Jordan Jefferson Has No Excuses

Why couldn't Brees be a Tiger for one game?
Photo via NFL Trade Rumors

Sorry for the delay on another post. Life has been difficult with media appearances, school work, life and movies starring Gina Carano. 


I am not a former quarterback or a professional talent evaluator at the position. I have never played the position outside of football camps or in the sandlot. While quarterback is the most glamourous position in sports, it is also the hardest. 

There is so much that needs to go right in order to play quarterback at any level. Do you have the weapons surrounding? Do you have the protection from the big men up front? Are you in the right scheme with a consistent playcalling? Can you handle pressure? How do you react to the good, bad and ugly? Do you have the work ethic? Can you rip apart film and then apply it to your abilities on the field?

As I began to type this column (which was weeks ago), Saints superstar quarterback Drew Brees tweeted he had arrived in San Francisco for their playoff game showdown versus the 49ers. Here is the Tweet...

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BCS National Championship Film Study -- Would LSU Quarterback Jarrett Lee Have Made a Difference? (Part III)

LSU fans shared this same look as Gary Coleman on Jan. 9th
Photo via Black Sports Online

Here is Part I & Part II of the "Would Jarrett Lee Have Made a Difference" film study. I highly advise you read Part II, because it plays a big role in this column. 


LSU fans had hope. 

Struggling quarterback Jordan Jefferson fired a dart, complete to Odell Beckaham Jr. for 19 yards. This was LSU's longest play of the evening, showing the slightest glimpse of optimism for the offense against the wild, raging bulls wearing Crimson on the other side of the ball. 

The LSU offense would struggle to create any offense after that. They only had one play go for over ten yards for the rest of the game. But on this completion to Beckham Jr., there was a cheer of relief amongst the LSU fans. There wasn't much cheering on January 9th, 2012. 


But if you don't like bad news, quit reading this column. This was actually LSU's MOST FRUSTRATING offensive play of the night, as it summed up quarterbacking play of the last four years...never too bad, never too good, but definitely never elite. 

I know what you are thinking..." HOW CAN THIS BE THE 'MOST FRUSTRATING' PLAY OF THE NIGHT? WE ACTUALLY DID SOMETHING POSITIVE! I DIDN'T HAVE TO HEAR 'ROLL TIDE.'" It seems and sounds stupid. You probably have the same face as my friend Gary Coleman in the picture above after reading what I wrote in the previous paragraph.


What I always remind people of is that stats don't lie, but they can deceive. Film never lies or deceive. Let's roll this beautiful bean footage and I'll show you what I'm talking about....

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BCS National Championship Film Study -- Would LSU Quarterback Jarrett Lee Have Made a Difference? (Part II)

Beckham Jr. and the offense failed to make explosive plays.
Photo via Washington Post

To read Part I of the "Would LSU Quarterback Jarrett Lee Have Made a Difference?" film study, click here. 


WARNING LSU FANS: WHAT YOU ARE ABOUT TO READ WILL BE TOUGH TO SWALLOW.

LSU missed a golden opportunity to score a touchdown on either of their first two offensive plays of the first half. Or, in a more joking manner, a golden opportunity to get past the 50 yard line. 

Now before I begin, I believe the toughest position to evaluate is quarterback. I think quarterbacks can only be evaluated by former quarterbacks and professional talent evaluators. Outside of football camp and sandlot pickup, I have never played the position. But because this Jefferson and Lee controversy is so rampant here in Baton Rouge, I decided to give it my best shot. But I am a better evaluator of the front seven and the running game.  

Much was made after the game by the horrendous play calling by coach Greg Studwara, Les Miles and the LSU coaching staff. But these next few film sessions might help open your eyes to show that the execution wasn't the best either.


LSU was effective on Nov. 5 with two plays against Alabama. The first was the option, which Alabama crushed to perfection in the first half in the championship game. But the other was with straight vertical passing routes, which LSU didn't do enough of in this game (as "The Cajun Cannon" pointed out).


After watching the tape, it seems as if the LSU coaching staff was saving the vertical passing plays to come with in the third quarter, which makes sense. They figured Alabama would come out compared for it, so they probably wanted to lull them to sleep and then hit them with deep ones coming out in the third quarter. If history means anything, Alabama avoided near collapse in their last National Championship game versus Texas when the Longhorns began their comeback in the third quarter.  

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LSU Versus Alabama Film Study -- The Tigers Continue Their First Drive

LSU WR Randle battled CB Menzie all game on Nov. 5.
Photo via Naples News

This piece is a part of the "LSU Versus Alabama Film Study." To read the opening piece on the ultimate reason why Alabama lost to LSU, click here. Here is Part I & Part II of Alabama's first offensive drive. Here is the first part of the LSU offense. 

                                                                        Play #9

Jarrett Lee to Odell Beckham Jr. for 13 yards. 

Fantastic play call by LSU offensive coordinator Greg Studwara after a great run on first down. Alabama crowded the line of scrimmage, Rueben Randle goes into motion and stops right next to right tackle Alex Hurst. 


Hurst, like he did on the first play, gets beat at the line of scrimmage by Courtney Upshaw off the snap. While pass protection everywhere else was good on the play for LSU, Upshaw gets to Lee quickly. 


Beckham has been fantastic all year on intermediate routes, especially when Lee has been in at quarterback. He is sharp getting in and out of breaks and does a great job not giving away his route to the defensive back. In this case, the defensive back was Coaches All-American cornerback DeQuan Menzie.


Lee does a great of getting rid of the football before Upshaw is able to get to him.  

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Jarrett Lee is the Offensive MVP After Four Games

The LSU Tigers are the No.1 team in college football after today's new AP Poll was released. 

Lee has been on point for the Tigers this season.
Photo via LSU Hub 

With the Tigers beating three ranked opponents away from home this year on national television, it comes to a surprise to nobody. And the Bayou Bengals has been stifling, led by National Players of the Week Tyrann Mathieu and Morris Claiborne.

The offense has been efficient. The rushing attack behind the offensive line has been dominant at the line of scrimmage. 

But the Most Valuable Player for the Tigers offense has been quarterback Jarrett Lee. 

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