College Football 2010 Rankings: No. 103 Louisiana

[zephyr]

_ When I saw the thread title I made a mental bet that there would already be a "These things mean nothing" post..... Well maybe not... Maybe we will be #95 or maybe # 105.... but the point is after 7 years this program remains bottom of the barrel..... Now before you trash me... and you will... i will for the 34th straight year (and 4 before that paid through my student fees) have season tickets and will be at every game... Just mark me as a guy who is frustrated at where this program is this deep into Coach Bustle's reign _

You are entitled to that opinion. I think he has done a better than fair job in his tenure getting us to where we can actually argue about this. I understand the frustration at being .500 seemingly every year and I am just as frustrated as most. However, he fights the uphill battle of yearly budget cuts and minimal financing along with having to play money games each year just to sustain an athletic budget that is one of the worst in the country. For that, I tend to have a level of understanding and choose to focus on the winnable games and conference records for my judgment. He's won as consistently or moreso than almost every coach the past 5 years or so and last year's FIU game and the McNeese debacle stand out in my mind as those that really drive a nail through what we are trying to accomplish.

I will be standing with you if the time comes to require a change. In my mind, that change will be warranted with either, a year that does not meet expectations or there is a viable candidate out there that we can sign and improve the status of our program. I was very excited about the possibility of hire Orgeron last year because it symbolized progression and higher expectations for our program and that is even with Bustle going .500 and having a shot at conference midway through even though the expectations of that team were not very high. If there is a better candidate, I'm all about getting him in here even if Bustle wins 7-8 games.

[Hammer58]

_ What is so apparent to you that Masson does not have the team's respect? Just curious because I doubt any of us truly know the inner workings of the team as we all hear things second hand. _

I won't speak for VO but for me maybe respect isn't the right word so much as confidence. I think in games last season and in the spring game this year when Mason faltered early, and unfortunately what seemed often, to move the offense downfield or turned the ball over the other players' body language and the way they reacted to Chris and failed to interact with him on the sidelines seemed to indicate to me (admittedly from afar) that they just did not have confidence in him.

I hope I'm wrong and Chris has a great year and leads UL to a winning regular season and a bowl victory.

[Turbine]

_ I won't speak for VO but for me maybe respect isn't the right word so much as confidence. I think in games last season and in the spring game this year when Mason faltered early, and unfortunately what seemed often, to move the offense downfield or turned the ball over the other players' body language and the way they reacted to Chris and failed to interact with him on the sidelines seemed to indicate to me (admittedly from afar) that they just did not have confidence in him.

I hope I'm wrong and Chris has a great year and leads UL to a winning regular season and a bowl victory. _

My only question last year centered on how the general consensus was McGuire was ahead in the Spring and Fall then for no announced reason (it may have had something to do with McGuire throwing a 'single' int) Bustle holds a rare closed Wednesday ‘preseason’ practice and wallah Masson is named starter.

I don’t have the right but it would have been nice to see what he saw.

[zephyr]

_ My only question last year centered on how the general consensus was McGuire was ahead in the Spring and Fall then for no announced reason (it may have had something to do with McGuire throwing a 'single' int) Bustle holds a rare closed Wednesday ‘preseason’ practice and wallah Masson is named starter.

I don’t have the right but it would have been nice to see what he saw. _

Turbine, it was not one instance of Macguire having a strong spring and fall to lose his job in a heartbeat. He had the surgery in spring which gave Masson a lot more time with the first team in spring and he did very well. Into the fall, Mcguire was ahead of Masson but weekly reports had Masson outplaying Mcguire in every facet. As the preseason rolled on, reports were that Mcguire was having more trouble in the passing game and Masson was making proper reads and hitting with more accuracy. I think the coaching staff gave McGuire every opportunity to keep that starting spot and he was unable to do it and Masson played really well. They named McGuire the starter before spring even began and didn't make the move until late in the fall camp. What else are they to do?

Lets not forget that Masson had a really good year passing, especially for a sophomore with little playing experience and while he struggled a bit running the ball, he was a very solid starter IMO.

[zephyr]

_ I won't speak for VO but for me maybe respect isn't the right word so much as confidence. I think in games last season and in the spring game this year when Mason faltered early, and unfortunately what seemed often, to move the offense downfield or turned the ball over the other players' body language and the way they reacted to Chris and failed to interact with him on the sidelines seemed to indicate to me (admittedly from afar) that they just did not have confidence in him.

I hope I'm wrong and Chris has a great year and leads UL to a winning regular season and a bowl victory. _

Maybe I just saw differently on the sidelines but I thought the team responded to Masson well. There is no doubt that McGuire's entry at times brought a spark as it often does when you change things up like that and bring in some new energy. That is why I'd love to see McGuire in the game much more. I just think that given the offense we run, Gautier would run it better than both given his dual threat abilities. I have no problem with either of these guys running the offense as long as they are productive.

[AstroCajun]

Meanwhile, back to the rankings.

They're up to 98 and still no sign of Monroe.

Which of course makes for pretty strong Koolaid up there.

http://mbd.scout.com/mb.aspx?s=346&f=3067&t=5959984&p=1


It's general consensus that they're going to beat LSU this year.

AND

They think they have better coaching.

As Steve Martin once said to a heckler...."I remember my first drink"

[cajunfan32]

Lets not forget that Masson had a really good year passing, especially for a sophomore with little playing experience and while he struggled a bit running the ball, he was a very solid starter IMO. _

I completely agree. I think a lot of people forgot this kid was a sophomore and first year starter. I think (if there are no leadership problems or anything like that) he can have a even better year this year.

[cajunfan32]

_ Meanwhile, back to the rankings.

They're up to 98 and still no sign of Monroe.

Which of course makes for pretty strong Koolaid up there.

http://mbd.scout.com/mb.aspx?s=346&f=3067&t=5959984&p=1


It's general consensus that they're going to beat LSU this year.

AND

They think they have better coaching.

As Steve Martin once said to a heckler...."I remember my first drink" _

I just read through some of the posts they put on that link. Do they seriously think that being ranked 2 places in front of us IN THE PREASEASON POLLS would bother us (at least wouldnt mean anything to me)?!?!?!? Wow they want to be better than us so bad and it's kinda funny that they THINK they are.