Miles: LSU is just fine at quarterback

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Les Miles thinks the Tigers’ quarterbacks will be just fine this fall.


Miles was asked about his signal callers repeatedly during his 30 minute press conference this week at the Southeastern Conference’s preseason media day event, continually touting his excitement about both sophomore Brandon Harris and even currently suspended Anthony Jennings – a player Miles said he expects to be with the team this fall.

Miles said that no decision has been made regarding a starter, but added that he fully expects the team’s passing game to improve from the struggles of 2014 when the Tigers were near the bottom of the conference in nearly every offensive category.

“Brandon Harris has gotten most of the summer work, and I think he has really improved,” Miles said. “I think I’m confident in both guys, and I think competition will end up making the call there as to who will start…. I think we’re nothing but improved at the quarterback spot.”


One would think that Harris is the man to beat for the job.

A prized recruit out of Parkway High School, Harris played in eight games last season as a true freshman, enjoying moderate success.

Harris completed 25-of-42 passes for 452 yards and six touchdowns. As a runner, he carried the ball 26 times for 159 yards and three scores.


Miles said that Harris has improved throughout the summer, benefitting from the extra reps he’s received with Jennings’ suspension, which stems from a summer arrest for unauthorized entry of a dwelling.

But the coach also said that Harris needs to get a better grasp of LSU’s system so that he can control the Tigers’ offense in a more productive way – much like Zach Mettenberger and some of the other great quarterbacks in the school’s history have done.

“Every time that a quarterback steps under center, he is a game manager,” Miles said. “The game manager has to handle the play called, has to get the ball to the right guy and has to make sure that we’re not taking a chance to turn it over. We’re not just slinging it around the yard here. We’re not just tossing it around. We’re doing those things that we’ve been coached and expected to do. (If they) do that, (they) will have a greater opportunity to be the starting quarterback at any school, and certainly at LSU.”


But Miles said the players around LSU’s quarterbacks are also better in 2015, which should make Harris and Jennings’ jobs easier.

In the running game, the Tigers return All-Everything sophomore halfback Leonard Fournette, who rushed for an LSU all-time freshman record 1,034 yards and 10 touchdowns last season.

Miles praised Fournette’s work ethic and desire to be great, touting that he’s already a role model player in the program, despite being just in his second year.


“He’s one of those guys that’s a hard worker,” Miles said. “He’s quiet, does not speak much, but is truly a leader on our team. He’s a guy that does the work in the classroom, does the work in the weight room and when we talk about what our team goals are and the direction of this team, he’s the guy that’s integral to those thoughts.”

Because of the lofty praise that he’s received, many experts think Fournette is among the favorites to win the Heisman Trophy.

But when asked about that during the week, Fournette said he’s only focused on team-related success. The halfback joked that he’s not yet a big star, bragging instead about the slacks he picked up on the sales rack at the Baton Rouge mall.


“These pants were $6.99 at Dillard’s. Ya’ll can buy them, too,” Fournette said with a laugh to media members. “I’m not focused on the Heisman. At the end of the day, the National Champions wins the championship wins the trophy for the team. That’s my main goal.”

At receiver, the Tigers return contributors like Travin Dural, Malachi Dupre, John Diarse, Trey Quinn and D.J. Chark – all guys with in-game experience.

Along the offensive line, Vadal Alexander, Ethan Pocic and Jerald Hawkins are back, which should allow LSU to continue the run-first mantra that they’ve created in Miles’ tenure.


Alexander said he also can’t wait to see how someone of the team’s younger linemen blossom, adding that he thinks the group is among the deepest in America.

“We’re extremely talented,” Alexander said. “Apart from the returning starters, we have a lot of young, talented guys like Will Clapp, Joshua Boutte, Garrett Brumfield and others. We have a lot of big recruited guys and they’re really coming along in the offense. It should be interesting to see who gets the jobs.”

But for LSU fans to have any sense of calmness, they must see better play out of those quarterbacks. To them, that’s all that matters.


For another fall, it will be Harris and Jennings at the helm.

And Les Miles, at least, is completely OK with that.

“We have a guy who’s started eight games or so, and we have a guy that’s been around it now and played through two springs and has been through a fall,” Miles said. “Our quarterback play will be better – legitimately better. There’s been some things that we’ve done to kind-of script and tone their skills to make their abilities more evident. (Because of that), I think we’ll get really improved quarterback play.”


LSU football coach Les Miles talks to reporters during SEC Preseason Media Day. During his 30-mlnute press conference, Miles said that the Tigers will be fine at quarterback, despite not having a set starter under center.

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