LSU Begins The Home Slate Against Mississippi State: Questions Still Abound

Saturday Nights in Death Valley are one of "the" events in college football.  Analysts, opposing coaches and players will tell you that it is one of the most unique and difficult environments to play in due to the ferocity of the unrelenting LSU faithful.  This Saturday, September the 18th, will be like any other as the LSU faithful have been anxiously awaiting the return of their beloved (2-0) Tigers to Baton Rouge.  Dreams and Hopes of an SEC championship are still in play for both the team and Tiger nation, but just like many teams, if not all, questions remain to be answered, namely those relating directly to the Tiger offense.

While the Tigers are averaging a respectable 28.5 points per game, and outscoring their previous two opponents by a combined score of 57-27, the points have lacked the style points which have been displayed by many of their SEC and college football counterparts.  The Tigers offensive points have come at a slow and steady pace, save the talents of uber-athletes Russel Sheppard, Patrick Peterson, and Reuben Randle, thanks in part to a suddenly found running game behind a patchwork offensive line, that lost starting guard Will Blackwell on the first offensive series against UNC.  In fact, the Tigers offense has developed an offensive mentality known as "3 yards and a cloud of dust", remnant of the glory days of Big Ten football which was led by legendary coaches such as Woody Hayes, Bo Schlembecker, and Joe Paterno.

The problem for Tiger nation, is that many realize that college football has evolved into a beast of it's own, complete with spread offenses, 5 wide sets, and big plays that grace highlight reels across the nation; and for LSU, being one of only two programs to hold BCS Championships, the offense is expected to due the same with an offensive coordinator whom has long been referred to as "The Wizard".  These simple truths have caused rampant speculation and criticism in Baton Rouge and throughout Louisiana directed at not only Head Coach Les Miles and Offensive Coordinator Gary Crowton, but towards Junior Quarterback Jordan Jefferson as well.

Jefferson, who is in the beginning of his second full season as the starting quarterback, has not progressed as quickly as many fans and media pundits have expected leading Les Miles to answer constant questions regarding the quarterback position at his most recent weekly press conference.

Many of these questions revolved around the play of Jefferson, but more and more the questions began to rise about the possibility of the reemergence of backup quarterback Jarrett Lee.  Miles, responded quickly to the questions in his usual "difficult to translate" coach speak.  While not ruling out the possibility of Jarrett Lee performing, Miles was quick to reassure that Jefferson was the starting QB going into the home opener against the Mississippi State Bulldogs.

While many fans are becoming increasingly restless, the truth is that Jefferson, who is 2nd in wins among SEC active Quarterbacks, deserves the opportunity to prove he is the starting Quarterback for the Tigers.  With that being said, this is "the" make or break game for the struggling Jefferson.

A strong performance against an improving Mississippi Sate team, could help to erase concerns about the position, while another poor performance could force Miles to elevate the fallen Jarrett Lee back into the starting position.  A loss to Mississippi State, would force a complete shake up as well.

The Tigers coaching staff will present Jefferson every opportunity for to succeed while putting a majority of the offense in the hands of their talented stable of running backs led by the emerging Stevan Ridley, and control the flow of the opponents game using Defensive Coordinator John Chavis' dominant defense.

The game plan will play out on Saturday night among 93,000 plus rabid Tiger faithful, as there is a growing feeling that the 2010 Tigers can unseat the 2009 National Champion Alabama Crimson Tide if the offense can find it's rhythm.  For the Tiger Faithful, they know one thing that all SEC fans know:  with an efficient offense and a stifling defense, an SEC team can win not only the SEC, but a prize bigger as well.  Thanks to the likes of Patrick Peterson, Drake Nevis, and Kelvin Sheppard, the Tigers have that defense, and in the SEC defense is still king.