LSU fans have criticized the ongoing quarterback battle between sophomore Anthony Jennings and freshman Brandon Harris, with some even booing Jennings off of the field against New Mexico State on Sept. 27.
Even with all the drama, the Tigers are having an average passing season for a Les Miles-era LSU team.
Jennings and Harris have combined for 1,435 passing yards, which is just shy of the 1,473.8 passing yards LSU teams average under Miles through seven games. The two quarterbacks have also combined for just four interceptions, which is below the average of 4.7 and tied for the fourth-fewest by a Miles team through seven games.
On 162 attempts, LSU has completed just 84 passes, or 51.85 percent, the lowest number a Miles-coached Tigers squad. Despite the low completion percentage, they are averaging 8.9 yards per pass, which is about two yards more than the 6.8 yards per pass of the 2008 BCS National Championship team.
LSU sits at 11th in passing attempts in the Southeastern Conference. However, the three teams below the Tigers have played one game less than LSU. They’re tied for last place in receptions with Arkansas — who has also only played six games — and they’re 13th in completion percentage.
The SEC leader in almost all passing statistics, Texas A&M, averages 46.9 passing attempts per game. LSU’s passing attempts per game is less than half of that at 23.
Nationally, the Tigers are 105th in total passing attempts, 113th in total completions and 119th in passing attempts per game.
In yards per passing attempt, LSU is ranked much higher at 12th in the country. The skillful young receivers such as sophomore Travin Dural and freshman Trey Quinn help the Tigers capitalize on the relatively few passes that are caught.
One statistic has trended downward steadily since Miles took control of LSU’s program in 2005. Over the 10 years Miles has coached the Tigers, his playcalling has consistently featured fewer passing plays.
Through the first seven games in his first four seasons at LSU, Miles called an average of 204 passing plays per season, the highest in 2008 with 216 attempts. In each of those seasons, the Tigers scored at least 10 touchdowns through the air and completed a minimum of 114 passes.
Since that point, he has called an average of 167 passing plays and has not called more than 181 through seven games in any season. The most completed passes in this time frame was 117 in 2013, with the average sitting at 101 completions.
The average number of passing touchdowns during Miles’ first four years was 13 touchdowns per season. The number has dropped to 8.6 touchdowns per year in the six seasons after, the highest being in 2013 when a receiving corps led by Odell Beckham Jr. and Jarvis Landry accounted for 15 touchdown catches.
If LSU utilizes running backs such as freshman Leonard Fournette like it did against Florida, the passing game could continue to fall on Miles’ play chart.
Fournette alone recorded 143 yards on 27 carries against Florida, while the passing game garnered 10 catches for 110 yards on 21 attempts. Rushing yardage was higher than passing yardage in five of the Tigers’ first seven games.
As the 2014 season and Miles’ tenure at LSU progress, this decline in passing may determine Miles’ offensive approach. If the quarterbacks develop like former Tigers quarterback Zach Mettenberger did, they could be utilized more as their careers continue.
But if they are unable to develop, LSU’s run game could continue to become even more important in the Tigers’ future.
LSU sophmore wide receiver Travin Dural (83) receives a pass from sophmore quarterback Anthony Jennings (10) during the game against Mississippi State Saturday September 20, 2014 in Tiger Stadium where the Tigers lost 34-29.
