If LSU is to “rebound” from a three-loss season and again challenge Alabama for SEC West supremacy, an improved offense -- along with replacing myriad players lost to early entry into the NFL draft -- will be paramount.
Specifically, quarterback Zach Mettenberger will need to take his game to the next level. While LSU’s passing offense improved from an inept ranking of 106th nationally in 2011, the Tigers were still 92nd in the country in that category last season. Mettenberger was serviceable in his first season as the Tigers’ starter, completing just under 60 percent of his passes with 12 touchdowns versus seven interceptions.
His passer rating, however, was just 10th among SEC quarterbacks. Many expect a vastly improved player in 2013, and Saturday showed the progress Mettenberger has made this offseason.
In LSU’s first scrimmage of the spring, Mettenberger completed 20-of-30 passes for two touchdowns. Most encouraging for Les Miles and his offensive coaching staff? Most of his work earlier today came against the Tigers’ first-team defense.
“He made a couple of intuitive throws today,” the head coach said of his starting quarterback in quotes distributed by the school. “He saw things very quickly and got the ball out of his hand. Guys anticipated the catch and down the field it went. He looked good and 20-of-30 to start is really nice. Two series were against the second team but the rest of the day was against the first team defense.”
Yes, it’s just the spring and just a scrimmage so there’s no need to thrust Mettenberger’s name onto the Heisman radar. Still, it’s an encouraging sign for an LSU team that will need Mettenberger’s play to skew more heavily toward AJ McCarron than, well, what the position has been the past couple of/few seasons for the Bayou Bengals.