Louisiana Is ...

[charliek]

With very rare exceptions, most good players at UL have made their mark immediately as Freshman or Transfers. We rarely see a guy who is a non contributor early in his career become a difference maker for us late in his career.

And that's why our program has almost always been poor to mediocre.

[MetryCajun]

Player development is the most difficult and least efficient way to build a winner. Unfortunately, since we are in the SBC and do not get lots of game ready athletes it needs to be an important part of our success plan.

[charliek]

Player development is the most difficult and least efficient way to build a winner. Unfortunately, since we are in the SBC and do not get lots of game ready athletes it needs to be an important part of our success plan.

LOL least efficient....unless it's the ONLY way. Then it's the most efficient. We aren't going to start getting levels higher recruits without 1) winning or 2) cheating. We will not win, until we do a better job of developing who we get. I expect Napier to recruit better...but until he does more with what we already get, we will be stuck in the mud.

[MetryCajun]

LOL least efficient....unless it's the ONLY way. Then it's the most efficient. We aren't going to start getting levels higher recruits without 1) winning or 2) cheating. We will not win, until we do a better job of developing who we get. I expect Napier to recruit better...but until he does more with what we already get, we will be stuck in the mud.

Agree. I also expect Nap to do better in recruiting, but honestly we are currently one of the worst so there is nowhere to go but up.
I really want to see if he can turn one of these QB's into a productive playmaker. That would be measurable success on the player development side.

[CajunEXPRESS]

Skill players rarely get enough better to displace the current players and newest skill players at virtually all institutions. They become role players. No doubt if Napier hits well on an average of 9 players a year and the rest become role players we're gonna be pretty happy. Hud wasn't hitting anywhere near 9.

[Just1More]

Do we have some talent deficits? Yes. Did we have some head coach and staff deficits? Did sanctions hurt our recruiting? Yes. Did a decline following 9-4 seasons/bowl wins create more recruiting issues? Yes. Does the SBC limit our recruiting? Yes. Did Hud have talent he failed to utilize properly? Yes. Do we still have talent? Yes. Can a new coach and staff close a gap in year one with average talent? Yes. Should we expect it? No. Could it happen regardless? Yes.

We won in year one of Hud due to a carryover talent and some additional recruits... coupled with an excellent S&C coach and a mountain of Hud Hype that got the most out of that talent. It was sustained somewhat. Hud began eating his own hype and the coaching stagnated. He let players convince him that the S&C was too difficult - tying it to preseason injuries. From Hud's own staff... describe Hud in 3 words... "Me, me, me"... it caught up with him... and then us.

Personally... I think Napier will run a much better program than we've ever seen. But I don't expect the instant result Hud got in year one. .500 may be realistic. Without anything more than fortune/misfortune... we could win 8 or win 4. For many reasons I won't elaborate... I will leave year one as purely developmental... less about outcomes and more about incremental progress. If the players give Napier their very best, we'll create a foundation this year... and build on it.

[cajunhawk]

Agree. I also expect Nap to do better in recruiting, but honestly we are currently one of the worst so there is nowhere to go but up.
I really want to see if he can turn one of these QB's into a productive playmaker. That would be measurable success on the player development side.

[charliek]

I love when cookie monster be coming around.

[RcL8]

I love when cookie monster be coming around.

It's gotten pretty old

[Cajunsmike]

Do we have some talent deficits? Yes. Did we have some head coach and staff deficits? Did sanctions hurt our recruiting? Yes. Did a decline following 9-4 seasons/bowl wins create more recruiting issues? Yes. Does the SBC limit our recruiting? Yes. Did Hud have talent he failed to utilize properly? Yes. Do we still have talent? Yes. Can a new coach and staff close a gap in year one with average talent? Yes. Should we expect it? No. Could it happen regardless? Yes.

We won in year one of Hud due to a carryover talent and some additional recruits... coupled with an excellent S&C coach and a mountain of Hud Hype that got the most out of that talent. It was sustained somewhat. Hud began eating his own hype and the coaching stagnated. He let players convince him that the S&C was too busy difficult - tying it to preseason injuries. From Hud's own staff... describe Hud in 3 words... "Me, me, me"... it caught up with him... and then us.

Personally... I think Napier will run a much better program than we've ever seen. But I don't expect the instant result Hud got in year one. .500 may be realistic. Without anything more than fortune/misfortune... we could win 8 or win 4. For many reasons I won't elaborate... I will leave year one as purely developmental... less about outcomes and more about incremental progress. If the players give Napier their very best, we'll create a foundation this year... and build on it.

Very Good Post. I agree staff is building the program for long term success.

[MetryCajun]

J1M, I agree wins and losses will not be the true barometer of where this program is headed. To me our recruiting class for next year will give us a better indication of our long term viability.

[CajunNation]

Agree with J1M.

Year 1 is a Mulligan.

I also believe the QB who will be at the helm when we get to the next level is not on our roster yet.

[31Ragin97]

Look at Metry get mad when you say UL is DBU. Because he knows his football team in BR calls itself DBU.

Lolololololololololol

bump

[31Ragin97]

all kidding aside, they should track how many stars these draftees initially had.... so louisiana possibly adds stars to the player. then we need to see how many four and fives at p5 didnt get drafted

[cajunhawk]

It's gotten pretty old

[ULvictory]

Gettin dat binder ready baw

[charliek]

It's gotten pretty old

LSU having a clown as a coach never, never gets old.

[CajunNation]

LSU having a clown as a coach never, never gets old.

He is going to take them to Hallman level suckage.

[cajunhawk]

He is going to take them to Hallman level suckage.