The biggest question mark is the same for LSU football coach Les Miles, and it’s not changing anytime soon.
There are a few other ones – some larger than others. But much like all of the 2014 preseason and most of the regular season, the most important position on the field still doesn’t have a single name attached to it in August of 2015.
As the Tigers start fall camp on Thursday, Miles won’t hide where his chief concern lies, even if he’s referring to his two options at quarterback as a singular pronoun.
“If he manages the game well and if he does the things he is capable of doing, he’ll be fine,” Miles said. “Whoever he is.”
While they are two of the most important names, recently-reinstated junior quarterback Anthony Jennings and sophomore quarterback Brandon Harris are just two of 105 players who reported to campus on Wednesday, gearing up for a month-long stretch of 29 practices before LSU takes the field against McNeese State on Sept. 5.
For a change, the Tigers finally have a plethora of players with at least one year of experience returning and appear to be fully healthy heading into camp. Despite a number of transfers and dismissals in the offseason, the attrition seen in the 2013 and 2014 draft classes is not an issue for this year’s roster, and leaders are already rising to the top.
“The leadership of this football team is exceptional,” Miles said. “May be equal to or greater than some of our best teams. Our leadership has taken over that culture that needs to be enforced on a great team.”
But even with group of veterans changing the culture, Miles remains consistent that true freshman will play. As he points out, 15 rookies played in 2012 and 2013 and 17 more appeared in 2014.
One newcomer who has already caught his attention is 6-foot-5, 240-pound defensive end Arden Key, a four-star prospect from Atlanta. According to Miles, Key comes to Baton Rouge having put on weight after working out with his father, Arden Key Sr., during the summer and is expected to make an early impact.
“He was maybe skinny before, but he ain’t skinny any more,” Miles said. “He is a big, tall, rangy, fast athlete. It will be interesting to see how that youngster conceptually comes to practice and does the things that we’re going to ask him to do, down after down after down at a high, high level. If he can develop that, he’ll play a lot of football.”
Bain wasn’t reinstated; Jennings, Thomas may not miss games
While Jennings and junior defensive back Dwayne Thomas are back on the team following their June arrest, recently-transferred defensive lineman Maquedius Bain, who was also involved in the alleged incident, was never reinstated, according to Miles.
On July 31, a news release from the program revealed all three played had been reinstated, but Miles said that was not true. Bain announced he was transferring to Pearl River Community College on Monday via Twitter.
“He was not reinstated,” Miles said. “He was never reinstated”
When asked about the punishment Jennings and Thomas would receive, Miles didn’t get specific.
“That will be an internal punishment, and each guy is going to be removed completely independently. There’s a lot of punishment that has already been derived.”
Miles, however, implied missing games wouldn’t be in the cards for Jennings or Thomas.
“You will certainly see that as it unfolds, but I certainly wouldn’t guarantee that in any way.”
