The LSU football team has had a week to improve its offense after a rough outing against then-No. 1 Florida.It’s well-documented that the Tigers amassed just 162 total yards of offense while sophomore quarterback Jordan Jefferson threw for a career-low 96 yards and an interception.LSU coach Les Miles told reporters Monday the Tigers may attempt more downfield passes in an attempt to improve the offense, which sits at No. 112 among 120 Division I Football Bowl Subdivision teams in the nation.That said, LSU students are quite ready for a change in the passing game.”Jefferson still has a lot of potential; he just needs to work hard,” said John McLaughlin, kinesiology sophomore. “He’s nowhere near where he was back in the Chick-fil-A Bowl, but he could be a lot better.”The offensive struggles have frustrated some fans in the first half of the season, giving rise to the suggestion of giving sophomore quarterback Jarrett Lee another try at quarterback.”I never thought I’d find myself asking if maybe Jarrett Lee should get in,” said Myles Laroux, international studies sophomore. “Our passing game isn’t near where it needs to be.”At the very least, other fans said Lee could try his hand in a situational role. Lee entered games against Washington, Vanderbilt and Louisiana-Lafayette, completing two passes for 11 yards and a touchdown.”We should have more of a quarterback by committee, where we play Jefferson and Lee,” said Sean McKay, civil engineering sophomore. “The Florida game, for instance, we were down by however many in the fourth quarter and we needed to score quickly — we should’ve put Jarrett Lee in because he’s got a better arm, and he can get the ball downfield quicker.”These opinions speak nothing of freshman quarterback Russell Shepard, the Tigers’ highly-touted quarterback recruit who has tried his hand at tailback and wide receiver but has yet to throw a pass.”At least give Shepard a chance before putting Lee back in … [Lee] was a pick-six waiting to happen,” McLaughlin said. “In the Florida game, we didn’t see anything of Shepard at all, which I think was a mistake. He’s so fast.” Miles said Monday the Tigers are trying to incorporate Shepard into several facets of the offense, saying the amount the young quarterback is trying to learn could be hindering his progress.”He’s got that extra fire they need to spark the offense,” said Brian Matlock, mechanical engineering senior. “He should be playing more than what he is, whether it’s at wide receiver or in the Wildcat offense.”But many LSU students aren’t ready to give up on Jefferson, who is completing 62.8 percent of his passes for seven touchdowns and just three interceptions.”He’s still young; he’s got a lot to learn, but there’s not really anybody else to play the quarterback position,” said Allison Kennedy, psychology junior. “I’d rather they work on Jefferson than go back to Lee.”Jefferson is averaging 169 passing yards per game, however — a number some students attribute to the Tigers’ offensive line.”Jefferson is doing fine for a sophomore. We just need our linemen to look better,” said Bri House, biochemistry senior. “As long as we can protect Jefferson, we’ll be fine.”The offensive line has allowed Jefferson to be sacked 18 times — an average of three times per game, which is second-worst in the Southeastern Conference.”Jefferson hasn’t done anything wrong,” Matlock said. “He hasn’t disappointed anybody. He hasn’t turned the ball over. I feel like he needs better protection from his offensive line. Sometimes he doesn’t get enough time in the pocket to throw.”Last season’s Auburn game made a hero of one of LSU’s quarterbacks — briefly. LSU students can only hope it happens again.”Jefferson has no experience right now — he’s doubting himself,” said Jordy Barksdale, kinesiology sophomore. “We just have to put it on his shoulders and hope he improves.”—-Contact David Helman at [email protected]