Attention All LSU Faithful: Stop Using Jarrett Lee As Your Scapegoat

The 2007 football season has been a rough one for the LSU football team, and perhaps even rougher for their fans.

So far LSU is 6-3 this season, with all three losses being to the upper tier teams of the SEC. It started with an embarrassing 51-21 loss at the Swamp, followed by a 52-38 loss in a shootout against Georgia, and the latest defeat came in heartbreaking fashion to Alabama.

Reading many articles on Bleacher Report before the season, I noticed most LSU fans expected to win the SEC West this year and even the SEC Championship game—something even the star-studded 2006 squad couldn't do.

Most of the preseason talk consisted of the quarterback position because that was their biggest glaring weakness. All Jarrett Lee needed to do was manage the game and not make mistakes. Of course, he has made plenty of mistakes and has become the prime target for fans' criticism.

However, it's time to face the facts and admit LSU's real problem...defense.

Their run defense is just plain bad. Against Florida they gave up 265 yards rushing at 6.5 yards a carry.

Against Georgia they gave up 194 yards rushing at 6.0 yards a carry.

Again, against Alabama they gave up 132 yards on 4.2 yards a carry.

Where is the vaunted LSU defense from a year ago? I believe I know the answer—they are all in the NFL.

The front four for LSU was supposed to be one of the best in the nation, but they have been anything but. Not only are they allowing big yards on the ground, they can't produce any sacks either. In those same three games they have only produced three sacks in 78 chances.

Apparently Glenn Dorsey is a bigger loss than most LSU fans expected. Don't forget he was the best defensive player in the country last year.

The pass defense hasn't been much better either. In those same three games LSU is giving up 225 yards through the air, and both Stafford and Tebow completed more than 65 percent of their passes. John Parker Wilson didn't do as well, but he also isn't nearly as talented as the aforementioned QBs.

LSU can't find anyone to stop the other team's go-to receiver. Percy Harvin had 112 yards and two TDs, A.J. Green had 89 yards and one TD, and Julio Jones had 128 yards.

Whoever was guarding Jones yesterday just got abused all game long, and this is by a true freshman.

Chevis Jackson and Jonathan Zenon never would have allowed that to happen.

LSU has only gotten five interceptions all year.

Overall LSU is ranked in the bottom fourth of the SEC in total defense.

Has Jarrett Lee played well this year? No, but he's played about as well as a redshirt freshman can in the SEC. Even Mathew Stafford, who will probably be a top 10 pick in the NFL Draft, threw just seven TDs and 13 INTs his freshman year.

It's so easy to blame the quarterback when things go wrong, but let's face the facts. LSU's defense is to blame for their mediocre season.