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LSU is stacked. We will not tiptoe gently around this fact here. We will begin by facing it squarely.
College football expert Phil Steele ranks the top college team position groupings in his indispensable preview magazine, and the Tigers show up everywhere. According to Steele, LSU has the 6th-best defensive backs in the nation. And the 6th-best receivers. And the #7-ranked running backs. Offensive line: #15. Defensive line: #20. Linebacker: #21. Even their special teams slide in at #25.
Brilliance. Everywhere. Almost. See what's missing? Quarterback. Everyone has a weakness (even Chuck Norris). LSU is no different. Quarterback is the one and only position where the Huskies have an edge.
LSU's quarterback, sophomore Jordan Jefferson, has just two career starts. Washington's Jake Locker is a two-year starter, was the Pac-10 Freshman of the Year, and is among the most talented offensive players ever to wear purple. (Locker got high praise from his coach on Monday. During the Coach's Show on KJR, Sarkisian said that Locker could be a better QB than Heisman Trophy winners Carson Palmer and Matt Leinart, who Sark coached at USC. "None of those guys threw as well out of the pocket as [Locker] does," Sarkisian said.)
LSU's Jefferson is similar to Locker--big (6-5, 220) and a scrambler (see these highlights of Jefferson's performance in LSU's bowl game win last year). But Jefferson doesn't have Locker's speed, nor Locker's experience, nor Locker's arm strength. So the Huskies are #18 in Phil Steele's QB position rankings. LSU doesn't appear.
They would have, for sure, had the Tigers' quarterback progression gone according to plan. This should be the senior year for Ryan Perriloux, the Louisiana prep legend who reneged on an oral commitment to Texas to become the cornerstone of Les Miles' first LSU recruiting class. But Perriloux turned out to be as troubled as he was talented--getting arrested for using a fake ID and getting in a bar fight his sophomore year. Then, a few months before Perriloux's junior season was to start, Miles kicked him off the team--for failing a drug test, according to ESPN.
Now instead of contending for a Heisman (or better -- the other top QB from that high school class, Mark Sanchez, will start for the New York Jets this season) Perriloux is playing at lower division Jacksonville State. And instead of a stud senior quarterback, the Tigers have sophomore Jefferson learning on the job.
In addition to Jefferson, the Tigers have a talented true freshman quarterback, Russell Shepard. Named the #1 "athlete" recruit by ESPN, Shepard will play a "slash" role this season, a la Tim Tebow in his freshman year. He could line up at receiver, running back, or QB in the "wildcat" formation. So when you see #10 on the field for LSU, think shenanigans.
Being weaker than your opponent at all but one position is not the ideal situation. But if you could pick which position that would be, you'd definitely pick quarterback.
UPDATE: Jake Locker highlights set to Megadeth Nazareth!
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Nice analysis of the UW/LSU matchup. Song is by Nazareth though, not Megadeth.
You better take that back right now. Chuck Norris does not have a weakness. It may be to late for you if he heard about this blasphemy. There may already be a round house kick on the way.
My anxiety surrounding this game has been inexhaustible. I salute you for somehow managing to reduce it slightly. I guess now I'll go through with the IHEARTLOCKER tattoo. Thanks!
Thanks, DustyHusky...fixed the incorrect reference. "Stick to sports," the music editor always tells me...but do I listen?
Seth, your a good writer. But you sound like something from the 1960's. Quit taking lessons from the old guard from UW. Maybe you can get together with Alumni from the 1960's and sing Kumbiya songs, protest the war, chant "duh whole world is watchin" yop, yup, yup and talk about the worst concert in history Woodstock. But there is one thing that history will remember. The Cougars will win the Apple Cup again and send the DAWGS wimpering back to the kennel. You just might raise enough money to get a coat of paint on the ugly Husky Stadium. GO Cougs. Never write crap about Wulff like that again. Your information was deceiving.