The LSU football team has been patiently waiting and perfecting its craft the past four weeks at the Charles McClendon Practice Facility.
On Saturday, the Tigers will cross the street to Tiger Stadium to display their talents in the annual National L-Club Spring Game.
It’s the first chance for LSU coach Les Miles to watch his players participate in a meaningful game since the Tigers’ uninspiring performance in the national championship, when they fell to Alabama, 21-0. The game is a big opportunity for players to show the coaching staff how much they have improved throughout the spring and make their cases for moving up the depth chart.
Here are five questions that fans who attend the game should watch for during the game.
1. Does Zach Mettenberger continue his impressive spring?
In the last scrimmage before the Spring Game, Mettenberger threw for 177 yards and three touchdowns.
Mettenberger gives offensive coordinator Greg Studrawa a new option – throwing the ball deep down the field. Sophomore wide receivers Odell Beckham Jr. and Jarvis Landry will make him look like the quarterback that challenged Georgia quarterback Aaron Murray for his starting job.
While there’s no doubt he’s the starter, it wouldn’t hurt for Mettenberger to give the Tiger faithful a little more reassurance that he’s the man for the job.
2. Who will step up at outside linebacker?
With the departure of seniors Ryan Baker and Stefoin Francois at the starting outside linebacker spots, someone will have to rise to the occasion.
Look for sophomore linebacker Tahj Jones and freshman linebacker Ronnie Feist to do just that.
At first glance, Jones looks more like a safety than a linebacker. But don’t be confused – he can hit. His speed and strength give him a chance to solidify a starting spot at one of the linebacker spots.
Feist is a hoss. He dominated running back Kenny Hilliard in the Big Cat drill earlier this spring and won’t be intimidated despite graduating from high school only a few months ago.
3. Do the Tigers play with chip on their shoulder?
Although it’s competition among teammates, don’t expect any player to perform less than 100 percent on the field.
The players that remain from the 2011 team remember what it felt like to get embarrassed on national television. They don’t want that to happen again.
With pundits saying LSU has lost too much to reciprocate last season’s success, the Honey Badger and others will make sure the game is played with maximum intensity.
4. What leaders will emerge?
There’s no denying the Tigers have swag. How they control that swag will be the issue.
Gone from the team are Baker and fellow seniors Will Blackwell and Brandon Taylor, so someone else will have to take the reigns as LSU’s emotional leader.
One player I see filling those rather large shoes is sixth-year senior Josh Dworacyzk, who sat out last season due to a knee injury. He coached from the sideline for most of the year, and that will benefit the team down the stretch.
Sophomore safety Eric Reid seems like the right player to assume the role as the chief of the defense.
5. Will Craig Loston solidify himself as the starting strong safety?
If I could tell Loston one thing before the game, it would be “carpe diem.”
He must seize the opportunity he’s been given to make sure he’s the starter at strong safety this fall.
Taylor’s graduation opens the door for the special teams stalwart to show why he was ranked as the No. 1 safety in the country coming out of high school.
I’ve been waiting three years for him to live up to his potential.
I hope my dreams of teaming with Reid to make one of the best safety combinations in the nation will finally come to fruition Saturday.
Micah Bedard is a 21-year-old mass communication senior from Houma. Follow him on Twitter @DardDog.
 
 
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Contact Micah Bedard at [email protected]