Miles sticks with Jefferson at QB as offense struggles
NEW ORLEANS — LSU coach Les Miles surprised many fans Dec. 3 when he stuck with quarterback Jordan Jefferson in the Southeastern Conference Championship Game against Georgia after the Tigers managed only 12 yards in the first half without converting a single first down.
Monday night in the BCS National Championship Game, Miles again stayed true to Jefferson rather than give Jarrett Lee a try.
Jefferson took all the snaps for LSU in the first half even as the Tigers managed only one first down on five possessions and just 43 yards on 17 plays. Jefferson went 6-of-7 for 26 yards passing while scrambling six times for 10 more.
After being suspended from the team for his alleged role in an Aug. 19 bar fight, Jefferson missed the first four games and lost the grip on the starting job he had held since late in his freshman season. Lee, a fifth-year senior who stuck it out with the Tigers after enduring a maligned redshirt freshman season, played superbly in his place as LSU reeled off four straight wins — three away from home — to emerge as the nation’s No. 1 team.
Lee continued as the starter through the second month of the season, but Jefferson’s playing time increased week by week.
Then, after Lee threw two interceptions against Alabama on Nov. 5 and Jefferson helped lead the Tigers to victory in a relief role, Jefferson made his first start of the season against Western Kentucky and continued to start the rest of the season.
Lee’s only playing time down the stretch came in the fourth quarter of games with victory well in hand.
As Jefferson struggled against the Crimson Tide’s top-ranked defense, Alabama sophomore quarterback AJ McCarron had a first half to remember, completing 18 of 25 passes for 156 yards and leading Alabama to a 9-0 lead.
Against Georgia, Jefferson finished with 30 yards passing.
Just Wing it, Part II
A hero from LSU’s victory at Alabama on Nov. 5 was again in top form Monday as redshirt freshman Brad Wing continued to flip field possession with his strong left leg.
In the first half, as all five of LSU’s possessions ended in punts, Wing averaged 50.6 yards with a long of 59 yards.
Wing even got into the action on the defensive end, forcing Marquis Maze out of bounds at the LSU 26 after the Alabama return man took Wing’s second punt back 49 yards and broke into the open field with a chance to score.
The first game against Alabama, Wing blasted a 73-yard punt from his own end zone in the pivotal fourth quarter, part of a performanced in which he punted six times for an average of 38.2 yards and pinned Alabama inside its 20 four times.
Ford gets start
Michael Ford, the leading rusher for LSU in the first meeting with Alabama, got his fifth career start Monday at tailback. Ford’s earlier starts this season came against Northwestern State and Georgia.
On the first play from scrimmage, Ford carried off tackle for 2 yards.
Jindal shows support
Gov. Bobby Jindal, who earlier Monday took the oath of office for his second term, was among the special guests at the BCS National Championship Game who were introduced on the field prior to kickoff.
Jindal, who wore a purple-and-gold striped tie as he
took the oath of office at the Old State Capitol, wore a purple LSU button-down to the game.
Playing from behind
Monday marked the third straight game that LSU fell behind by double digits in the first half.
The Tigers trailed Georgia 10-0 early in the SEC title game before cutting the deficit to 10-7 at halftime and rallying for the 42-10 win.
LSU trailed Arkansas 14-0 a week earlier at Tiger Stadium, but eventually cruised to a 41-17 triumph.
First-half shutout
In being shut out through the first half, LSU failed to score in the first half of a game since falling behind Alabama 10-0 in 2005, a game the Tigers rallied to win in overtime. In the first half Monday, Alabama outgained LSU 156-26 and had 13 first downs on Monday.