Mark Richt says Miami football will have problems with LSU’s Dudes
During his appearance on ESPN U at ACC Media days last week Miami football Head Coach Mark Richt said the problems with playing LSU are their dudes and not the coaching schemes.
Richt and the Miami Football Coaching Staff have to prepare for LSU without knowing who the starters will be at several key positions on offense and against a new Offensive Coordinator. The Tigers will have a new quarterback, tailback and top receiver in 2018.
LSU’s defense is expected to be exceptional this fall. Three of UPI’s four All-Americans in the secondary will play in Arlington, Texas on September 2, cornerbacks Greedy Williams of LSU and Miami’s Michael Jackson and Hurricanes safety Jaquan Johnson. LSU also has first-team All-American linebacker, Devin White.
When Richt talks about the LSU “dudes” he is almost definitely referring to Williams, White and the Tigers defense. Those that follow the LSU program closely even have question marks about the Tigers offense.
The Coach of the U told the media version of the U he’s not concerned with what LSU Offensive Coordinator Steve Ensminger is going to do. Ensminger has a lot of experience as an Offensive Coordinator.
He most recently was the LSU interim Offensive Coordinator in 2016 after Orgeron was promoted to Head Coach following Les Miles firing. Ensminger had been the LSU Quarterbacks Coach to begin the 2016 season. He ran the offense for the final eight games of the 2018 season.
LSU is the sixth school Ensminger has been an Offensive Coordinator. Half of those schools are now in the ACC. Ensminger was the OC at Texas A&M from 1994-96 when the Aggies were in the Southwest Conference and then the Big XII.
He was also Clemson’s Offensive Coordinator and Quarterbacks coach in 1997 and ’98 and Auburn’s in 2008. Ensminger apparently likes to coach for the Tigers. He and Richt share a common past. Ensminger was the Quarterbacks Coach and passing game Coordinator at Georgia from 1991-93.
It was Ensminger and the battle to be LSU’s starting quarterback job that brought out Richt’s comments about LSU’s dudes. Richt mentioned that he and the Miami Football Coaching staff have a pretty good idea about what Ensminger and LSU Defensive Coordinator Dave Aranda are going to do with their schemes.
Most people expect Ohio State Graduate Transfer Joe Burrow to earn the nod as LSU’s starting quarterback. Burrow was 15 of 22 passes for 238 yards and two touchdowns in Ohio State’s Spring Game before deciding to transfer. Richt discussed Burrow and the Tigers talent.
"“You’ve got to look at what at Coach Ensminger has done in the past…is it going to be Joe Burrow or one of their current players (as the starting QB)? (Richt has a) pretty good idea (of what LSU’s Coordinators will do).The problem is not the scheme, the problem is the dudes…It’s the dudes, not the coaches. The coaches can get the dudes, they’re the smart ones.”"
The game against LSU will be Richt’s ninth game against the Tigers. He split eight meetings in his 15 years as the Head Coach at Georgia. That included the 2003, 2005 and 2011 SEC Championship Games. Richt won one of his two SEC Championships in the 2005 game.
LSU has dominated the series with Miami. The Tigers have a nine to three all-time lead in the series. The majority of Miami football fans remember the last meeting. Many want to avenge the Hurricanes 40-3 loss to LSU in the 2005 Peach Bowl. That ironically came the game after the Tigers lost to Richt and Georgia for the SEC title.
Miami had won three of the previous four meetings. That included a 44-3 whipping of LSU in 1988 at Tiger Stadium in Baton Rouge.
Next: Mark Richt talks ACC and Florida Coaches and competition at ACC Kickoff
The first meeting between Miami and LSU was in 1946. They had a home and home in 1958 and ’59. The teams then played seven times in eight seasons between 1962-68. Miami hosted four of those game with the other three at LSU.