Cameron responsible for Tigers’ offensive punch

    Even though LSU lost at Georgia, the timing could not be better for a Tiger offensive explosion.
    Three elite talents play in the metro area. They all play offense. All three couldn’t go wrong if they went to LSU. And, there’s absolutely no way anyone could say that a year ago.
    If Curtis wide receiver Malachi Dupre, St. Aug running back Leonard Fournette and Karr quarterback/athlete Speedy Noil had reservations about playing at LSU, they should be gone.
    On national signing day in February 2001, De La Salle defensive lineman Marquise Hill stood at a podium in the school cafeteria and said the following: “I chose LSU because Pete Jenkins (LSU defensive line coach) can get me to the league (NFL).”
    Three years later, Hill left school a year early and was drafted in the second round by the New England Patriots.
    Now, the same can be said of LSU offensive coordinator Cam Cameron. His fingerprints are all over one of the best offensive fixes in college football.
    In 2012, Zach Mettenberger was sacked 32 times. Through the first five games of 2013, Mettenberger was sacked eight times. He’s no longer holding the football. His signature throw this season was a 25-yard completion against Georgia on third-and-22.
    That throw and catch kept LSU’s drive alive as the Tigers took the lead in the fourth quarter. One year ago, there’s no way Mettenberger would have had the confidence to fit that ball into a tight window.
    Under Cameron’s tutelage, Mettenberger has gone from an enigma to one of the top quarterbacks in the draft class of 2014.
    Through five games, Jarvis Landry had 52 catches, four less than all of last season. Landry had seven touchdown receptions. In the second half against Georgia, Landry’s fierce competitiveness fueled LSU’s comeback. Jarvis Landry won’t be the fastest receiver at a future NFL combine. But there is no arguing his toughness and his ability to make yards after the catch.
    In 2012, Odell Beckham Jr. caught 43 passes, two for touchdowns. In the first five games Beckham had 26 catches, four for touchdowns.
    If you want to argue that Beckham, Landry and Mettenberger were all very good talents before Cam Cameron arrived, you can. But when it comes to production, they are on a different planet in 2013.
    In the meantime, Cameron has quietly gone about his business. He has refused interview requests since the one he did at the start of fall camp on media day. He has smartly stayed in the background and stayed busy.
    But the fruits of his labor are unmistakable. The LSU offense is fun and entertaining.
    What LSU should do by the end of this season is simple. Tear up Cameron’s current contract and give him a raise.
    Ed Daniels is sports director at ABC26 WGNO. He can be reached at edaniels@clarionherald.org.