| 28 June 2011
This is the first in an eleven part series where we'll preview the 2011 Tiger football team. I will take a look at the 2011 Tigers through a series of 11 questions, and each question will focus on a different position group. I will also do a quick two-year analysis of LSU's roster for that position.
Will Jordan Jefferson Play Well and Hold Off Zach Mettenberger?
This LSU football team seems poised to have a big season. After all, the BCS Championship Game is being played in New Orleans and the last two times the crystal has come through the Superdome, LSU has taken it home. But questions remain at the most important position on the field and those questions appear to be the only obstacle, or certainly the biggest, to the Tigers' chances at big-time success this fall.
We all know that Jordan Jefferson turned in several pathetic performances in the first part of 2010. I see no reason to rehash all of that. However, Jefferson did rebound and play fairly well down the stretch. In the last four games of 2010 against BCS conference opponents, Jefferson averaged:
49 of 76 (64.4%)
737 yards (184.25 yards per game)
5 TD
2 INT
9.70 yards per attempt
173 rushing yards (43.25 rushing yards per game)
That's not going to win him the Heisman, but numbers like that will win a lot of games for LSU. People seem to forget that Jefferson was horrible for only part of 2010.
Les Miles and new offensive coordinator Steve Kragthorpe took that sliver of optimism and worked with it all spring. Miles told us about the great strides that Jefferson made under Kragthorpe and how much improvement he made. Jefferson stated many times that he found a new focus, aided by the addition of the nation's top junior college quarterback, Zach Mettenberger. But then in the spring game, Jefferson completed just four passes in 14 attempts and threw an interception. Kragthorpe has a good reputation for working with quarterbacks, and he'll earn his money if he can turn Jefferson into a competent passer.
In my opinion, the style of offense we saw last spring was a pretty good indication of where the coaches have invested for the 2011 offense. In the spring game and in practice clips, we saw a lot of zone-read and traditional option plays. LSU has three quarterbacks on the roster who are expected to compete for any significant playing time. Only one of them has any business running those plays. I saw several clips from practice where Zach Mettenberger and Jarrett Lee were running option plays. Certainly, the staff has no intentions of actually running the option with either of those two. The point of those drills was to give reps to the running backs, who will be operating in an offense that utilizes those plays. In other words, the staff is investing time and preparing to play the 2011 season with Jordan Jefferson running the offense.
That should not be too unexpected. But it could mean that if Jefferson plays poorly, the staff will be tentative on replacing him as the primary quarterback.
So the answer to the original question posed above could actually be two-fold. Jefferson may not play well, but he still may not be immediately replaced by Mettenberger. That scenario would enrage the fan base, but I have a hunch the staff is dug in for a "stay the course" mentality with Jefferson. They obviously believe Jefferson presents the best opportunity to win, and one bad game is not likely to change that.
As for Mettenberger, he's clearly the best passer on the team right now. He made some throws in the spring game that LSU fans have not seen since Jamarcus Russell. The guy can sling it. And with an eye towards 2012 and beyond, I believe the coaching staff will be very careful to not throw him out there if he's not ready. I'm sure they remember the shell shock that Jarrett Lee suffered 2008 which he never really recovered from. But if things get real bad with Jefferson, the staff will not have a choice.
At the same time, with the same eye looking towards 2012, they will want to get Mettenberger some meaningful playing time so that he has some experience for the future. How the coaches will strike the balance between getting him experience and protecting him remains to be seen. In a perfect world, Jefferson will play well and Mettenberger may get a series here and there each week while playing significant minutes against Northwestern State and Western Kentucky.
Where does Jarrett Lee fit in? Does he fit in? Barring injury, it's tough to see Lee finding a role on this team. If Jefferson again struggles passing the football, it makes sense for Mettenberger to perform Lee's role from 2010. He's probably a better passer than Lee and that experience would prove more beneficial for the future.
Two-Year Position Outlook: Quarterback
It's no secret that LSU has had their issues at the quarterback position for the last three years. But at least from a numbers standpoint, the immediate future looks much brighter.
2011
Jordan Jefferson (Sr)
Jarrett Lee (Sr)
Zach Mettenberger (So)
Jerrard Randall (Fr)
Stephen Rivers (Fr)
All eyes will be on the quarterback position in 2011. It is the biggest question mark on a team that otherwise seems ready to make a run at a championship. The coaching staff seems ready to go to battle with Jordan Jefferson and his versatility. But if he struggles, the calls for Zach Mettenberger will be quite loud. Jarrett Lee is a bit of a wildcard. Some speculate that he may transfer at some point this summer. But if not, perhaps he is the first off the bench to spell Jefferson instead of Mettenberger. Randall and Rivers will likely both redshirt, but Randall has a chance to see the field in certain sets due to his athleticism and running ability. Early reports from summer workouts are that Randall has been extremely impressive.
2012
Zach Mettenberger (Jr)
Jerrard Randall (Fr)
Stephen Rivers (Fr)
In 2012, things clear up a bit. Zach Mettenberger will likely be the clear starter heading into next spring. I'm projecting that both Rivers and Randall will both redshirt in 2011. Regardless, both guys will be competing to back up Mettenberger. I also expect LSU to sign at least one quarterback in the Class of 2012, so they'll be competing as well when they show up next summer. Randall once again looks like the most likely to receive significant time in 2012 as a runner and change of pace guy.
