LSU Spring Game Preview: The unset jigsaw
The LSU Spring Game is on Saturday, but it seems like a late April Fool’s piece without the jigsaw.
Anyway, here’s some Spring Game thoughts:
WHO CAN FILL THE QUARTERBACK HOLE?
Let’s get this straight: Anthony Jennings started his career with LSU in pretty impressive fashion, leading the Tigers to a breathtaking last-ditch win over Arkansas last year, before not particularly impressing anybody in the Tigers 21-14 Outback Bowl win. He hasn’t had a game where he’s passed over 100 yards, and he’s hasn’t actually excited anyone either.
It’ll be interesting to see how Jennings, freshmen Brandon Harris and Hayden Rettig play in the Spring Game – Les Miles is going to give all of them chances to impress (you hope).
RUN OR NOT TO RUN?
Their top running back signee and potentially No.1 starter at the position, Leonard Fournette is the most intriguing…..but he’s at high school still. Terrance Magee and Kenny Hilliard will be vying to replace the fantastic Jeremy Hill, who’s going to the NFL early, armed with a hell of a lot of skill, a bad temper, and a terrible blindside. So that means that all eyes should be on the Magee-Hilliard battle for a place, if LSU are going to have a 1-2 punch. Magee averaged 7.28 yards per carry last season, although that number probably is a little inflated due to Hill’s suspension for his ‘BlindSide At TigerLand’.
CATCH ME IF YOU CAN
The sad news for LSU is Odell Beckham and Jarvis Landry – two of their best wide receivers – are gone. Both are exceptional receivers and hopefully will be top picks in the position. Some people bemoaned Landry’s speed at the Combine, but the kid’s got some of the best hands in the nation.
To replace them is going to be difficult. Travin Dural and redshirt freshman John Diarse will be well-watched on Saturday. They’d better make an impression, because LSU’s loaded freshman class coming in in the summer, which includes Malachi Dupre and Trey Quinn, could take immediate No.1 and No.2 spots.
Rob Bolden’s apparently still playing college football. He’s moved out to wide receiver. Offensive Co-Ordinator Cam Cameron must see something in the former Penn State starting quarterback. We look forward to seeing (if he’s got) some skills on Saturday.
OH, AND ABOUT THE D….
LSU’s ‘D’ was pretty horrible last year. That’s not to say that they didn’t have a ton of talent, but the missed tackles, unwillingness seemingly to catch up with a runner and giving quarterbacks too much time to throw made a formerly predictably excellent defense look, well, poor. And yes, we realize that large components of the 2012 decided to go to the NFL, but lookit: What were the back-ups doing practice when the starters were playing so well?
We can’t believe Anthony ‘The Freak’ Johnson is going to the NFL. He was one of the biggest disappointments in college football – and that’s saying a lot when Jadeveon Clowney didn’t exactly live up to scratch (although Clowney was double-teamed at every opportunity).
Anyway, we can’t wait to see how good Kendall Beckwith is at linebacker, although there are worries about his weight. We can’t wait to see how he teams up with started DJ Welter. And taking Johnson’s place we’ll see a battle between Christian LaCourture, Quentin Thomas, Greg Gilmore and Maquedius Bain for starting DT spots. I think Johnson’s going to be pretty replaceable.
And as for the secondary? That could be a bunch of fun in itself come Saturday. It was poor all season long, and it’ll be interesting who John Chavis has to make sure the mess is a little less messy this time around.