Video: Jordan Jefferson Interview Video: Michael Ford Interview Blog: Paging Gary Crowton
If the LSU football program learned anything during its bye week four weeks ago, it was to protect the ball.
The Tigers turned the ball over 18 times in their first eight games (nine interceptions and nine fumbles). Since the bye week, LSU has only had two turnovers on offense, both of which came in Saturday’s win against Ole Miss.
“Our quarterbacks and running backs really took it upon themselves to protect the ball, and that’s something we really stress here,” said junior center T-Bob Hebert.
LSU even went through a stretch of 41 straight possessions without a turnover, starting with junior quarterback Jordan Jefferson’s interception on LSU’s first drive against Auburn and ending with an interception on the first drive of the third quarter against Ole Miss.
During the stretch, the LSU defense forced nine turnovers and converted eight of those into 44 points to solidify the Tigers’ 10-1 record. With the recent success of holding onto the football, LSU has soared to No. 4 in the Southeastern Conference in turnover margin (+6).
Part of the limit in turnovers is the progression and maturation of Jefferson, who started out the season on the wrong foot.
Jefferson tossed seven interceptions in his first six starts of the season but has thrown only two in his last five contests.
“We weren’t being focused at the beginning,” said Jefferson, who threw a career-high 254 passing yards this past weekend. “Now that we see a prize that we can get having an 11-win season, we became more focused and disciplined to what we’re doing.”
Jefferson’s performance earned him the honor of SEC Offensive Player of the Week.
LSU coach Les Miles said Jefferson hasn’t done anything differently but become more acclimated to the offense as the season has progressed.
“If you look at the style of throws and the things that we are doing, it is the same,” Miles said. “It is the comfort of the offense and the taking [of] the steps and strides that a college student-athlete takes to get better.”
Miles has rewarded Jefferson with more playing time because of his ability to limit mistakes. After sharing duties with junior quarterback Jarrett Lee for most of the season, Jefferson’s play of late has earned him the distinction as LSU’s primary quarterback.
Jefferson attempted 17 passes and ran the ball nine times against Ole Miss, compared to Lee’s four pass attempts.
Besides the quarterbacks doing their parts, LSU’s running backs have been nearly perfect in protecting the ball since junior running back Stevan Ridley fumbled twice in the season opener against North Carolina.
The last fumble by a member of the running back corps dates back eight games and 239 carries ago to Sept. 18 against Mississippi State when true freshman Alfred Blue coughed up the ball in the fourth quarter. Ridley has gone 153 straight carries without a fumble.
Miles and running backs coach Frank Wilson preach to their running backs to hold the ball high and tight, something former NFL running back Tiki Barber made famous during his days as a New York Giant.
Even redshirt freshman Michael Ford noted how the “high-and-tight” model was second nature to the running backs, which makes the early season fumble issues more surprising.
“We emphasized how important that ball was,” said Ford, who has 242 rushing yards and three scores this season. “You may never know when you’re going to get that ball again. We made a little pact. That ball is our heart; it’s our life. You can’t let go of your heart.”
 
 
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