There’s something about the combination of Louisiana and young quarterbacks that doesn’t seem to mix.
Since the Les Miles era of LSU football began in 2005, a number of passers have sported the purple and gold and sprinted out of the tunnel to the roar of fans in Death Valley.
Players such as JaMarcus Russell, Matt Flynn, Jarrett Lee, Jordan Jefferson and Zach Mettenberger have all arrived in Baton Rouge to be the starting signal caller for the Tigers over the past eight seasons.
In total, 12 quarterbacks have been recruited since Miles’ reign began. Only Jefferson actually originated from Louisiana — a Destrehan product.
So when Bossier City native Brandon Harris announced he will be attending LSU in 2014, it proved to be a pleasant surprise for a state that hasn’t had much homegrown quarterback talent to brag about recently.
Harris, who is a dual-threat passer from Parkway High School, is ranked by ESPN at No. 2 among dual-threat quarterbacks in the nation. Towering at 6 feet 2 inches and weighing 186 pounds, the four-star prospect should be a pleasant sight for offensive coordinator Cam Cameron when the recruit arrives next season.
It’s important to note that Miles tends to stay in the South when recruiting his passers. Of the 12 quarterbacks he has brought into the program — not counting Harris — three have been from Texas, two from Georgia, two from Mississippi and one each from Louisiana, Alabama and Florida.
So the question is this: If Louisiana isn’t producing quarterbacks, then what is it generating?
In total, 108 recruits have come from “The Pelican State” since 2006, with Jefferson being the lone passer of the bunch.
The state has produced 14 corner backs, eight defensive ends, nine defensive tackles, 12 linebackers, 17 offensive linemen, seven running backs, 10 safeties, eight tight ends and a whopping 22 wide receivers. That’s a lot of home-grown wideouts who apparently didn’t have LSU- caliber quarterbacks throwing to them at any point.
What’s the deal, Louisiana?
If I had to take a guess about the lack of quarterback talent in the state, I would assume it deals with the style of offense generally used down here.
There are currently two Louisiana “pocket passer” prospects on the ESPN Top 150 list: Quentin Gibson from Marrero and Donovan Isom, a Utah commit from Destrehan. Two Louisiana “dual-threat quarterbacks” are also on the list: Harris and Mandeville’s Glen Cuiellette.
The general style of play for high school programs in Louisiana revolves around running the option. Want proof? When the two top teams in the state — Archbishop Rummel High School and Barbe High School — met in the 2012 5A State Championship, a plethora of quarterback runs were called.
Rummel’s Damian Williams rushed 14 times and passed on 13 plays in their 35-14 victory against Barbe. Barbe quarterback Kennon Fontenot ran 19 times for 97 yards.
Put simply, Louisiana high school quarterbacks are built for multiple positions due to their sheer athleticism, and LSU tends to grab them to play other positions.
There may be no greater example recently than 2013 recruit Jeryl Brazil, who was the star passer for Loranger High School last season. But no member of the LSU coaching staff expects Brazil to be a signal caller any time soon. Brazil will actually be a defensive back when he gets his chance in Death Valley.
So don’t fret, Louisiana. You’re still producing a wealth of athletic talent, especially to the state institution that is LSU.
But that talent won’t be throwing a football too often.
Lawrence Barreca is a 20-year-old mass communication junior from Slidell.