Training dogs to learn new tricks requires treats.
LSU football coach Nick Saban said the team expected rewardsafter wins over Oregon State, Arkansas State and Mississippi State— teams with a combined 3-12 record.
But playing against No. 3-ranked Georgia and No. 6 Auburn (acombined 9-0), the Tigers have shown some tricks of their own— roll over and play dead.
“This has been a difficult team [to coach] because a lotof good stuff happened last year,” LSU coach Nick Saban said.”[There were] a lot of expectations this year — notenough emphasis on working hard, things being difficult and allthat. ‘And how can we make it easy coach? Why do we have torun progressives today? Like we won the game last week so whydon’t you give us a bone?'”
The Tigers have been pacified with minor successes this year andfail to understand what it takes to compete hard in every game,Saban said.
“We beat Mississippi State. That’s what we’resupposed to do,” Saban said. “Life is difficult. Ican’t really make it easy. There’s nothing I can do asa coach to make going to Georgia to play the No. 3 team in thecountry easy for anyone. And we’ve got lots of guys on ourteam that really don’t understand that. They don’t getit. I think maybe they get it now.”
The lack of experience on both sides of the ball may be theproblem, offensive tackle Andrew Whitworth said.
Only five of the Tigers’ offensive starters this seasonhave had 10 or more starts at their positions.
Whitworth, who has 32 starts, said he experienced thedisappointment of an 8-5 season in 2002, but the younger playershave known nothing but success until now.
“It’s an ongoing process of learning and these guyskind of learned right off the bat the easier way,” Whitworthsaid.
Whitworth also said he and senior center Ben Wilkerson need tolead the offensive unit.
“It’s kind of our job to get these guys to playwell,” Whitworth said. “We’re going to try to doa better job of that from now on and see if we can get these guysto understand what it takes.”
On the defensive side, Marcus Spears said he promises to leadthat unit to better play, especially on the defensive line.
“I never had to be a constant leader all last year —obviously because we had older guys that understood what ittook,” Spears said.
With 31 starts at defensive end, Spears is one of six defensivestarters with 10 or more starts at his position.
“It’s a constant grind to try to get those guys tounderstand what we have to do to be successful,” Spears said.”It’s exciting to me. I know these guys are going to begood football players and I know that we’re only a couple ofseconds away from making those plays.”
Saturday’s game at No. 12 Florida is another chance forLSU to show it can respond to adversity on the road, Sabansaid.
“We’ve had problems playing on the road sometimes inthe past,” Saban said. “This game is an opportunity toprove that we’ve made some maturity in that area and can goon the road and play a good football team.”
The Tigers were 4-0 in road contests last season, but are 10-9in away games during the Saban era. Saban said he will find newways to motivate the team for road games starting this week.
“I’m not pointing a finger at anybody inparticular,” Saban said. “We’re talking about theteam in general. We’re talking about me finding a better wayto try to get it across to them.”