Am I the only one disappointed in Bustle

[RaginWaldo]

I dont know about yall but i was disappointed in Coach Bustle's Playcalling and decision making.

at the 1 yard line, when they ran it on first down I immediately said he should run some sort of play action or counter to divert the defense, but he just ran the same OBVIOUS play 4 times in a row. 1 its still an LSU Defense we are running against, 2 our back and QB clearly arent overpowering even though we have one of the best OL in sun belt, and 3 EVERYONE IN DEATH VALLEY KNEW IT WAS COMING. He should have been a bit more creative in order to get a score there.

He should have challenged or atleast give some though on challenging the Safety to try to give UL some momentum back in the game. We were still relatively close at that point and that could have been a game changer right there.

I HATED the way he ran the offense on the last drive of the 4th quarter, yes we lost the game, you can still run a 2 minute drill type offense and teach the boys how to score in a DESPERATE NEED TO SCORE situation, instead of just pounding the football rushing and giving no chance of scoring at the end whatsoever, it just seemed like he just accepted defeat and didnt wanna put another score on the board, this kinda ticked me off.

All I know is that if he wants to SERIOUSLY make the cajuns a contender for upsets (and not just make hype with media), he'll have to think more aggressively in terms of scoring and making big plays. He just seemed content with the play and I dont like that in a coach.

[Crowley Cajun]

I agree with all points, especially your last. I perceived it as giving up. I don't think that Bustle wants to send that message, but I couldn't help but think that some kids might take it that way. How would Bustle feel if his players gave up?

[JMV JustMyView]

Bustle doesn't call the plays!!!

[Hammer58]

_ Bustle doesn't call the plays!!! _

Yea, but the HC does set the tone and I think Coach is conservative by nature. I too would like to see us be more aggressive and innovative.

[4LSU]

_ I agree with all points, especially your last. I perceived it as giving up. I don't think that Bustle wants to send that message, but I couldn't help but think that some kids might take it that way. How would Bustle feel if his players gave up? _

You know your team and Coach Bustle better than me, but might he not simply have been saying to his team...a TD at this point means little unless we just play power football with them and run the damn thing down their throat. Who knows, but that failure to score at that time could be very important later on in a conference game.

[RaginCajun918]

_ Bustle doesn't call the plays!!! _

Took the words out of my mouth.. Homework, homework...

[RaginWaldo]

I just remember watching countless other games (College and Professional), that even though the time was running out and they were losing, they still tried to hustle down the field and get that final score on the opposing team, hell even Southern did it to us this year, and Kansas State did it TWICE to take the lead against us. I just believe it should be practiced in every game whether it really matters or not just for the mere sake of practice for actual situations.

Now if your already winning the game then thats a different story. Thats when He should run the ball and run out the clock.

[RaginWaldo]

_ Took the words out of my mouth.. Homework, homework... _

Last time i checked he DOES make the decisions.

[Cajunmole]

...regarding the 1st and goal, it would have been nice to see some imagination, like a counter play or a Mason bootleg around the end. But from what I understand, the play calling, like LSU's, was held to a minimiun, because neither team want to show all their stuff, until we get into our respectful conferences.

All in all, I believe we did ok vs. the 7th ranked team in the nation. Disappointed in the lost, but we made some plays, made some some mistakes and at the end, gained some respect from the real, knowlegable LSU football fans that I spoke to after the game.

[CajunCanaille]

I thought our coaching staff did a good job. I thought the game was a lot closer than the score reflected. We turned the ball over toward the end of some really strong drives. This game has me really looking forward to this season and has me thinking we can really compete in the SBC this year.

[Just1More]

Bustle didn't call those 1yd line up the middle, up the middle, up the middle plays... but he knew what the calls were and did not change them. At LSU, on the goal line... I would not have tried to punch it in... I'm sure our OL and our OL line coach wanted that to be the way we did it... but you do not get inside the 5 yard line and push a top SEC school back. I cannot see how this does not call for playaction with a little creativity in receiver options... not for SBC opponents necessarily... but for the toughest defensive line situations. ... very unimaginative by our offensive coaching staff.

For the whole game... I thought we played our plain vanilla offense and did well overall. We've rarely moved the ball against LSU. We've never looked poised against LSU. We should have gotten that TD. On to Nebraska...

[HOUCajun]

I was disappointed we did not score the TD and did not move better on the last drive. Coaching played in to both of those issues. More imaginative play calling and a time out to get the offense on the same page at the end may have gotten UL more points.

Looking at the game as a whole though I don't have a problem with Bustle and co. If you go position by position on O and D and choose who your starters would be between these to teams, you'd probably end up with Zanders and a couple of O lineman and possibly a TE from UL and the rest from LSU. The fact that UL was able to contest the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball is a testament to good coaching/scheme and players executing.
Masson had more time to throw than Jefferson on the whole. WOW!

I know it's en vogue to bag on coaches and have some snappy opinion on how things could be better. But after watching UL play 3 times I can say they are a very sound football team with out a whole lot game breaking skill talent (Big 10ish?).

Will we be able to control the line of scrimmage in the sunbelt? Will our skill players do better against more evenly matched opponents? If the answer to those questions is yes and UL wins the Belt or finishes 7-5 or better, Bustle will be rewarded for what he is. A good football coach.

If we flounder in League play it will be because the team is not able to sustain the relatively high level of play they have displayed to date. Coaches will take the blame for that and he will be gone.

I just don't think we can say Bustle is doing a bad job THIS YEAR.