Why such praise for Jennings with 8 for 21 passing? Running quarterbacks just don't cut it in the SEC. The missing element for LSU has been downfield passing.
Guess you missed the part where the backup QB at LSU is the best player on the team? So true on the downfield passing, you have to open up a defense, we have this now.
He was leading the JV team (that started a bunch a walk-ons) against the Varsity team, Red. And he's not a running QB, he's a passing QB that happens to be able to run well (i don't get how you are constantly stuck in this mindset that it's impossible for someone who runs well to be able to be a great passing QB). All the praise i heard ex-LSU players Gordy and Doug heaping on him on the radio yesterday was for how much they were impressed him as a passing QB, his ability as a passing QB, his decision making as a passing QB. I didn't hear either of them mention anything about his running ability.
Gordy and Doug didn't say he was the best player on the team, they didn't say he was better than Mett or Rivers, either. They were simply very impressed with how good he looks as a high school senior just starting out his true freshman year at LSU.
Rivers on Jennings: “Anthony has done a great job,” Rivers said. “You can tell he’s been to the Elite 11. He just hops in there, and you can tell he has what you need to be a quarterback. He forgets about the last play. He’s doing great.”
Junior defensive tackles Ego Ferguson and Anthony Johnson proved to be a force on the inside , combining for 12 tackles . " A lot of people said that we couldn 't do it and that we were a lot thinner of a defensive line since we lost a few people, " Ferguson said . " .. . I feel like [ Anthony Johnson and I ] are going to be the best duo in the country this year. I feel like if we keep pushing each other, then the sky is the limit for us. "
Who said impossible? Not me. But Jefferson's fine running couldn't hack it without a passing game. Neither will Jennings unless he can pass at will. I'd love to see a active dual threat QB that LSU could use in the red zone, but if Rivers and Rettig have superior arms, they are the future starters. SEC defenses have proven that they can stop a fine rushing attack if the passing threat is not there on each and every play. What I'm suggesting is that another pair of legs won't help if a cannon arm and pocket presence ain't there yet.
And The Valley Shook: -Behind (Mett), does LSU have quarterback depth, or does it have quarterback depth? Everybody was watching Anthony Jennings, and while he had his "yeah, that's a senior in high school" moments, he also made some fantastic plays. He hit Kadron Boone with a deep sideline throw that was almost about as perfect as it could be, and did a strong job of avoiding pressure from a defense that had no reason to be holding back. But then the second half came, and Stephen Rivers stood up and told everybody that he would not hand over the backup job without a fight: 7-10 for 185 and 2 touchdowns. Yeah, he was bombing on some backup and walk-on defensive backs, but that's more than he could say a year ago. I have a feeling he's not going to hand the 2014 starting job over to Jennings without a fight. -Another interesting schematic note was that there was not a single zone-read or option play for Jennings in the game. -If there was a QB that looked a bit overwhelmed at times, it was probably Hayden Rettig. -The biggest takeaway from the offense today was that OMG JEREMY HILL. -(as for the WRs) it was once again made clear that this unit needs Quantavious Leslie to show up in June. -On defense, two guys really stood out: Craig Loston and Kwon Alexander. -Otherwise, the defensive tackle play of Freak Johnson and Ego Ferguson stood out. Ferguson in particular. He looked like he had something to prove. -Danielle Hunter is an incredibly active player, and he really was all over the field - On the offensive line, Pocic, as I said, really struggled on his snaps. But not on his blocks. He's a mauler, and I would be very, very surprised if he didn't contribute this fall. In another pleasant surprise, Jerard Hawkins did a fantastic job at right tackle in place of Vadal Alexander. Controlled his man in the running game and looked agile in pass pro.
I would love to see our fellow white brethren Rivers then Rettig take over as the face of the program and have incredible season after incredible season. But, of the people that actually go to LSU football practices, i have never heard of an LSU QB getting rave reviews, including from his own teammates, like Jennings has been getting Now you can say it's probably just because he can scramble better in the pocket and can run better than the white guys and that is fooling everybody into thinking he's a great QB...but do you really think everybody is that stupid? Besides, look at Perilloux. 5-star recruit. Dandy Don said he thought he'd be an All-American QB at LSU. Then he showed up at LSU and i didn't hear a peep about him looking great from the people that go to LSU practices Then we got Jerrard Randall, and boy was he fast and athletic in the film i saw (much more so than Jennings). And the reviews i read from QB camps raved about Jerrard's amazing cannon arm and how great he was. Then he gets to LSU and i didn't hear a peep about him looking great from the people that go to LSU practices So you can't say all these people raving about how good Jennings has looked since showing up at LSU are doing so just because he's more athletic than the white guys
