FWIW, I wouldn't pin either of LSU's two losses from this past season on Russell. In the Auburn game, the coaches for some inexcplicable reason kept insisting on running the ball, even though we couldn't get anything going. It was LSU's first big opponent of the year, the o-line was breaking in three new starters and the top two RB's at the time were guys coming off knee injuries the previous year. They weren't hitting the line fast and Auburn was stuffing our run game.
We didn't spread the defense with multiple receiver sets much, instead showing a running formation a lot, which led to Auburn loading it up. We didn't start throwing until we absolutely had to, which was late in the game. Russell got some nice passes but we ran out of time and got stopped a few yards from the end zone.
Against Florida, we had five turnovers, eight penalties (including two that set them up first and goal), a fumble at the one yard line on first and goal, a touchdown pass called back due to a questionable holding call downfield, a fumble at the goal line, two blown pass coverages that left Florida WRs wide open, etc. Russell did throw three interceptions, but two weren't his fault. They were passes that hit the receiver right on the numbers but either a DB hit the WR at the right time, causing the ball to go up in the air, or the WR muffed it, causing it to pop into the air. Both instances, it fell into Florida hands. LSU actually started that game well and wound up outgaining them in yardage and first downs, but kept shooting itself in the foot.
The running game actually didn't seem to come to life until about the Tennessee game this past season, and even after that, was solid but not necessarily dominant, for the most part. So Russell had to contend a decent portion of the season with an inconsistent running game.
Russell's not perfect. He's still developing. But I think he doesn't get enough credit by some for the degree he has developed the last two years and how often he's delivered clutch drives to win games late against solid opponents.
