LSU Football: Zach Mettenberger Must Continue to Show Tenacity This Offseason

It goes without saying—but I'll say it anyway—that the quarterback position has been a sore spot at LSU ever since Ryan Perrilloux was dismissed before the 2008 season. That frustration came to a boiling point on January 9, when LSU's offense almost completely stalled out on college football's biggest stage.

Enter: Zach Mettenberger.

The former Georgia quarterback found his way to Baton Rouge by way of Butler Community College (El Dorado, Kan.), and is making his presence felt.  

In LSU's scrimmage over the weekend, Mettenberger reportedly went toe-to-toe with some of LSU's defensive linemen.  How's that for leadership?

Wide receiver Russell Shepard was apparently impressed.

It wasn't the first time Mettenberger went-toe-to-toe with his competition. In the spring of 2010, he battled then-redshirt freshman Aaron Murray all the way through the spring game for Georgia's starting quarterback role. Immaturity, and a subsequent arrest, eventually led to his dismissal from the Georgia program.  

By all accounts, he's not just the quarterback of the LSU Tigers, but he's the leader, which is a far cry from where he was just two years ago.

Mettenberger will rely on Shepard and Odell Beckham, Jr. as his primary targets in 2012, both of whom have boat loads of potential. A running game is a quarterback's best friend. Spencer Ware, Kenny Hilliard, Alfred Blue and Michael Ford are all top-tier running backs, so Mettenberger should be able to ease in to the quarterback role much like Alabama did with quarterback AJ McCarron last season.  

Mettenberger has the talent, and by all accounts, he has gained the maturity. The combination of the two has LSU fans excited about the quarterback position for the first time in a long time.