Times, they aren’t a-changin.
Most LSU fans have convinced themselves new offensive coordinator Cam Cameron will ride into Baton Rouge like a knight in shining armor and remodel the Tigers’ offensive identity.
Not going to happen.
The Tiger faithful are going crazy about Cameron simply because he isn’t former offensive play-callers Greg Studrawa or Gary Crowton. Don’t get me wrong, LSU needed a new offensive coordinator.
Studrawa wasn’t hired to run the offense — Steve Kragthorpe was. But sadly, Kragthorpe was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease and Studrawa had to fill in weeks before the 2011 season started.
The LSU offense required a leader with whom coach Les Miles wasn’t buddy-buddy. It needed someone like defensive coordinator John Chavis, who had no previous connection to Miles before he was hired at LSU in 2009.
Chavis wasn’t afraid to say, “This is my defense, and this is how I’m going to run it.”
Cameron might provide the exact opposite. If I could tell anything from his introductory news conference, he’s looking for even more help from Miles when it comes to calling plays.
“There will be communication, whether it’s four-down territory, or how the score or clock factors in,” Cameron said Friday. “That’s what we talked about and that is what we will do. I think that is why we are going to be successful.”
Notice how Cameron uses “we” instead of “I” throughout his response.
Miles and Cameron go way back. They shared the same office at the University of Michigan, where they coached together for seven years from 1987 to 1993.
The relationship between the two will make it even harder for Cameron to make this offense his own. One of the LSU fan base’s biggest gripes during the 2012 season was Miles having too much input on the offensive game plan.
Get used to it.
It sounds like Cameron isn’t going to be taking the reins of the offense away from Miles. If anything, he might let him be more involved than Studrawa or Crowton ever permitted.
“With our relationship and the way Les communicates, it will be very clear what our plan is,” Cameron said.
Was Cameron the most qualified candidate for the job? Or was LSU his landing spot because his old pal Miles reached out to him after the Super Bowl XLVII champion Baltimore Ravens kicked him to the curb after Week 14?
Cameron got the boot because Ravens coach John Harbaugh got tired of watching his offense use running back check downs with one of the NFL’s biggest arms, Joe Flacco, at his disposal. Not to mention Cameron was replaced in Baltimore by Jim Caldwell, who helped the Ravens offense average 31 points in the postseason having never called plays before.
It sounds more like Miles’ text to Cameron after he got fired probably sounded like, “Hey buddy, you can come crash at LSU until you land on your feet.” No one wants to see a friend lose his job.
Chavis was an excellent hire because Miles knew he needed someone who had a proven track record in the Southeastern Conference. Cameron hasn’t coached at the college level since 2001, when he was fired from Indiana after posting an 18-37 record in five seasons.
Some prominent players on LSU’s 2001 roster included Rohan Davey, Josh Reed and Bradie James. Yeah, it’s been that long since Cameron paced a college sideline.
For Les, hiring Cameron is a win-win situation. He gets to bring in the offensive coordinator LSU fans have been begging for, and he can still help out a friend who was out of work.
The LSU offense will be slightly better under Cameron’s guidance. But will his presence drastically change LSU’s conservative offensive mindset with him having total control of the offense?
Not on Miles’ watch.
Micah Bedard is a 22-year-old history senior from Houma.
Times, they aren’t a-changin.
Most LSU fans have convinced themselves new offensive coordinator Cam Cameron will ride into Baton Rouge like a knight in shining armor and remodel the Tigers’ offensive identity.
Not going to happen.
The Tiger faithful are going crazy about Cameron simply because he isn’t former offensive play-callers Greg Studrawa or Gary Crowton. Don’t get me wrong, LSU needed a new offensive coordinator.
Studrawa wasn’t hired to run the offense — Steve Kragthorpe was. But sadly, Kragthorpe was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease and Studrawa had to fill in weeks before the 2011 season started.
The LSU offense required a leader with whom coach Les Miles wasn’t buddy-buddy. It needed someone like defensive coordinator John Chavis, who had no previous connection to Miles before he was hired at LSU in 2009.
Chavis wasn’t afraid to say, “This is my defense, and this is how I’m going to run it.”
Cameron might provide the exact opposite. If I could tell anything from his introductory news conference, he’s looking for even more help from Miles when it comes to calling plays.
“There will be communication, whether it’s four-down territory, or how the score or clock factors in,” Cameron said Friday. “That’s what we talked about and that is what we will do. I think that is why we are going to be successful.”
Notice how Cameron uses “we” instead of “I” throughout his response.
Miles and Cameron go way back. They shared the same office at the University of Michigan, where they coached together for seven years from 1987 to 1993.
The relationship between the two will make it even harder for Cameron to make this offense his own. One of the LSU fan base’s biggest gripes during the 2012 season was Miles having too much input on the offensive game plan.
Get used to it.
It sounds like Cameron isn’t going to be taking the reins of the offense away from Miles. If anything, he might let him be more involved than Studrawa or Crowton ever permitted.
“With our relationship and the way Les communicates, it will be very clear what our plan is,” Cameron said.
Was Cameron the most qualified candidate for the job? Or was LSU his landing spot because his old pal Miles reached out to him after the Super Bowl XLVII champion Baltimore Ravens kicked him to the curb after Week 14?
Cameron got the boot because Ravens coach John Harbaugh got tired of watching his offense use running back check downs with one of the NFL’s biggest arms, Joe Flacco, at his disposal. Not to mention Cameron was replaced in Baltimore by Jim Caldwell, who helped the Ravens offense average 31 points in the postseason having never called plays before.
It sounds more like Miles’ text to Cameron after he got fired probably sounded like, “Hey buddy, you can come crash at LSU until you land on your feet.” No one wants to see a friend lose his job.
Chavis was an excellent hire because Miles knew he needed someone who had a proven track record in the Southeastern Conference. Cameron hasn’t coached at the college level since 2001, when he was fired from Indiana after posting an 18-37 record in five seasons.
Some prominent players on LSU’s 2001 roster included Rohan Davey, Josh Reed and Bradie James. Yeah, it’s been that long since Cameron paced a college sideline.
For Les, hiring Cameron is a win-win situation. He gets to bring in the offensive coordinator LSU fans have been begging for, and he can still help out a friend who was out of work.
The LSU offense will be slightly better under Cameron’s guidance. But will his presence drastically change LSU’s conservative offensive mindset with him having total control of the offense?
Not on Miles’ watch.
Micah Bedard is a 22-year-old history senior from Houma.
