LSU Football: Why Rueben Randle Continues to Be the Forgotten Man

Here is a question to ponder over when thinking about the NFL: How good would Calvin Johnson have been in college if he had someone like Andrew Luck throwing him the football?

Of course that is a hypothetical question, and of course LSU receiver Rueben Randle is not Calvin Johnson.

But when it comes to thinking about LSU's offense this season and singling out one player on that offense who could be the biggest X-factor in this year's National Championship Game, it has to be Rueben Randle.

Randle has enjoyed a brilliant junior season, but his chances and opportunities have been limited because he hasn't had a top-tier quarterback throwing him the ball. That, and the fact that he plays in a run-first offense, which has no problem with running the ball 40-plus times a game—simply because Les Miles knows that his defense is better than the opponent he is facing.

But just how good would Randle be if he had an elite quarterback throwing him the ball? Actually, more importantly, how good can he be if the Tigers make it a conscious effort to get their top receiver as many touches as possible in the BCS National Championship Game?

Randle had a team-best 50 receptions this season for 904 yards. He hauled in eight touchdown passes this season, a number that could have increased greatly if the Tigers were more committed to the pass.

In comparison, Andrew Luck's top pass-catcher was tight end Coby Fleener, who had 648 yards and 10 touchdowns. The numbers are slightly comparable to Randle's, but these two players aren't even in the same universe as far as talent goes.

If LSU wants to win this game, it might not be a poor decision to try and get their top playmaker the ball as often as possible.

I don't think the college football world wants to see another 9-6 thriller.