La Tech kills the buzz

I got nothing. This LaTech team just doesn't inspire me. At all. To write ANYTHING.

I just don't know anything about this team. I know that statistically, they're balanced. They're neither a heavy passing nor a heavy running team. Their QB has a fairly low yards/attempt number and has a 9/7 touchdown-interception ratio. That's not particularly good. They run two running backs, Patrick Jackson and Daniel Porter, and that's where they score most of their points. When their running backs get the ball, they're averaging about 5.5 yards per rush, which I suppose makes them more of a running team than a passing team.

There is the story of former Saban assistant coach Derek Dooley returning to LSU. He is, in case you did not know, the son of legendary Georgia coach Vince Dooley, and is quickly moving up the coaching ranks. He's had a tough first year, sitting now at 4-5, with 2 losses to currently ranked teams, and another loss to Boise State. That's a tough schedule to take a struggling team into.

It is my hope that Dooley will be able to convince Louisiana kids that LSU does not want or have room for to stay in-state and give LaTech a go. He's already having some success doing this, as a very good recruit last year, Rolando Melancon, who played a position where LSU ended up stacked (DT) eschewed Tennessee to go to LaTech. He was a very solid, SEC-level recruit that would have gotten an LSU offer in most other years, but couldn't get one last year because it was a big year for defensive linemen in the state. He is now at LaTech, and he could be a rebuilding cog for this team.

I'm torn between my loyalty to SEC schools and my loyalty to Louisiana schools. I'd like to see the Louisiana schools do well, but I also do not want to see SEC talent diluted, and Louisiana puts a good number of players into SEC schools other than LSU. Ole Miss is particularly popular for these players. I have no particularly hate for Ole Miss, and don't want to see them fall into oblivion. I also don't want to see either Ole Miss or LaTech start really challenging LSU for the top Louisiana recruits.

So, I'm torn. All I know for sure, I guess, is that I really want LSU to win this week and win pretty big. It's not a meaningful game within the SEC, but if LSU is going to play for the national championship it will help to get the dreaded "style points", which I absolutely hate, by the way. I do believe that great teams blow people out, but I don't need to see razzle-dazzle, Heisman-pose plays in order to do it. I want all the things I usually want when we're playing a badly overmatched opponent:

• Quick separation on the scoreboard
• Get the key players out early to shorten the season and avoid injuries
  
• Get young players in the game to get them experience that will be valuable in teh coming seasons.