As it does at most schools, the quarterback position gets most of the attention and that is certainly true at LSU where junior Anthony Jennings and redshirt sophomore Brandon Harris are in a battle for the starting job.
Jennings probably came into the spring drills with an advantage after playing in all 133 games last season and throwing for 1,611 yards and 11 touchdowns against seven interceptions. Harris appeared in eight games and had 452 yards passing and six touchdowns with only two interceptions.
Last weekend the Tigers held their second scrimmage of the spring and Jennings came out with some compliments for his work.
“Both quarterbacks are continuing to come along, but today (Anthony) Jennings looked a little more productive overall,” said Les Miles.
Jennings threw two touchdown passes in the scrimmage.
“He was crisp with his passes. He threw a couple of touchdown passes. Brandon made some pretty big plays with both his feet and his arm. He wasn’t as productive. When you get to the film and rotate guys, you wonder was the route the exact way it was supposed to be, do we have a protection issues, and all of those pieces you put together once you get film study. I think Brandon is more capable than what he showed today.”
Miles said earlier that Jennings and Harris would get equal reps with the No. 1 offense during the spring.
“We split the reps up equally (between Harris and Jennings) and I think both guys have improved,” Miles said earlier this spring. “I think there are spots were they need improvement. Our tempo is a little faster. I think our guys enjoy faster tempo. Our quarterbacks are coming, and our offense is helping them come.”
The Tigers reached the halfway point of spring practice with a 130-play workout at the Charles McClendon Practice Facility. Saturday’s scrimmage started outside but after about 30 minutes rain showers chased the Tigers indoors where the remainder of the workout took place.
Miles said Saturday’s scrimmage focused on first-and-10 situations as well as various third-down opportunities and featured several series when the No. 1 offense faced the No. 1 defense.
LSU is hoping to improve on last season’s 8-5 mark, which matches Miles’ worst single season record as the Tigers head coach and broke a string of four consecutive double-digit win seasons.