LSU Football: Does LSU Quarterback Jordan Jefferson Deserve His Job Back?

So far this season, No. 3 LSU hasn’t missed a beat without starting quarterback Jordan Jefferson, who was suspended from the team after being arrested and charged with second degree battery charges for his role in a Baton Rouge bar fight back in August.

The Tigers have already beaten two ranked teams early in the season and they’ve got their sights set on beating a third, West Virginia, this week.

The team has relied on the strong play of its dominant defense, and while the offense hasn’t been overwhelmingly impressive, at the very least, it’s been efficient.

Jefferson’s replacement, Jarrett Lee, has been a quality game-manager, completing 67 percent of his passes and only tossing one pick.

Lee is certainly not the same caliber of athlete that Jefferson is, and you can tell that the mobile part of Jefferson’s game has been missed, but you can’t argue with results.

Lee’s gotten it done and he’s 3-0. However, does that mean he should keep his job if Jefferson returns to the team?

A lot of it depends on when Jefferson returns, and where the team stands at that point.

If the team is undefeated and rolling like a freight train, then no, you can’t mess with that type of cohesion—but if the Tigers drop a game or two along the way and Lee struggles, then Les Miles has to give Jefferson a shot and see if he can get the team back on track.

Jefferson showed some promise towards the end of last season, and in the spring and it appeared that he was finally ready to put it all together and make the most of his physical gifts.

It’s a shame that he risked throwing away his senior season with his actions on that August night, but if Jefferson is acquitted of all charges and welcomed back to the team, he at least deserves the chance to shake off the rust and win his starting job back.