Former LSU commitment and current Tennessee sophomore safety Janzen Jackson made his much-anticipated debut in Tiger Stadium last weekend, almost two years removed from his original pledge to the Tigers in February 2008.
Tiger fans were reminded how electric Jackson could have been in purple and gold as he notched seven tackles and an interception.
Flip the calendar to the 2011 recruiting class, and the LSU coaching staff cannot afford to lose any of its fertile in-state crops.
Lutcher High School standout Jarvis Landry, a four-star wide receiver, committed to LSU on Jan. 9 as one of the most prized offensive recruits in not only Louisiana but in the country.
Landry said Monday night he is still “85 percent” committed to LSU, but with a sporadic offense and huge question marks with the Tigers’ quarterbacks, nothing is set in stone.
“I’m still committed LSU, and that’s where I want to be right now,” said Landry, who hauled in 62 catches for 1,158 yards and 13 touchdowns as a junior. “But if the offense [is] right somewhere else, I got to do what’s best for me at the end of the day.”
Landry has yet to schedule an official visit to LSU and said he hopes to visit soon “to make sure” of his commitment.
It is highly unlikely Landry would decommit, but he is still garnering a lot of interest from Tennessee, Florida State, Auburn and Oklahoma, in no particular order.
“I wouldn’t be worried,” said Shea Dixon, managing editor of TigerSportsDigest.com. “I think Jarvis is one to stick with LSU.”
Landry isn’t exactly a prototypical LSU receiver with a tall frame and strong build, a la Terrence Toliver, Rueben Randle, Dwayne Bowe, Michael Clayton or Brandon LaFell. He stands at 5 feet 11 inches and 178 pounds but wowed recruiting experts enough to be tabbed as the third-best receiver and 27th best player in the country.
Dixon speculates Landry could enroll early for the spring semester, but the two biggest question marks lingering for Landry, like most offensive recruits, are the current disarray of the LSU offense and the quarterback situation in the next few years.
“It’s kind of frustrating when you see guys like [sophomore wide receivers] Rueben Randle and Russell Shepard not getting their touches like they should be,” Landry said.
After junior quarterbacks Jordan Jefferson and Jarrett Lee use up their eligibility next season, the only expected quarterback on scholarship will be Stephen Rivers, a three-star recruit for the 2011 class.
That leaves Landry and other potential wide receivers uncertain as to who will throw to them two or three years down the road.
“That’s the thing that has been kind of weighing on me a little bit, but once again … you have to control what you can control,” he said.
LSU offered former troubled Georgia quarterback Zach Mettenberger a scholarship in the beginning of September. Mettenberger, who was kicked off Georgia’s team following an arrest during the offseason, will be in town Nov. 20 for LSU’s matchup against Ole Miss.
If LSU were to grab Mettenberger, it could solidify a quarterback for the distant future and entice future recruits.
“That’s a very big point. … There’s a good chance that a guy like Mettenberger would be in the same class as you,” Dixon said. “From the little conversation I’ve had, [the in-state commitments are] hoping they finish the class out with some big-name quarterback.”
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Contact Sean Isabella at [email protected]