The quarterback position can be quite the head-scratcher sometimes.
 
Regardless of individual performances, quarterbacks traditionally receive credit when the team is successful, yet are the first to take the fury in times of misfortune.
 
For LSU, it is no different.
 
When Jordan Jefferson led the Tigers to a 38-3 victory two seasons ago against Georgia Tech in the Chick-Fil-A Bowl, he naturally received praise. Conversely, Jefferson took most of the criticism last year when LSU finished with a mediocre 9-4 record.
 
Jefferson, now a junior, enters his second year as the Tigers’ starting quarterback and is confident he can lead an LSU squad to its first double-digit win total since the 2007 national championship season.
 
“They know that I have great ball management,” Jefferson said. “[Last season] was just a lack of experience. It was my first time fully starting the whole year. I didn’t really play a full season where they would know how to use me.”
 
Jefferson finished his first season as a starter throwing for 2,166 yards to go along with 17 touchdowns and a respectable 61.5 completion percentage.
 
The St. Rose native only broke the 200-yard passing barrier on five occasions, but limited mistakes to only seven interceptions. Those numbers were enough to convince LSU head coach Les Miles and offensive coordinator Gary Crowton to keep the reins in Jefferson’s hands.
 
“He has to put some of those young players into position for us and communicate effectively so those players that need a coach on the field can turn to a quarterback and understand,” Miles said of Jefferson’s progression. “He is getting there, and it is a work in progress, but I think he is very accepting of his role.”
 
Despite Jefferson’s strong grasp on the No. 1 spot on the depth chart, junior Jarrett Lee is visible in Jefferson’s rearview mirror.
 
Lee continues to spend time as Jefferson’s backup, which has been his job since starting eight games in 2008.
 
The coaching staff is exuberant to have a situation with two experienced signal callers, as the two have a combined 23 starts between them. The two also provide constant competition for each other in practice to keep each other on his toes.
 
“[Lee is] putting the pressure on Jordan, which is good for Jordan to feel that somebody is right there and working hard because there is nothing like competition,” Crowton said. “Jordan knows he can’t make errors.”
 
Although Lee has regained a sense of confidence from Miles and Crowton, it is still a mystery whether he could handle the full-time duties if Jefferson were to get injured.
In 11 games — including eight starts  — during the 2008 season, Lee threw seven interceptions that were returned for touchdowns including a string of four straight games in which he threw a pick-six.
 
But to his defense, he was only a redshirt freshman.
 
“Jarrett Lee is kind of a man on a mission,” Crowton said. “He has things to prove with the errors he made as a freshman. I think he’s settled down and matured.”
An upbeat Lee agreed.
 
“As a young player and you come into college football, you have to expect some of those things are going to happen and you have to … put them behind you,” he said.
Behind Jefferson and Lee, only two quarterbacks remain on the roster — junior T.C. McCartney and freshman Barrett Bailey.
 
Bailey, a preferred walk-on, assumed the role of the No. 3 position on the depth chart this summer following the departure of Chris Garrett, who transferred to Northwestern State, and Zach Lee, who signed a $5.25 million contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers.
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Contact Sean Isabella at [email protected]