LSU loaded with returnees in 2015
September 2, 2015
Houma native looking for more in junior season
September 2, 2015
LSU football coach Les Miles isn’t yet ready to admit it, but it surely looks like the Brandon Harris Era is about to begin in Baton Rouge.
Reports out of LSU’s summer practices indicate that Harris is getting most of the snaps with the first-team offense, which would seemingly indicate that he will be the team’s starter when the season begins on Sept. 5 against McNeese State.
Miles continues to pick and choose his words wisely, explaining that no decision will be made until September begins.
The coach has said repeatedly throughout the offseason that he believes in both Harris and junior and 2014 starter Anthony Jennings, adding that LSU will be significantly better in 2015 – no matter its starter.
“Our quarterback play will be better – legitimately better,” Miles said at SEC Media Days. “There’s been some things that we’ve done to kind-of script and hone in to make their skills and abilities more evident. I think we’ll get really improved quarterback play this fall.”
But it sure looks like it’ll be Harris who’ll take the first snap.
The sophomore became LSU’s starter by default over the summer when Jennings was suspended for an offseason arrest after he and other teammates allegedly broke into a Baton Rouge apartment.
With Jennings unavailable, Harris got 100 percent of the reps this summer, which allowed him to build chemistry with returning receivers like Travin Dural, Malachi Dupre and Trey Quinn. It also allowed Harris to earn a better grasp of the playbook – something that Miles and other coaches have hinted was something that kept Harris off the field this past season.
Harris showed flashes in 2014 and completed 25-of-45 passes with six touchdowns and two interceptions, while also rushing for 159 yards and three touchdowns. He parlayed that season into a strong spring where he reportedly pushed even with Jennings on the depth chart – even before the arrest. But that lack of understanding of the LSU system and personnel was a driving force that led to Miles continuing to keep Jennings as the team’s starter last season – even if coaches knew that Harris had more potential to be a great SEC quarterback than Jennings.
With charges against Jennings dropped and the Tigers’ 2014 starter now legally cleared to play, most thought that Harris would drop back to his role as backup. But that’s not been the case.
Miles and the LSU offensive staff have been so impressed with Harris’ progression that he’s remained with the first-team offense throughout the start of fall camp.
Teammates are seemingly rallying around Harris as their leader, showing respect for the hard work that he’s put in throughout the summer to perfect his craft.
“He’s been outstanding – almost flawless,” Dural said when asked about Harris working with the first-team. “He has better command of our reads, and he’s doing a better job getting us where we need to go.”
Miles said that’s exactly what the Tigers need, and is something that he’s been searching for since Zach Mettenberger was drafted to the NFL.
The coach said he held one-on-one meetings with both quarterbacks at the start of fall practice, and challenged each to be better in 2015.
“I challenged the room,” Miles said. “Whoever is our quarterback, he should be a dominant player and somebody that is looking to serve the team and serve the receivers and serve the offense.”
And even if that guy is Harris, Miles is letting it be known that the Tigers aren’t giving up on Jennings, either.
No matter who LSU’s starter is in 2015, the other player will be heavily relied upon to be the backup quarterback – a guy who could see the field in an offense that sometimes plays more than one player.
Miles said that Jennings has progressed in the offseason and is better than he’s ever been, too, which is likely why Miles has been so hesitant to commit to one player over the other as starter.
“I’m not that guy that’s going to make an early decision,” Miles said this week when asked about naming a starter. “Like today – both guys made progress on this day. That’s just the way that it is.”
But for the time being, it looks LSU will be in better shape under center in 2015 than it was in 2014 – at least if one is to believe what coaches and players are saying at training camp.
On paper, it looks like Harris will be the guy, though Jennings is improved, as well.
Fans will take just about anything at this point – as long as it’s not a repeat of last season. Miles said it won’t be, and that the Tigers’ quarterbacks are ready to impress.
“They’re night and day (better) in how they’ve continued to evolve,” Miles said. “We’ll have better QB play.
“I promise it. We’ll be better.”
