Jefferson at ease

LSU QB more relaxed after  early off-field problem

LSU quarterback Jordan Jefferson appeared at ease Tuesday as he prepared to cap his college football career in the BCS National Championship Game against Alabama on Jan. 9 in New Orleans.

He is more than four months removed from his arrest and suspension that put his senior season in jeopardy and three months removed from his reinstatement to the team.

His season has since gotten on track and he has played in nine games since returning, gradually assuming a bigger role, regaining the No. 1 position from Jarrett Lee in the third quarter of a 9-6 victory at Alabama on Nov. 5, and having started the four games since.

Speaking with local reporters for just the third time since his arrest in August, Jefferson was his most relaxed and introspective after the Tigers’ practice.

“Everything is back in order, back where it needed to be,” he said. “I’ve got my life back, really. That’s why there’s more peace.”

Jefferson said he has thought a lot about his return to the starting lineup and the opportunity that awaits him since the Tigers improved to 13-0 and won the Southeastern Conference championship with a 42-10 victory against Georgia on Dec. 3 in Atlanta.

“It’s something that I worked hard at to get back to this position,” he said. “I had to do a lot of hours after practice, before practice, getting better in the weight room, studying a lot of film. I had to do a lot to be in the position I’m in today. I’m fortunate to be back starting and playing in the national championship game.”

When Jefferson was reinstated in late September he said regaining the starting position that was unquestionably his before the suspension was a goal of his. Some interpreted that comment as being a sign of selfishness, but the team saw it as a logical attitude for a competitor and accomplished quarterback to take.

“We as a team we knew what he meant,” wide receiver Rueben Randle said. “We knew he didn’t mean it in a cocky way. We knew he wanted to get back on the team, get back to playing and making plays and get back into the role that he left.”

Jefferson left the team just eight days before the season opener and he ultimately served a four-game suspension. He said he watched the three out-of-town games against Oregon, Mississippi State, and West Virginia on television with teammates who weren’t on the traveling squad. He said he attended the one home game ­— against Northwestern State on Sept. 10 — and watched on TV from the locker room.

“It was kind of a frustrating feeling because I knew I should have been out there playing those games,” Jefferson said. “Me sitting out it was kind of devastating watching it through the TV, but at the same time I had to stay positive and cheer the team on and sit there watching and pray that they win every game until I got back.”

He got back three days before the Oct. 1 game against Kentucky in Tiger Stadium when coach Les Miles chose to reinstate him after Jefferson was charged with a misdemeanor rather than a felony in connection with a bar fight that led to his arrest. Jefferson played seven snaps in his first game back against Kentucky on Oct. 1.

“Whenever I wasn’t playing I was still working out,” Jefferson said. “I was still throwing, doing the same things I would have been doing if I had been on the field. (Miles) gave me an opportunity in the game to prove myself and to prove that I had caught up from the four weeks I missed.”

It took a while for Jefferson to get back in the role he had in August, partly because of the time he missed but mostly because Lee had been the most efficient passer in the SEC in leading LSU to four straight wins in Jefferson’s absence.

Jefferson saw an incremental increase in his snaps behind Lee in three more games before he relieved Lee after Lee’s second interception against the Crimson Tide. Jefferson has been at the controls ever since, with Lee’s playing time in relief of him dwindling by the game.

A three-year starter, Jefferson said he was confident all along that he would be back and that Miles would give him a fair shake.

“I did have confidence in that,” he said. “Les Miles has always been a straight shooter toward me. I knew he was going to handle the situation correctly and he did. He did what he had to do and as far as me not playing this game or that game, me getting a few reps this game, me starting that game. I think he handled the situation fairly.

“I think he did a great job with it. You can’t make a dramatic change like that. You have to gradually make changes and that’s what happened.”

Jefferson said he has “no bitterness”, which wasn’t the case when he was first reinstated.

“I’m back on my team,” he said. “I’m back with the coaches that I love. I’m playing the game that I love. There’s really no bitterness. We’re playing in the national championship game, so it’s all good in my book.

“Once I got back my main focus was to do all that I can to help out this team at the time. Eventually as the weeks went by things started to get better and better and now it’s back to normal. So I’m fortunate.”

Jefferson said he has mostly avoided interviews because “I was mainly focused on getting the position back and finding ways to contribute to this team to help get victories.”

“My main focus was football at the time instead of answering questions about that situation,” Jefferson said. “When I got back it was something I was trying to put in the past and behind me I was trying to move forward from that situation and step away from that and handle my business football wise.”

Guard Will Blackwell said he has seen a change evolve in Jefferson in the time since his return.

“He’s more comfortable,” Blackwell said.

“I feel that all this commotion that I’ll call it has been put behind him. He doesn’t have to worry about what people think because it’s in the past and it’s been dealt with. I think that’s going to allow him to go out there and play a lot more confidently.”