Auburn Football vs. LSU: 5 Keys to Victory

Avoiding The Mad Hatter

LSU head coach Les Miles is often known as The Mad Hatter because of some of his questionable decisions that somehow work out.

Most notably against Auburn in 2007 when instead of kicking a game-winning field goal he decided to throw to the endzone as time expired. Somehow the LSU receiver caught the pass and they won, but no other coach in the country would have made that call.

In 2010 he got Auburn again, but with a trick play this time that saw a double-pass go for a touchdown. Auburn would ultimately win that game though.

When these plays work out for LSU they’re usually huge momentum changing plays that push his team to victory.

However, when these plays don’t work out for LSU it’s like a pie in the face.

Our players and the Auburn football coaching staff have to be on their toes when playing Les Miles, knowing that he’s got something up his sleeve.

If we’ prepared for it and can stop it, then that will shift the momentum in Auburn’s favor on the way to victory.

It’s knowing when Les Miles will make these crazy decisions that is the tricky part. Sometimes he’ll do it early in the game to gain an advantage, or he’ll do it during crunch time just when you think he’ll be conservative.

The Mad Hatter is also not afraid to go for it on fourth down throughout a game. Any time LSU is near the middle of the field, the defense has to be alert.

Auburn has faced Les Miles enough to know these things, so I think we’ll be prepared for The Mad Hatter.

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