Why Gunner Kiel Won't Take Away the LSU Starting QB Job From Zach Mettenberger

After an awful offensive performance in the BCS championship game, LSU will now have a few questions that need to be answered on the offensive side of the ball this offseason, especially at quarterback. The top two players on the depth chart, Jordan Jefferson and Jarrett Lee, will both be gone.

After Jefferson's terrible showing against Alabama, LSU fans will probably be happy to see him go. But breaking in a new quarterback is always a bit of a scary thought because you never quite know what you're going to get.

Right now, it looks like Jefferson's replacement is set to be former Georgia QB Zach Mettenberger, who transferred to LSU from the JUCO ranks a year ago.

Mettenberger has all the skills and tools you're looking for in a starting quarterback, and he's a much better pure passer than either Lee or Jefferson.

But many are expecting him to be pushed by incoming freshman sensation Gunner Kiel, the No. 1 quarterback prospect in the country, who committed to LSU in December.

The Mettenberger-Kiel quarterback battle should be one of the most interesting story lines to monitor this offseason, but here's a look at why Mettenberger will likely prevail by the time the season rolls around. 

Les Miles Can’t Afford to Make a Mistake at Quarterback

LSU coach Les Miles has been getting hammered by fans and media members these past few days for his handling of the quarterback situation in the BCS championship game, as he failed to replace a struggling, ineffective Jordan Jefferson with Jarrett Lee. 

Miles knows he's now opened himself up for criticism this offseason, and he realizes that he can't make a mistake at the quarterback position. 

That's why he's most likely to go with an experienced veteran like Zach Mettenberger, instead of an unproven freshman like Gunner Kiel. 

The LSU coaching staff knows what they have in Mettenberger after seeing him in practice this past year, but they still will have to see how Kiel ultimately performs and how quickly he can pick up the offensive system.

Zach Mettenberger’s Already Had a Year in the System

Zach Mettenberger's had a long, strange journey these past few years. 

After signing with Georgia as one of the top-rated quarterback recruits in the country coming out of Georgia's Oconee County high school, the former four-star prospect was booted from the Bulldogs by coach Mark Richt after being arrested and charged with sexual battery. 

From there, he ended up at Butler County Community College, where he led the team to an 11-1 record and became one of the top JUCO recruits in the country. 

Mettenberger's now been with LSU for a year, and he's got a good grasp on the system and the team. 

While he rarely saw much game action in 2011, Mettenberger's had the opportunity to work with the offense in practice and get a good feel for the system. 

Gunner Kiel may be enrolling early at LSU, but a few spring practices won't be enough for him to gain significant ground on Mettenberger, who should have a definitive experience edge going into Fall camp.

Steve Kragthorpe Believes in Zach Mettenberger

In an article written by David Pachall in the Times Free Press, LSU quarterbacks coach and former offensive coordinator Steve Kragthorpe had this to say about Zach Mettenberger:

"He will have been in our program for a year and a half going into next season, and that's one of the reasons I want to stay. I want to coach him, because I think he has a comfort level with me and I have a comfort level with him. He doesn't need another change."

Kragthorpe is sadly battling Parkinson's Disease, but he believes in Mettenberger enough to come back and stick with LSU in order to see if he can develop the rising junior signal-caller into something special. 

Kragthorpe obviously knows that Mettenberger has the potential to be a great quarterback, and he wants the chance to mold him and make him into one of the SEC's top passers.