The whispered rumors slowly drifted out of the Charles McClendon Practice Facility all spring.
LSU coach Les Miles was supposedly embracing a vertical passing game with new quarterback Zach Mettenberger as the system’s ringleader.
It turns out the talk wasn’t just lip service.
Saturday’s National L-Club Spring Game showcased an LSU offense that bore little resemblance to the erratic, if not downright anemic, passing attack of the last few seasons.
“There’s an ability to throw the football that appears a little better,” Miles said. “Call it chemistry or receivers or a new quarterback. It appears to me there’s more juice on the ball and a little more capability.”
Gone were the wide receiver screens, short curls and reliance on three-step drops. Instead, Mettenberger and a young group of receivers treated Tiger fans to an aerial assault of fly patterns, deep posts and corner routes.
Mettenberger finished with 270 yards on just 14 completions and nearly hit on two more lengthy throws.
The deep passes weren’t limited to the junior transfer, either.
Redshirt freshman Stephen Rivers completed a 30-yard pass, and LSU attempted 19 throws of 15 yards or more.
“We’re definitely going to be aggressive,” Mettenberger said. “It’s always exciting to be trusted for the long throws.”
Mettenberger admitted that LSU didn’t reveal its full arsenal of shorter throws and complicated routes, but said he expects the offense to look similar in the fall.
Sophomore receiver Odell Beckham Jr. hopes so.
Beckham was Mettenberger’s prime downfield target, catching three passes for 115 yards, including a dazzling 49-yard touchdown hookup in the second quarter.
“We want to win games first,” the sophomore wideout said. “I think the coaches recognize our ability and understand that [deep passing] could give us a lot of success. Our offense won’t be scared to push the secondary.”
Sophomore Jarvis Landry’s 120 yards on six receptions gave the white squad a second 100-yard receiver in the game.
Departed wideout Rueben Randle had four 100-yard receiving outings last fall, and no other LSU player recorded even one in 2011.
Senior Russell Shepard also hauled in, diving 19-yards for a touchdown on a pinpoint Mettenberger threw in the corner of the endzone.
LSU attempted 46 passes, and senior center P.J. Lonergan said the extra passing emphasis accomplished more than just drawing focus from LSU’s already-heralded rushing game.
“It helps the running game because we’re fresher on the offensive line,” he said. “Pass blocking is more upright, so you’re not as tired. That means the lanes only get bigger for the running backs.”
The fearless passing game didn’t come without a cost, though. Mettenberger tossed an ill-advised red-zone fade route that sophomore safety Ronald Martin picked up and returned 40 yards.
Mettenberger’s other interception was a short throw that deflected off his target and was returned 74 yards for a touchdown.
“I left a lot of things out there today,” he said. “I made a couple throws that weren’t acceptable, but I thought those are easier to correct than it is for a defense to consistently stop the deep ball.”
Miles said he wanted the offense to strongly resemble the one on display Saturday.
“Balance has always been what we want to get done,” Miles said. “Being able to take yardage in great lengths puts pressure on a defense.”
A former offensive lineman, Miles has a reputation for enjoying a smashmouth running game.
But Miles said he’s embracing the confidence - ”a younger word for it being ‘swagger,'” he said - that he sees in the Tigers offense following this spring.
“We’ll challenge anybody to play a single-high coverage against us,” Miles said. “If they play double-high, frankly, we’ll run the football in an effective manner at their interior. It’s pick your poison with us now.”
 
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Contact Chris Abshire at [email protected]