Solution to quarterback problem
by Joey Martin - posted Thursday, April 21st, 2011 @ 8:24 am

So let's face it, Les.

Everybody always likes the quarterback on the sideline, right? Especially at LSU.

It goes way back.

Fred Haynes over Mike Hillman, David Woodley over Steve Ensminger, Buddy Lee over Bert Jones, Bert Jones over Paul Lyons, Tomy Hodson over Mickey Guidry and Herb Tyler over Jamie Howard to mention a few.

So you know it's coming this year with hot shot Zach Mettenberger on the sidelines and cold, hot, cold Jordan Jefferson on the field.

So start Mettenberger.

That way when things start going wrong, the fans will be screaming for Jefferson and you will look right all along.

Only one thing could mess up this scenario.

Mettenberger comes in and leads LSU to wins over Oregon, Northwestern and Mississippi State.

And Jefferson comes in for mop-up duty (please tell me you are done with Jarrett Lee. I love Lee's loyalty and devotion, but he's just not an SEC quarterback) and plays the same way he did against West Virginia last year (10-of-22 passing for 75 yards).

I know Mettenberger starting has about as much of a chance of St. Francisville having a four-lane highway this year (or ever if the past couple of years are any indication).

But just check the numbers from last year.

Jefferson completed 118 of 209 passes for 1,411 yards and seven touchdowns.

I mean, Stevan Ridley rushed for 1,147 yards and scored 15 touchdowns.

And it wasn't like LSU was running over people.

And, I will cut Jefferson "some" slack on the fact LSU coaches were determined not to throw the ball as much as the needed to.

Jefferson's most yardage passing was 254 against Ole Miss.

Otherwise, the most was 184 against Arkansas.

He finished with 30 passing yards against Tennessee, 51 against Louisiana-Monroe, 28 against McNeese State (no, that's not typo) and 46 against Auburn.

That's just too much inconsistency. It's like having a pitcher throwing a two-hit shutout Monday, allow eight runs over three innings on Friday, allowing one run the following week and giving up three home runs in the first inning in his next outing.

Hey, two great outings, but at the end of it he's still 2-2. And this is the SEC. You cannot afford more than one bad outing.

Now if Metternberger were a true freshman, I'm all for Jefferson taking the reins.

But the 6-5, 250-pound Mettenberger is a junior who led Butler (Kan.) Community College to an 11-1 record and a berth in the JUCO National Championship Game. His team finished the year ranked No. 2 in the nation. Mettenberger started all 12 games at Butler, throwing for 2,678 yards and 32 touchdowns with only four interceptions.He connected on 176-of-299 passes for a 58.9 completion percentage. He was the top-ranked junior college quarterback for the 2011 class.

Sure, that's junior college. But some guys got it and I really think Mettenberger is one of those guys who's got it.

Now if he only gets to show it. One thing is for sure, as long as he is on the sidelines he will remain the most popular.