Last season, Zach Mettenberger was expected by many to lift the LSU passing attack out of a rut of mediocrity. Instead, he was plagued by inconsistency and often looked uncomfortable in the pocket.
As a senior, Mettenberger looks like a completely different quarterback. Gone are the happy feet and the bad decisions. In their place, the Tigers find a record-breaking quarterback.
The No. 9 LSU football team followed Mettenberger’s five passing touchdowns, a LSU single-game record, to a 56-17 rout of the University of Alabama-Birmingham. LSU coach Les Miles said it was refreshing to put a team away early.
The Tigers (2-0) jumped out to an early lead after Mettenberger connected with junior wide receiver Odell Beckam Jr. for two touchdowns in the first quarter. After junior running back Kenny Hilliard made the score 21-0 for LSU at the end of the opening quarter, the game was all but decided.
Beckam contributed two more touchdowns, one receiving and a 100 yard missed field goal return, in what was one of the most electric performances in LSU history. His 331 all-purpose yards was third all-time behind former running back Kevin Faulk, who had 367 in a 1996 game against Houston.
“(Beckam) is a very special athlete and a great guy as well,” Mettenberger said. “Third all-time all-purpose yards [in a single game] is really special considering all the talent that has come though here.”
On the tigers’ first drive of the second half, freshman Anthony Jennings took over at quarterback. Jennings returned to the bench after he almost turned over the ball on a botched snap on the second play of the drive.
On the next drive, Mettenberger put a bow on his best game at LSU, connecting with junior wide receiver Jarvis Landry for his fifth touchdown of the game.
“[Mettenberger] is throwing [the] football with so much confidence. He knows where it is supposed to go,” Miles said.  
The rushing game played second fiddle to Mettenberger’s firework show. Hilliard finished with a team leading 54 yards on 11 carries with a touchdown. Sophomore Jeremy Hill was a close second with six carries for 50 yards and a touchdown in his first action of the season.
LSU played suffocating defense in the first quarter, but allowed the Blazers to score 17 points in the second quarter. Senior linebacker Lamin Barrow said UAB took advantage of the defense’s complacency.
“[The game] was not put away. We kind of sat back on our heels, and a few guys got a little too comfortable,” Barrow said.
The second half saw an influx of young players on the defensive side of the ball, including four true freshmen making their first appearances in purple and gold. Barrow said the young players kept up the intensity of the starters.
“I do not think I really saw a drop off from any one. I think everyone came out on the field to play,” Barrow said.
The Tigers will defend the nation’s longest non-conference winning streak home winning streak next Saturday night at 6 p.m. when they host Mid American Conference foe Kent State (1-1).