OK, to play out this analogy . . . I suspect that, like most successful investors, Les doesn't put all of his eggs in one basket. He develops reliable assets that are relatively safe but he mixes that with riskier high-payoff investments. Risky assets have to be experimented with until you find the right mix. Les' football investment challenge is take enough risks to be capable of double-digit championship runs, but reliable enough to never risk 7-5. Clever investors never get engaged in an all-or-nothing situation. With a potential Heisman candidate at running back and a big strong line, a coach would be damned foolish not to feature him. With four good backs, we can legitimately conduct a power running game that modern defenses are not always well equipped to stop. Whoever plays quarterback this season must be able to pass better than last year, of course, so that defenses must still cover multiple receivers. The passing game must be a threat. But LSU is going to run Fournette this year and the quarterback better be able to pitch and handoff perfectly because he is going to be doing a lot of it. And when he's not handing off, he must shine at short passes, long passes and crossing routes. I don't care if he can run or not, his job will be to complete passes. I think Harris will get an opportunity to take the job away from Jennings. I think that is what the coaches expect him to do. I think if he can demonstrate a passing game, they will let him throw it. Neither of us have any idea if Harris will actually step up and do it, but this is his chance. If he is the next Cam Newton he will own the job by game three, but we need to see it. If not . . . It's important to have those dependable bonds and mutual funds when your hot stocks turn out to be mediocre.
With Jennings under center we scare NO ONE. I don't know why you either love Jennings so much or hate the Harris kid the way you do. I have said multiple times I do not hate Jennings, no ill feelings towards him, I just don't think he is a very good QB, he is actually terrible but that isn't his fault.
I neither love nor hate either of these quarterbacks. I just don't imagine that Harris is somehow better than he appears to be. I saw two young quarterbacks making mistakes last year, one was more reliable. Nobody was happy... not the fans, the coaches, the quarterbacks, nor the team. One or both will be better this year or we are in trouble. Les is looking for a better one. It may be Harris, but everybody must wait and see if he is there yet. Have some freakin' patience.
This is at the root of all frustration. I saw 2 young QB's and 1 that looked a hell of a lot better than the other, still green, sure but a lot better. The patience ran out after watching miserable pass after miserable pass while the other kid never even gets a chance. So many have said it, game time experience is SO valuable hell YOU have bitched about it forever that Les never seasons his back ups. There were PLENTY of chances to get Harris in last year.
You're still missing the point (intentionally I imagine). Of course Fournette should be the offenses main feature, but we don't have a Fournette every year. Detillier made the point that as a philosophy Miles doesn't want the QB to be the focal point of his offense. I think that is clear with the JJ/JL fiasco. So Miles isn't looking for the best passer or the more talented QB. He wants a low-key QB who can hand the ball off. I'm just saying that the argument over who is the best QB is pointless. The only question that matters is who does Miles feel safer with and that is clearly Jennings. Harris can beat him out talent wise and stat wise, but Miles is still going to play it safe.
Someone posted an article a while back of a speech Schembechler gave years ago. It laid this out TO THE LETTER
A lot of people say he is like Ole Bo from Meeeeeeechigan, but he is more like Woody Hayes, what was the quote? Only 3 things can happen when you throw the ball and 2 of them are bad.
You know, not everybody in the world agrees with you. And if you let this petty shit frustrate you, you are taking years off your life. Stress kills, amigo.
You love to say that, and I think you over estimate my level of caring. I learned a long time ago not to expect much out of Les. Its sort of a tragic comedy.
But in years when we had capable quarterbacks, he played them! Metteneburger and Flynn. So I don't think this is an innate philosophy as much as it is adapting to personnel, which is an increasing changing problem in college football with the early outs. That really impacted LSU disproportionally. No coach wants a quarterback who can't pass. No coach. But some coaches are saddled with them and must adapt. Then Harris must be improved enough to be safe and effective, and he was neither last year. This could be his year. And if it is, he will play. If he does earn the start, some people 'round here who predict he will never be allowed to play will have to backtrack.
