahoma. This time Oklahoma was ranked the #3 team in the country. And yet again, Miles led his team to a 38-28 upset victory over the Sooners (who ended up finishing the season ranked #5 after winning the Rose Bowl). As a result of his teams performance during his second year, Miles was named the Big 12 Conference Coach of the Year by the Associated Press in 2002.

Saban: 134–53–1 Saban was hired to lead the Toledo Rockets in 1990. Coming off of 6–5 seasons in both 1988 and 1989, the Rockets found quick success under Nick Saban by going 9–2. The two games that the Rockets lost that season came by narrow margins: one point to Central Michigan, and four points to Navy.[12] With the 9–2 season, Toledo was co-champion of the Mid-American Conference. Saban left Toledo after one season to become defensive coordinator of the National Football League's Cleveland Browns under then head coach Bill Belichick.

When Saban arrived in East Lansing, Michigan prior to the 1995 season, MSU had not had a winning season since 1990, and the team was sanctioned by the NCAA for recruiting violations committed under his predecessor and former mentor, George Perles.[13]

1995–1997 – Beginning in 1995, Saban moderately improved MSU's fortunes, taking the Spartans to minor bowl games (all of which they lost by double-digit margins) in each of his first three seasons. From 1995 to 1997, Michigan State finished 6-5-1, 6-6, and 7-5. In comparison, MSU had finished 5–6, 6–6 and 5–6 (prior to NCAA forfeits) in 1992–1994.
1998 – On November 7, 1998, the Spartans upset the #1 ranked Ohio State 28–24 at Ohio Stadium. However, even after the upset and an early-season rout of then-highly-ranked Notre Dame the Spartans finished 6–6, including three last-minute losses featuring turnovers, defensive lapses, and special-teams misplays, and failed to earn a bowl invitation.
1999 – Saban led the Spartans to a 9–2 season that included wins over Notre Dame, Michigan, Ohio State, and Penn State. Conversely, the two losses were routs at the hands of Purdue and Wisconsin. Following the final regular-season game against Penn State, Saban abruptly resigned to accept the head coaching position with LSU. Saban's assistant head coach and successor, Bobby Williams, then coached MSU to a Citrus Bowl victory over Florida, giving the Spartans an overall record of 10–2 for the 1999 season. It would be the best season in terms of wins for the Spartans since 1965, and it would see the Spartans reach their highest ranking since the 1966 team.[14] Future former NFL Head Coach Josh McDaniels served as a Graduate Assistant on Saban's 1999 coaching staff.

Saban, announced on January 3, 2007 that he accepted an offer to become Alabama's 27th head coach, following a meeting with Dolphins owner Wayne Huizenga.[19] On January 4, 2007, Nick Saban was officially introduced as the head football coach of The University of Alabama at a press conference on the Alabama campus. On September 1, 2007, his Crimson Tide opened the season with a 52–6 win over the Western Carolina Catamounts, scoring more points than during any game in the 2006 season. He became the fifth Alabama coach since 1900 to start his first season 3–0, earning a win over then-ranked #16 Arkansas Razorbacks.[20] Alabama ended the regular season with a 6–6 record, including a four-game losing streak, a particularly humiliating loss at home to Louisiana-Monroe, and a loss to Auburn in the Iron Bowl, the Tide's sixth straight. The Tide defeated Colorado in the 2007 Independence Bowl, 30–24, to end the year 7–6. Alabama was later forced to vacate five wins from the 2007 season.

2008 During his second year as head coach of the Tide, Saban led his team from a sub-par season in 2007 to a perfect 12–0 regular season record. Saban finished the regular season undefeated for the first time in his career as a head coach as he led the Crimson Tide to its first undefeated regular season since 1994. His second season at the Capstone began with a 34–10 victory over the #9 ranked Clemson Tigers in the 2008 Chick-fil-A College Kickoff in the Georgia Dome. Three weeks later, Alabama had a convincing 49–14 road-win over Arkansas. The Tide followed that victory with an impressive 41–30 win over the #3 ranked Georgia Bulldogs. After the Georgia game, the Tide won consecutive home games against the Kentucky Wildcats and the Ole Miss Rebels and finished the month of October with a 29–9 victory over the Tennessee Volunteers in Knoxville. Following a 35–0 homecoming victory over Arkansas State, the Crimson Tide became #1 in all major polls in Week 10—following a loss by #1 Texas to the Texas Tech Red Raiders. It was the first time since the 1980 season that Alabama held the top spot during the regular season.[21] The Tide took their No. 1 ranking into Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and came out with a 27–21 overtime victory. With the win, Alabama clinched their first SEC Western Division Championship since 1999 and guaranteed the team a trip to the 2008 SEC championship game. The Tide then improved to 11–0 with a win at home over Mississippi State. To finish the regular season, Bama defeated in-state rival Auburn, 36–0, the largest margin of victory in the series since 1962. It was Alabama's first victory over Auburn since the 2001 season. In the SEC Championship Game, Alabama suffered its first defeat in a 31–20 loss to the SEC Eastern Division Champion Florida Gators (who later won the 2008 BCS Championship), and closed out the season with a 31–17 loss to Utah in the Sugar Bowl[22] to finish the season at 12–2. For his efforts during the season, Saban received several Coach of the Year awards.[23][24][25]

2009 Beginning Saban's third year, #5 Alabama defeated the #7 ranked Virginia Tech Hokies in the 2009 Chick-fil-A College Kickoff, 34–24. He followed up with wins over Florida International and North Texas. The following week, Alabama won its conference opener over Arkansas, 35–7. In its fifth game of the year, Alabama beat Kentucky, 38–20. The sixth game of the season featured a hard-fought defensive battle with Bama defeating Ole Miss, 22–3. The seventh game was the same with Alabama defeating the South Carolina Gamecocks, 20–6. The next day, Alabama moved up to #1 in the AP poll for the second straight year. The next week Alabama beat Tennessee 12–10 when Terrence Cody blocked Tennessee's game winning field goal attempt with four seconds left, sealing the victory and improve the team to 8–0. After a bye week, Alabama clinched its second straight SEC West Division Championship by knocking off LSU, 24–15. The next week, Alabama trounced Mississippi State, 31–3, sealing the second straight season with 10 wins for Alabama. Following a 45–0 blowout of Chattanooga, on Black Friday, Alabama came from behind to defeat Gene Chizik's Auburn Tigers, 26–21, marking the first time since 1973–1974 Alabama has finished the regular season undefeated in consecutive years and the first consecutive 12-win seasons. The Crimson Tide defeated the Florida Gators for the SEC Championship, 32–13, in a rematch of the previous year's championship game. It marked Alabama's 22nd SEC title and their first since 1999. Saban ended the season with a 37–21 victory over the Texas Longhorns in the National Championship to finish a perfect 14–0. The win secured Saban's second national championship and Alabama's 13th title and their first in BCS era. Following the victory over the Longhorns, The University of Alabama announced that it would unveil a statue of Saban in the week prior to the kickoff of the 2010 season. Saban will become the fifth coach at Alabama to be immortalized with a statue in front of the entrance of Bryant-Denny Stadium.



2010 Saban leads the "Walk of Champions" prior to the Iron Bowl.At the start of his fourth season, Alabama was overwhelmingly chosen as the preseason #1 team in both the AP and Coaches Poll. This is the first time since 1978 that the Crimson Tide have started the season ranked #1.[26] In the season opener in front a record crowd of 101,821, Alabama defeated San Jose State, 48–3. The following week, the Tide defeated Joe Paterno and the #23 Penn State 24–3 in their first meeting since 1990. The next week vs Duke, Mark Ingram made his first start of the 2010 season leading Alabama to a 62–13 victory.[27] The next week, Alabama overcame a 20–7 deficit to win their conference opener against #10 Arkansas, 24–20.[28] On October 2, Alabama defeated #7 Florida 31-6. The following week, Alabama lost to #19 South Carolina 35-21, snapping a 19-game win streak (29 in regular season).[29] Alabama bounced back with a 23-10 win over Ole Miss. They followed up with a 41-10 victory over Tennessee. After their bye week, Alabama lost their second game of the season to #10 LSU, 24-21. The following week, Alabama bounced back at home against #17 Mississippi State, with a 30-10 victory. This also marks the school's 800th victory for the football program. The following week, Alabama defeated Georgia State 63–7, the most points for Alabama since 1979.[30] In the Iron Bowl, Alabama lost to in-state rival #2 Auburn 28-27 snapping a 20-game home winning streak. Alabama led 24-0 early in the second quarter. This defeat was the largest lead ever blown by an Alabama football team. Alabama was selected to play in the 2011 Capital One Bowl and in their first ever meeting, Alabama defeated #7 Michigan State 49-7 in the largest margin of victory in that bowl game. The win secured Alabama's third consecutive 10-win season.



To finish this up, Les Miles is a Great Coach, he is no Nick Saban. If Saban stayed at LSU I would prolly hate the guy. Saban is the best football coach in the country. He has 4 more national championships to get before I speak his name and The Bear in the same sentence.