Tigers Sweet in Sugar Bowl Victory

The story's been the same for Notre Dame under Charlie Weis: play an elite team and get thoroughly manhandled. Weis' offensive prowess has been unable to compensate for weak defenses. Last night JaMarcus Russell and friends sieved through the defense to the tune of 41 points. Playing close to home at the Louisiana Superdome, Russell put on a grand show. He threw for over 300 yards with 2 scores, along with a rushing touchdown. After the whirlwind year and a half that the boys in the Bayou experienced, it was only fitting that Russell led the way. In the immediate aftermath of the storm, the LSU gymnasium hosted many refugees. Several more found shelter in Russell's small off-campus apartment. At times over 20 people were housed in his apartment as Russell went above and beyond the call of duty. With his performance last night, the next place he calls home will be able to fit many more than that.

One of the interesting sub-plots to last night's game featured the tale of two quarterbacks. Notre Dame's Brady Quinn, the early season favorite for the Heisman and presumed top pick in the NFL draft, has come in to his own under QB guru Weis. He's got the size, arm strength, and accuracy that have NFL scouts salivating. However, he's shown an inability to handle pressure. Teams that came and smacked him the mouth (Michigan and Georgia Tech), he struggled mightily with. Facing a quick defense last night, Brady completed well under 50% of his passes along with two interceptions. LSU's JaMarcus Russell has had his share of ups and downs. In his time as a starter he's been replaced for ineffectiveness, but recently has gotten all the validation he needs. After last night's win Coach Les Miles said, "I just think. I have the best quarterback in the country right now." One of the best for sure, and also one of the biggest. Russell is a beast. He's listed at 6'6, 257 pounds. Even at his size he can make plays with his feet and last night showed a tremendous ability to get the ball downfield. One game doesn't make or break one's draft status, but Russell certainly closed a lot of ground last night. If he decides to declare himself eligible for the draft, the Sugar Bowl showdown won't be the last we've heard of "Quinn vs. Russell".