In his first season as offensive coordinator, Cam Cameron made all the difference for LSU.
Since taking over last spring, Cameron has transformed a mediocre-at-best offense into one that ranged from good to dynamic at different points this season.
In the years before his arrival in Baton Rouge, the buzz word around LSU football was always balance. Every offseason, LSU coach Les Miles, his offensive coaches and his players would claim the passing attack was finally developing enough to complement the Tigers’ dominant ground game.
But the promise always seemed to ring hollow, as the quarterback play was inconsistent, causing Miles to inevitably revert back to his ultra-conservative nature in big spots.
That changed when Cameron took over. LSU scored 37 points per game this season on the back of a balanced offense that ranked No. 33 and No. 35 in passing and rushing yards, respectively.
Cameron has brought balance to the force.
The greatest beneficiary was quarterback Zach Mettenberger. Last season, with offensive line coach Greg Studrawa as offensive coordinator, Mettenberger looked average at best in all but a few games.
But under Cameron, the senior turned in one of the best seasons in LSU history.
The combination of Mettenberger with junior receivers Jarvis Landry and Odell Beckham Jr. made LSU the best third-down offense in the country, converting on 58.6 percent of third downs. The days of a draw play or toss dive on third and long were suddenly long gone with Cameron calling the shots.
As LSU’s defense took a significant step backward due to a litany of early departures for the NFL Draft, Cameron’s offense prevented 2013 from being a nightmare season for the Tigers. Without the across-the-board offensive improvement, LSU wouldn’t have sniffed nine wins this season.
If Cameron could help Mettenberger advance so far in one offseason, the sky is the limit for what he can do with true freshman Anthony Jennings.
His first significant playing time was encouraging to say the least, as he replaced an injured Mettenberger and led a 99-yard touchdown drive in the final minutes to defeat Arkansas.
The performance should be taken with a grain of salt because the Hogs were terrible this season, but another big-time performance from Jennings in the bowl game would be a huge confidence boost heading into next season.
Jennings will only grow in Cameron’s system now that he’s getting the full complement of starter reps with the first team offense. He won’t have the same cast of running backs and receivers Mettenberger has enjoyed, but he’ll be better in the long run.
That is, as long as Cameron remains in Baton Rouge.
Due to his success and NFL background, it’s only a matter of time before the job offers start flooding in. It’s unlikely Cameron will bolt after one season because of his friendship with Miles, but there’s no way he plans to spend the rest of his career as the offensive coordinator at LSU.
But that’s a problem for down the road. As long as Cameron is still here, he’ll be one of the best assets LSU has at its disposal.
James Moran is a 21-year-old mass communication senior from Beacon, N.Y.