Long snapping star: Gators grad making mark at Southern
December 13, 2016
Leslie happy, eager for Australian opportunity
December 13, 2016
Well, so much for Lane Kiffin.
It was fun while it lasted.
The LSU fan base is going wild today after reports that the Alabama offensive coordinator will become the head coach at Florida Atlantic.
Kiffin is one of the many topics you all asked me about in this week’s mailbag, which was loaded full of some good stuff.
Keep ‘em coming. Send future mailbag questions to casey@rushing-media.com.
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Q: If Kiffin is, indeed, off the table, who does LSU turn to next? (Asked by LSUFanTerrebonneGrad)
A: Isn’t that the million dollar question of the day? I think Ed Orgeron’s options will be plentiful, because the Tigers are going to be willing to pay a seemingly endless amount of money to whoever ultimately gets the position. For my dollar, I’d take a look at Pittsburgh offensive coordinator Matt Canada. Folks in the South don’t pay much attention to Pittsburgh football, but as someone who spends a little money in Vegas, I do. Those guys scored 35 or more points in 10 of their 12 games this season, including a 76-point showing against Syracuse in the season finale. Also appealing is the fact that Canada has proven capable against good teams. His Panthers hung 42 on Penn State, dropped 43 on Clemson and also had 38 and 36 against Oklahoma State and North Carolina, respectively, this season. It’s worth a look.
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Q: How do you think LSU stacks up in its bowl game? (Asked by Bobby Reed)
A: It surely won’t be easy, Bobby. With Lamar Jackson, the Cardinals are a threat to score every, single time they touch the football, and that’s not ideal in a bowl game situation when the offenses tend to have a bit of an advantage. But with that said, I still favor the Tigers, because I think they’re better than the Cardinals throughout the rest of their depth chart. Louisville is good at bullying substandard competition, but the Tigers are anything but that. They’ll also be amped up to compete for Coach O and to send him into the offseason with some momentum.
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Q: What are realistic expectations for Orgeron at LSU next fall?
A: Realistically, it’s not going to be easy. LSU has an easy non-conference schedule next fall, but they play five SEC road games, compared to just three games at home. That’s never easy. Likewise, the team will be adjusting to a first-year offensive coordinator, and will be replacing guys at several key positions. I think Orgeron was the right guy for LSU after Tom Herman went off to Texas, but I don’t think the Tigers are immune from growing pains. It’s going to take a little bit of time.
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Q: Still nothing on the Brandon Nowlin situation at South Lafourche? Who will be his replacement? (Asked by BigBlueMom)
A: The ‘situation’, as you put it, is the same as it’s ever been. He was relieved of his coaching duties the Tuesday after the regular season ended, and that’s that. He’s still with the school as a physical education teacher, and he shows up to work from Monday-Friday to do his duties just like everyone else. But, there are complexities. For South Lafourche, they’d love to hire a new head coach immediately, but they can’t. Why? They don’t have a teacher’s position available, and you can only offer a position to applicants if there’s a spot available, which means that this entire situation may end up taking a while – far longer than the school would have expected it to take when it got rid of Nowlin in early November. On Nowlin’s side of the fence, don’t expect him to be out of coaching for very long. He’s been fielding calls from multiple people – both at the high school and also at the college levels. He’s too good of a football coach to be out of the game for very long. Someone is going to give him a shot.
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Q: Who’s going to go to the Super Bowl this year? Your Cowboys have a shot, it seems. (Asked by Adam Donnely)
A: The Cowboys are 11-2 and have the best record in the entire NFL, but I’m still not crazy about their Super Bowl chances. No matter what happens in 2016, the Cowboys will still have a rookie quarterback and running back, and the team’s defense isn’t particularly good. I love where the future is headed for the Cowboys, and heck, the present is pretty damned nice, too. But, I favor Seattle in the NFC and New England or Oakland in the AFC. I’ll say this: with Rob Gronkowski out for the season with an injury, this is the widest open that the NFL has been in my lifetime.
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Q: You’re a video game nerd. Settle a debate with me and my friends, please – Madden or NBA 2K? (asked by Ray Williams)
A: I love NBA 2K, and that franchise is probably the most successful in the history of sports video games. The realism is on point, and the graphics are as sophisticated as we can reasonably expect without being part of the real thing.
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Q: Saw a column in the other newspaper about the best prep basketball players locally. Who are your top players? (Asked by Susan Collins)
A: I hate to make lists like this – especially when they involve kids. But, because you asked, I’m going to honor your request and give my thoughts. I think on the boys’ side, it’s hard to deny that Ellender’s Tay Martin is the area’s top player. He’s big, strong and can dominate games both on the inside and outside. I don’t know if he will play football or basketball at the next level, but he’s capable of doing both at a high level. On the girls’ side, my pick is South Lafourche guard Traya Bruce. I’ve seen Bruce play since she was 9-years-old, and I’ve never seen her be intimidated nor overwhelmed on the floor.
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Q: Which local team is most likely to make the Top 28? (Asked by Corey Guidry)
A: Well, that’s almost like a trick question. I think the best team in the area is the H.L. Bourgeois boys’ basketball team. The Braves are loaded with talent, and they can play either big or small and can win either low scoring or high scoring games. But because you asked me which teams is most likely to make the Top 28, I’m going to go with Houma Christian’s girls’ basketball team, because I think their path to the Final Four is much easier, because they’re in Class 1A. The Christian Warriors are a force, and they’re capable of beating just about anyone in Louisiana. The Braves are, too, and so is Ellender and others in the area. But those teams have brutally tough roads in the playoffs, whereas Class 1A isn’t quite as deep. •
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