As the LSU football team dives into spring practice, there are a multitude of questions that the Tigers will look to answer before the start of the 2013 season.
Mettenberger’s progress under Cameron:
Perhaps the most intriguing variable will be the development of senior quarterback Zach Mettenberger under Cam Cameron, his fifth offensive coordinator in as many years.
Prior to last season, Mettenberger was labeled as LSU’s savior sent to rid the program and fans of memories of the Jordan Jefferson/Jarrett Lee debacle.
While Mettenberger proved to be a significant improvement from LSU’s infamous duo, he was unable to live up to expectations. He finished the season completing 58.8 percent of his passes for 2,609 yards. These are not terrible statistics, but they are not “Mett-siah” worthy, either.
LSU and its fans hope the addition of Cameron – who has coached such quarterbacks as Drew Brees, Philip Rivers and most recently Super Bowl MVP Joe Flacco – will give Mettenberger the push he needs to transform from a good quarterback to a star quarterback.
Dropped passes:
It will not matter how much Mettenberger progresses if his receivers can not catch the ball.
Mettenberger will have an experienced group of targets to pass to in senior Kadron Boone and juniors Jarvis Landry and Odell Beckham Jr., but the number of passes dropped by this crew last season was maddening for LSU fans. This is an issue that must be addressed throughout spring training.
Defensive line replacements:
LSU’s biggest headline of the offseason was the 13 players who left the program early for the 2013 NFL Draft. Now the time has finally come to find out exactly who will fill the gaping holes left by these defections.
The defensive line will undergo a complete overhaul as all four starters are gone.
The unit is likely to be headed by its most experienced member, junior tackle Anthony Johnson. In a news conference to open spring practice, LSU coach Les Miles also cited senior Ego Ferguson, junior Jermauria Rasco and sophomore Danielle Hunter as possible candidates to head the front four.
Miles seems confident, but how this unit progresses in the spring will be vital to the Tigers’ success. It’s hard to win games in the Southeastern Conference if you can’t get to the quarterback.
“DBU” shake up:
LSU also took a significant blow in the departure of cornerback Tharold Simon and safety Eric Reid. The loss of two of the most prominent of last season’s “DBU” means that someone else will have to take the reigns.
Senior safety Craig Loston and sophomore cornerback Jalen Collins are the most likely to fill the shoes left by these former Tigers, but they will have to prove they are up to the challenge in the spring.
Alfred Blue’s return:
Spring practice will also provide fans with their first look at senior running back Alfred Blue since he suffered a season-ending knee injury in week 3 last season.
Blue stormed out of the gates last season with back-to-back 100-yard games before the injury. LSU hopes Blue will be able to provide that same spark in his senior season, this time from beginning to end.
When it comes to recovering from knee injuries, there is always a question of whether the athlete will be able to retain its speed or power, but Miles believes he is ready and primed for a great season.
