Expect a breakout year from Jefferson in 2010 and here's why

I agree with this analysis. I'd been thinking about this for a while, the similar situations of Jamarcus Russell and Jordan Jefferson, and someone did the research. I couldn't agree more. The weapons are there, the running game is supposedly now there, and the experience should finally be there. I think Crowton and Jefferson can finally work some magic.

 

I think you are possibly right about the breakout year, but not because of your logic.

Meh. Jamarcus Russell had an amazing team around him that won the MNC the following year and put a large number of players into the NFL via high draft picks over his last season and the next MNC season. (FACT)

I don't think it's arguable at all that Russell was the best QB in even the last ten years, much less ever. Not saying he's not ONE OF the best in recent history. But you said arguable the best ever. (Opinion, but then again, that's all you put out there as well :wink

By the way - can we agree to stop treating JJ like a baby? Enough with the age stuff - most of the football players in Div 1A are either 19 or 20 (FACT)

Rather, I think Jefferson is a good QB with some blood and bruises now (FACT), who can leverage that experience and learn to play the game based on his strengths (and avoiding/negating his weaknesses). Experience is very, very, very important for 99% of folks who need skill to perform their jobs. Jefferson clearly is not in the top 1%, so he now has some experience, which he needed. (FACT)

Plus - he just might have an offensive line that can keep the pressure off of him a little bit more, and can generate the push needed for a reasonable running game. (NOT a FACT....YET :lol

And he's got a more experienced D. Peterson, R. Randle and Shep to run good routes and take the heat off of T. Tolliver. (FACT)

It's about experience and the team. (I think this is also a FACT - but that's my OPINION! :wink

Jefferson definitely has more experience, and probably has a better team this year.

Therefore, I think you might be right! At least I really hope you are!:geaux:

 

he will be better and create more of a vertical passing game.

will it be enough to win the sec? unlikely.


you dont go from worst to first on offense. and we will need to be near the top to win this division and outright conference.

ill take great improvement on offense and second in the west. watching such an inept offense is so painful and just not enjoyable at all. not good entertainment value and makes for a long season. i want to be entertained bitches. sling the rock and mix in some RS every other play.


If we finish strong and win the bowl game im usually good. i hate ending the season on a bad note more than i like finishing 10-2 and then losing. and hey, lets be real. its all about me.

 

More likely JJ and Billy Gonzales in my opinion.

 

I agree wholeheartedly that Crowton has some glaring shortcomings, but I have to ask this of all the ones saying he doesn't develop QBs. How many QBs has he had start more than one year so far while at LSU?

I don't know about his starters at other schools, other than one...Mr. Tim Rattay. I think he progressed in Crowton's system...

opcorn:

 

Also, I heard (completely unconfirmed) that CGC will be on the sidelines this season, instead of in the booth. I believe that will make a difference. If a QB has a bad series/throws a pic/etc..., they don't need to go to the sidelines and have an OL coach try to pep 'em up, tell 'em what they missed, etc..., they need THEIR coach to do it. If reports are accurate, BG will be in the booth getting the bird's eye view and reporting to CGC on the sideline. I bet it works better...

 

If completion percentage was all that mattered, JJ would have been at least 2nd Team All-SEC last year. JJ's 61.5% completion percentage was #2 in the SEC last year (for comparison: the best QB in the SEC right now, projected 1st Round pick Ryan Mallet, was #7 with 55.8%).

Part of the reason JJ's completion percentage was so high was because he tended to err on the side of caution... he tended to be afraid to throw the ball unless it was a low-risk pass. Because of this, he tended to hold on to the ball too long, and then either tuck-and-run or take a sack (and LSU got sacked 35 times last season, 2nd-worst in the SEC). Nothing wrong with JJ's reluctance to throw the ball, in fact, I think we all preferred it more than Jarrett Lee's confident gunslinging that resulted in so many INTs and pick sixes (a lesson not forgotten on JJ as he watched all those interceptions by Lee from the sideline).

Another part of the reason JJ's completion percentage was so high was that the LSU coaches simplified the offense for their young, true sophomore QB last year.

However, because of JJ's reluctance to step up and throw the ball, and because of the simplified offense we ran for our young QB, LSU's whole offense suffered greatly. Opposing defenses stuffed the box, especially on 1st down, which gave our running game no chance. With opposing defenses stuffing the box on LSU, and with the LSU QB holding on to the ball so long in fear of throwing an interception... what might have been the one of the best OLs in recent LSU history was reduced to one of the worse (stuffing the box makes the running game difficult, and the QB holding on to the ball too long makes pass protection difficult).

I'm not optimistic on JJ in 2010 because of his stats, but I am optimistic on JJ because he is now an upperclassman (he is at the beginning of his 3rd year at LSU). At this time last year, JJ had only one year of experience at LSU under his belt. Now he has DOUBLED that experience with two years at LSU under his belt. At this time last year, JJ had only really played in 3 games. Now he has QUINTUPLED that with 15 games under his belt.

Also, I'm encouraged by all the quotes I've read over the last few weeks that make it pretty clear that JJ himself, in addition to his teammates and coaches, have all been stressing that he needs to step up and be a leader at QB (much different from this time last year when all the talk was about JJ just having to be a "game manager"). One of my favorite quotes was how JJ was saying that he is no longer one of the young guys (underclassmen) that is looking up to the older guys, but that he is now one of the older guys (upperclassmen) that the younger guys look up to. From everything I've read, and the video of JJ's interview at SEC Media Days, it seems the once shy and reserved JJ is getting more and more confidence going into 2010... confident that he can be the man at QB... and confidence is contagious, especially when it comes from the QB.

 

Been wondering where you have been. You must be really busy to only post one picture with your post!!:wave:

 

:rofl:

 

Great points (JohnLSU). If players feel more confident and play to make plays instead of playing to not screw up LSU will have a MUCH better year. Man, that UNC game is so important to build confidence early, if we do that and Les and the team are riding a wave of confidence after the first game, look out, we will be dangerous.