CFSL Historical: The LSU Story Part One
By: HornsNation
Not many people were around back in season two but those that knew this story well. You might be shocked to know that I was once the LSU AD, interim, but the AD. That was my first season in the league and my road to being an AD was not an easy one. Now that the Tigers are back in the CFSL, its only fitting to tell this story, for all the new people.
From the start to the rebirth. This is the LSU Tiger story.
I joined the CFSL off a Facebook post and was able to make it in time before season two kicked off. Lightly recruited, I was convinced to join the Tigers as a DE instead of my goal as an OLB. The AD at the time was a fellow named Googleme. Googleme had been around since season one, and after playing at Boise, was given the LSU Tigers as an expansion team in season two. The season two Tigers were led by freshman Ray Tatum, wideout Jared Tetonis, cornerback Tyrell Matheiu and me, Michael Sudeikis.
The first game that year was against Auburn. The Auburn Tigers came in off a National Championship appearance in season one and was destined to go back to the title game behind star QB Blake Moon. The LSU team stood no chance against this team, but thanks to a rare and improbable five sack performance by Sudeikis, the LSU Tigers clung on. With a chance to win the game at the end of the 4th, Ray Tatum would throw an interception to safety Eric LeClear that would leave the LSU Tigers with their first loss of the season.
LSU would not get their first win until a couple of weeks later when the rarest occurrence in the CFSL happened, the Tigers recovered an onside kick and one Tatum to Tetonis pass later, LSU won. That would be the highlight of the season, as former LSU QB Ray Tatum said,
“The comeback win against Ohio State was my favorite game. We got first onside kick in CFSL history and hit Tetonis on a quick strike for a TD the play before to bring us within one score.”
A few games later, the enjoyment of the Ohio State game weened off and a new drama was taking its place. Shortly after I interviewed for a new AD position for season three at Texas, the LSU AD Googleme was booted from the league. Events surrounding the possible teams for season three seemed to have been leaked and shared. When Googleme was confronted by head bosses, he refused to share PMs with the specific player that guessed each new team correctly. A verbal fight ensued and Googleme was left without a CFSL home and has never been seen since. Immediately after he was booted, more members of the LSU squad hopped into league chat and verbally confronted the league’s actions against Googleme and they left the server. PMs were shared, wives were attacked, and the CFSL experienced one of its darkest days in league history.
Nighthawk, the Notre Dame AD, had this to say about LSU,
“The program was a mess from the management all the way down. They did produce two great ADs but it was one of the worst programs we have seen in the CFSL from a stability standpoint.”
From the ashes of the drama-filled day came one of the best days of my young CFSL career. I was offered the LSU Interim AD position. I accepted it immediately and began to work. The first order of business was trying to convince everyone to stay in the locker room. We were down to four active players on defense and it took some convincing to keep the team together. I appointed Ray Tatum as the offensive coordinator and Russellmania as the defensive coordinator. Russellmania was a mid-season addition from a Reddit post. Immediately we started to figure out how to sim as well as making sure the last four games were our best ones. The first task, beating Hawaii who was on a four-game winning streak and looked unstoppable.
Scouring the internet and coming up with a plan, we went to play against Hawaii. A close game, we fell late but showed a tremendous effort playing with seven players on defense that were walk-ons. We would not get our first win for a couple more weeks until we played Texas A&M. A win against them and then a win against Boise State in the bowl game made our coaching staff 2-2, and gave us a great baseline going forward.
Ray Tatum had this to say regarding the team coming together was his favorite part of that season,
“Coming together as a team after all the drama and putting our best effort on the field to win some games down the stretch.”
I would end up becoming the first AD of Texas with Russellmania and Ray Tatum becoming one of the first recruits. From there we were joined up by Gnawking, who came to use via Oregon. The stones were set. Bmillz would join us that season as a mid-season addition. Jimbo Smithers also came to us as a freshman safety. Russellmania, Jimbo Smithers and BMillz would all go onto be ADs of their schools.
Each of these players got to learn the LSU or Texas way. These are some of the most active players/ADs in league chat and its because of what we went through at LSU.
The stories and the companionship that we learned at LSU in season two would go on to form one of the most impressive coaching trees in the CFSL. Lessons were learned that season when we suffered the losses that we did. It improved each one of us and made us better leaders and made the CFSL better as a whole.
OTHER QUOTES REGARDING LSU:
“LSU was one of those teams that had the talent. After all, they were ground zero for the CFSL’s greatest. Ray Tatum and Jared Tetonis. It was because of that team, and their win over OSU that season (first ever recovered onside kick) that really begged the question for the following seasons when Tatum and Tetonis went their separate ways whether they would reunite. If they’d win a championship together, what numbers would they put up? Alas, it was a question that never got answered, much like what LSU would have been able to offer in the long run for the CFSL. Now, another opportunity for the whole of the league to see at least one of those questions be answered.” – David Roy
“LSU season Two was a talented team that lacked leadership from its coaching staff. After the coaching change, key players left, and the interim AD had to go with a skeleton squad. They played hard every game, and from those ashes, Texas was born. The first time I saw Voodoo Tatum and Jared Tetonis was at LSU, I knew they were both special. Turned out to be arguably the two best at their positions.” –Matt Pack
