The old adage of the football fan says the backup quarterback in a down season is often the best player on the team.That saying may be why sophomore quarterback Jordan Jefferson was lauded by fans last season as a true freshman before he even got his first start in the purple and gold.When that first start came, he left fans with something to be desired, as the Tigers lost to Arkansas, 31-30. Jefferson completed 9-of-21 passes in the game for 143 yards and two touchdowns while rushing for 50 yards but could not put together a game-winning drive with the clock winding down.”I took it hard. I’m not used to losing, and I really wanted to win that game,” Jefferson said. “But I learned a lot from that game. At the end of the game, there were a few things that I missed and I could have prevented, but I learned from the situation.”Jefferson made amends for his first start and left the Tiger faithful thirsting for more with a 38-3 upset victory against then-No. 14 Georgia Tech in the Chick-fil-A Bowl, a game in which he was named the Offensive Most Valuable Player after completing 16-of-25 passes for 142 yards and one touchdown along with 25 rushing yards.”I had a couple of weeks to prepare for that game, so I was able to grasp the playbook,” Jefferson said. “It taught me I can compete and be successful at this level.”In all, Jefferson finished the 2008 season by connecting on 36-of-73 passes for 419 yards, four touchdowns and one interception while rushing for 134 yards and one touchdown on 49 carries.”He started two games and had a chance late in the Arkansas game when he … couldn’t get it done,” said offensive coordinator Gary Crowton. “Now he is seeing that he needs to be a little bit better, and I’ve been impressed with his progress.”Jefferson won’t be in the backup role this season — he will be at the forefront of a Tiger team that is ranked in the top 10 in various preseason polls, thanks in part to that bowl game performance.But the St. Rose native is the first to admit he doesn’t have plans to repeat last season’s 8-5 record.The shy and reserved 6-foot-5-inch quarterback didn’t hold back when asked about his expectations for the season. He said he wants an unblemished record this season, just as he was in his 21 starts in high school.”Our goal is to have a perfect season and win a national championship,” Jefferson said. “We are coming off an 8-5 season, and we don’t want that to happen again.”So far in preseason workouts, Jefferson impressed his teammates with his newfound confidence in the huddle as he takes on the leadership role as the Tigers’ starting quarterback.”Last year he wouldn’t say anything in the huddle, but now he’s opened up,” said senior offensive tackle Ciron Black. “He’s not just being one of the guys anymore. He’s being the guy.”Black admitted, though, that part of the reason for Jefferson’s timid behavior last season may have been jitters and learning the system.”Last year it was more of him learning than him taking control of the huddle and doing what a quarterback does,” Black said. “This year he’s still learning, but he’s trying to command the huddle and make his reads and make his checks; make the throws at the same time. He’s progressing every day.”Even highly touted freshman quarterback Russell Shepard praised Jefferson’s leadership.”Jordan and [quarterback] Jarrett [Lee] have been such amazing teachers to me since I’ve gotten here,” Shepard said.But if this season is a test of adversity, Jefferson has been there before.Halfway through his junior season at Destrehan High School, Jefferson broke his throwing wrist on the helmet of LSU junior Drake Nevis, who played for John Ehret at the time.Jefferson didn’t play the rest of the season but rebounded to lead the team to a class 5A state championship his senior season year with an unblemished 15-0 record.This season, coming off the pain of losing his first start and being on an 8-5 team, Jefferson is ready for the challenge.”I’ve had the whole summer to grasp what I needed to learn,” the sophomore said. “Now I’m ready to go out there and read defenses and win some games.”————Contact Andy Schwehm at [email protected]