LSU will count on youth to lead at quarterback

Spring practice is underway at LSU, and so is the battle for the starting quarterback job vacated by Zach Mettenberger.

If the job goes to anyone but sophomore-to-be Anthony Jennings, it will be either an upset or because of injury.

Freshman Brandon Harris of Parkway enrolled in January in time for spring practice. He is considered to be Jennings’ top competition. A true freshman starting from the opening whistle is rare in the SEC.

At Tennessee, Peyton Manning got the job only after injuries to Todd Helton and Gerry Colquitt. Erik Ainge later broke Manning’s touchdown pass mark for a true freshman with 17. Eli Manning redshirted at Ole Miss. So did Aaron Murray at Georgia and A.J. McCarron at Alabama.

Tim Tebow got spot duty at Florida as a true freshman. One of the most successful stints ever by a true freshman was by Mitch Mustain at Arkansas. In the midst of a 50-14 season-opening loss to USC, Mustain entered the game. He was then 8-0 as a starter before somehow losing his job to Casey Dick. Mustain then transferred.

Jennings, who was an unimpressive 7 of 19 for 82 yards and an interception against Iowa in the Outback Bowl, is the clear favorite.

The fallout from not having solid quarterback play in the SEC can send a program spiraling downward. In 2010, Cam Newton led Auburn to the BCS Championship. Two years later, Auburn changed coaches. And, with junior college quarterback Nick Marshall leading the way, Auburn reached the final BCS Championship Game.

If Jennings or Harris wins the job and performs at a very high level, chances are the backup will transfer.

In college football, those like Matt Flynn will be rare birds indeed. Flynn waited patiently, and as a fifth-year senior and first-year starter, he led LSU to the 2007 BCS Championship.

Transferring quarterbacks have been key to the success of LSU since Nick Saban arrived in 2000. Matt Mauck left professional baseball to join the Tigers and redshirted in 2000. One year later, Mauck came off the bench to replace an injured Rohan Davey as LSU upset Tennessee in the 2001 SEC championship. Two years later, Mauck was the starter as LSU won the BCS title.

So, a transient world has filtered down to the most important position in college football. This spring or fall at LSU, one quarterback will win the job.

And, the others will then likely be “weighing their options.”

Ed Daniels is sports director of ABC26 WGNO. He can be reached at edaniels@clarionherald.org.