"A team for the ages" indeed

    Here is one perspective: LSU football is not Alabama football, but this "perfect" national-championship season was a helluva imitation.
     It matches 1958 as an undefeated, untied, No. 1-ranked season, the only two in LSU history. Alabama has had -- count 'em -- seven of those, nine perfect seasons overall and 12 national titles of some sort.
     Alabama, it seems, does this all the time (and don't we get tired of it?).
     It was not until November 9, when these Tigers finally slayed the Alabama dragon after eight long years (and nine consecutive losses), that I thought LSU could win this national championship.
       Until then, I was a bit of a skeptic. Too many so-so to subpar defensive performances -- too many misreads, too many missed tackles, too many big breakdowns.
       Looks foolish now to have underestimated this LSU team. 
       But now, after this fantastic season, this fantastic team and, yes, this fantastic quarterback, those of us who have been longtime LSU fans can relish it.
      Storybook. These Tigers met every challenge. When they faced adversity -- and that wasn't often, or for very long -- they overcame it. 
      They actually trailed in six of the 15 games, three times in one game (Auburn) and by 10 points against Clemson.
      LSU fans know this refrain: 1958 ... 2003 ... 2007 ... 2019 ... and next year. That's football national-championship gold.
      Think most of us agree: Joe Burrow had the greatest season any LSU player -- and any major-college quarterback -- has ever had.
     And I believe even Billy Cannon would have conceded that  "Burreaux" now will be considered LSU's greatest player.
      When Coach Ed Orgeron -- a great story himself -- says this is "a team for the ages," he'll get no argument here.
      We'll see where LSU football goes from here, but we don't expect to see this type season/team in our lifetimes again. Too much to expect.
      But did you expect this 15-0 season? Did I? Heck, no. Knew the Tigers were experienced, had great depth at a lot of positions, had potential big-time talent, and the usual challenging schedule. 
         How good would Burrow be this year? His receivers? Did they have a real No. 1 running back or would it be by committee? Were they really serious about a fulltime commitment to a spread offense? Would they stick to it?
Would the offensive line be much improved over its inconsistent 2018 play? Defensive front looked potentially tough, except what about that huge hole left at inside linebacker with Devin White gone to the NFL? Was true freshman cornerback Derek Stingley Jr. really that good, and with that, would the secondary be as talented as advertised?
      And ... and ... could these Tigers finally beat Alabama?
      Think we have our answers.
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     Orgeron, in recent interviews, said he thought the Tigers could win the national championship after they turned a third-and-17 play, trying to protect a 37-31 lead on Texas, into Burrow's 61-yard TD pass to Justin Jefferson with 2 1/2 minutes to play. Burrow, typically, slid left to avoid the Longhorns' pass rush and found Jefferson wide open.
      Glad Orgeron was so confident after that. I wasn't.
      Great and explosive as the Tigers were offensively, they wallowed through the first halves against Northwestern State and Utah State and Missisippi State. 
      And the defense was just awful at times against Vanderbilt and even worse against Ole Miss, with QB John Ryes Plumlee running wild and scoring on runs of 46, 60 and 35 yards -- some completely untouched -- and for 212 yards overall, part of the Rebels' 614 yards (402 rushing).
     As I posted on Facebook, the linebackers (especially Patrick Queen, Jacob Phillips and Jacoby Stevens) and, surprisingly, safety Grant Delpit were misreading plays badly, caught out of position, and when in position, missing tackles. So un-LSU defense-like. Distressing. Not national-title caliber ... at all.     
    But, but, but ... in two of the biggest tests, Auburn and Florida, that defense made the plays when needed. Against Auburn, lots went wrong for LSU in the first 10 minutes and yet, our Tigers hung in, kept their poise and took control. Same for the Florida challenge after the Gators went up 28-21 in the third quarter. LSU, given a break or two, scored the game's last 21 points.
     And after the Ole Miss defensive debacle, the Alabama showdown and a wild runaway first half, a two-touchdown final minute for LSU and a shocking 33-13 lead. 
     Sure, the Tide helped out with huge turnovers -- Tua's all-alone fumble and a foolish pass intercepted -- and Bama's defense wasn't what we've seen for years. 
      When Bama, as expected, began its comeback and Stingley, on a rare bad day, was burned by the Tide's excellent receivers, LSU's offense proved -- again -- how potent it was and how its receivers were better even than Bama's. So was the QB.
      With that victory, even I could see the end of the national-championship road.
      The last four games were potential challenges met in  resounding and convincing manner. Must admit that the Texas A&M game meant a lot. After that seven-overtime joke a year ago -- that one stuck in our minds almost every day since -- it was especially gratifying that the Aggies were completely dismantled.
      But to beat two great programs always -- Georgia (SEC Championship Game) and Oklahoma (CFP semifinals, Peach Bowl) -- in one-sided games and to outlast a Clemson program that had won 29 games in a row, meant quite a finish. You knew that last step would be a difficult one -- Clemson was talented, well-coached and prepared -- and it was.
      It was LSU's time, and Joe Burrow had the magic touch that turned a potentially very good team into a great one.
       Two other factors: (1) the offensive line, so sporadic in the previous two seasons, was tough enough and consistent; (2) great a passer as Burrow was, it was his pocket presence -- his ability to sidestep the pass rush and pick his spots to run the ball (and he's a deceptively fast and adept runner) --  that kept LSU's offense moving. 
     And that defense? Yes, it gave up some big plays and was burned occasionally. But the last four games, the tackling was solid and those linebackers -- especially Queen against Clemson when, on one play, he had a touchdown-saving tackle -- and Delpit played up to their capabilities.
      Because it wasn't what we have come to expect from LSU defenses over the decades, you could say that this wasn't a perfect LSU team. But what the heck does that matter now? It was a perfectly fine season.
      And whatever the future brings -- with the famous Casablanca line in mind -- we can say this: LSU will always have 2019.
      (Next blog piece: Joe Burrow, a prediction)