Florida true freshman quarterback Chris Leak travels to Baton Rouge this weekend after a tough home outing against Ole Miss last weekend.
Leak achieved his lowest completion percentage of the year only connecting on 51.9 percent of his passes while trowing three interceptions in the Gators’ 20-17 loss.
“There are going to be games like this when I am going to be struggling,” Leak said to the Associated Press following the loss to Ole Miss.
The quarterback’s season numbers are not much better. Leak only has tallied six touchdowns and committed seven interceptions. But he has completed 61.3 percent of his passes giving him a rating of 131.6.
Although Leak has thrown more interceptions than touchdowns, LSU coach Nick Saban said he is impressed with the poise and athletic ability of Leak.
“I am kind of amazed at how the well the guy has done,” Saban said. “He doesn’t look like a freshman out there. He looks poised and confident about what he is doing.”
Saban said Leak has been successful under pressure by using his ability to scramble and throw on the run.
“I think Chris Leak has done a good job about making choices and decisions about who he throws the ball to,” Saban said. “He hasn’t been affected by the blitz that much. He’s got a lot of athleticism and has gotten out of trouble a lot by scrambling. Actually, he probably made the biggest play of the game last week and it was on a scramble play.”
Leak said he believes the LSU defense will present him with a big challenge.
“They have great players and athletes,” Leak said at Florida’s Tuesday press conference. “Coach Saban has really kept them together. Seeing them on film, they have a great defense. They move around a lot, they are very energetic. “We’re just going to go in and prepare just as if this were any other game. We’re going to work hard and try to do our best.”
Expect Leak to try to pass to senior tight end Ben Troupe. Troupe has been one of Leak’s favorite targets thus far.
He already has exceeded his total yardage, receptions and touchdowns from the 2002 season. Troupe has 21 receptions, 299 yards and two touchdowns.
“The defense is going to adjust to him by doubling him,” Leak said of Troupe. “We need to find ways to get him the ball. He is a big time player for us. He is a special guy with the ball in his hands; he can make things happen.”
Saban said the Florida coaching staff has made adjustments in its game plans to help the young quarterback be successful.
“Earlier in the year they were doing more things, and now they are doing a lot of things, but I think for him to be able to make those decisions they’ve tried to minimize what they are trying to do,” Saban said. “But what he has done he has done very effectively.”
If Leak’s Florida career looks anything like his high school career, it should make the Gator faithful a happy bunch.
The North Carolina native was listed among the nation’s top recruits and piled up honors as a high school player.
Leak’s national high school record of 185 touchdown passes along with the second highest career passing yards ranking in prep history led him to be named Parade’s 2003 Player of the Year, USA Today’s Offensive Player of the Year in 2002, two-time North Carolina AP Player of the Year and numerous other titles.
His success helped bring home three consecutive state championship titles for his high school, as he was named MVP for all three title games.