Video: Jordan Jefferson Interview Blog: Paging Gary Crowton
LSU football coach Les Miles said Monday junior quarterback Jordan Jefferson has grown more comfortable in the offensive scheme put together by offensive coordinator Gary Crowton.
Miles held his final regular-season media luncheon Monday afternoon, following Jefferson’s career-high 254 passing yards and 76.4 completion percentage in Saturday’s 43-36 win against Ole Miss.
Jefferson earned Southeastern Conference Offensive Player of the Week honors for the first time in his career for his performance, which included a passing touchdown, a rushing touchdown and one interception.
“This week it was the offense’s turn,” Miles said. “The defense has had that offense’s back a great majority of the season, so it was right. … Now [Jefferson] is executing the throwing game much better than he has, so it becomes much more productive to call it.”
Senior kicker Josh Jasper was also recognized Monday by the SEC as the Special Teams Player of the Week for the second time this year.
LSU will face Arkansas this Saturday at 2:30 p.m. The winner takes home The Golden Boot trophy, which Miles called “the heaviest trophy in college football.”
“I promise you when it comes to the challenge of keeping that trophy, that’s something that we want to have happen,” Miles said. “I can also tell you ‘The Boot’ reminds me of the shape of our state. I can tell you that a boot is also a piece of clothing worn on the foot. The key is to not be given the boot.”
Arkansas’ offense is No. 2 in the SEC with 491.5 total yards per game and No. 1 with 340.1 passing yards per game under the leadership of junior quarterback Ryan Mallett.
But Miles said the LSU defense cannot forget about Arkansas’ running game, spearheaded by Knile Davis, who reached the 1,000-yard plateau last week against Mississippi State.
In injury news, LSU junior right guard Will Blackwell returned to game action Saturday for the first time since the season opener. Redshirt freshman Chris Faulk started Saturday in place of sophomore right tackle Alex Hurst, who suffered a leg injury against Alabama.
“[Hurst] was really a game-day decision on Saturday, and we feel like he’ll be ready to play,” Miles said.
The luncheon had an unusual moment of levity when a reporter asked Miles what it was like to be interviewed by “a sweet young thing,” referring to ESPN sideline reporter Erin Andrews.
“If they had given the job to some old big ugly man, it wouldn’t be near as much fun,” Miles responded. “But what a joy it is to represent LSU in postgame with a victory and to celebrate victory in a postgame interview with a very talented, very attractive woman.”
 
 
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