Anthony Jennings may have started at quarterback for LSU during the Outback Bowl, but he hasn’t proven ready to take over the Tigers’ offense during fall camp. Freshman Brandon Harris is legitimately in the conversation to start behind center for the Tigers. And LSU head coach Les Miles is going to give his quarterbacks time to hash it out during the remaining practices before the team’s season-opener against the Wisconsin Badgers.
“I think the naming of a starter will be when one separates himself from the other,” Miles told The Times-Picayune‘s Jim Kleinpeter. “We’re not there. I can tell you that accountability and the length of time that you need to stand in that pocket and learn the offense in my opinion both quarterbacks need that time.
“When it’s appropriate or when it’s right or two quarterbacks aren’t going to play, we’ll name a starter. But that’s never really been the key to me. The key has always been the competition.”
In limited action last season, Jennings completed only 44.8 percent of his passes. It’s a small sample size, but he didn’t appear ready once he was thrust into the spotlight. The Tigers won the Outback Bowl despite Jennings’ play.
Harris, meanwhile, was considered a four-star recruit the Tigers lured away from the Ohio State Buckeyes, Auburn Tigers and Baylor Bears. Harris was ranked by Rivals.com as the fifth-best quarterback recruit in the nation.
“He was ranked higher than me when I came out,” Jennings told Kleinpeter. “I expected him to be top tier. We only recruit the best players in the nation.”
Jennings is confident his understanding of the offense will eventually separate him from Harris, but this competition could go down to the wire. Don’t be surprised if Miles doesn’t name a starter until days or even hours before the Tigers play the Badgers at Reliant Stadium in Houston, Texas.