Quarterback Jefferson leads weak LSU offense

Louisiana State quarterback Jordan Jefferson must be looking forward to returning to the Georgia Dome.

In his freshman year, Jefferson grabbed LSU’s starting job after winning the 2008 Chick-fil-A Bowl Offensive MVP in a 38-3 blowout of Georgia Tech.

The LSU offense struggled last year, as they finished an anemic ninth-from-last in yards per game in the Football Bowl Subdivision.

The main problem for the Tigers was a lack of blocking. Jefferson spent as much time running away from burly defensive linemen as he did looking downfield for open receivers.

“He’s a kid that’s very athletic, very mobile; he can extend plays with his legs,” UNC coach Butch Davis said during a teleconference on Monday. “Obviously he’s thrown for over 2,000 yards, so he really represents a multi-dimensional threat.”

LSU can only hope that Jefferson is much improved from the sophomore that led the Bayou Bengals to a disappointing 9-4 campaign.

“He’ll play better,” LSU coach Les Miles said in the same Monday teleconference. “We expect him to play better. His leadership abilities are still getting better.

“He’s prepared very well this summer,” Miles said. “He had a very good summer. He’s in the best shape of his life. He’s really been aggressive and is learning.”

Davis said that despite the struggles, it was clear to him that Jefferson improved over the course of last season.

LSU’s offensive line will be strongly tested by UNC’s formidable defensive line, even though it was announced Wednesday that Marvin Austin would not play.

Safety Deunta Williams believes that two new potential starters, Quinton Coples and Tydreke Powell, are ready to step up and make contributions along the defensive line.

“They understand that they are kind of the new guys in the unit, and they don’t want to be the weak link,” Williams said on Tuesday.

Williams especially singled out Coples as a guy who has turned heads during the course of training camp.

“He is one guy who a lot of guys were wondering what position he would play,” Williams said. “I think he’s done a great job of getting great technique.”

If the LSU linemen can keep Coples, Powell and the rest of the defense at bay, Jefferson will have numerous weapons to throw to. Terrence Toliver returns after amassing more than 700 receiving yards last year.

Teaming with Toliver will be big-play threat Russell Shepard. After being recruited as a five-star quarterback to LSU, Shepard moved to wide receiver and spent most of the season tethered to the bench.

He showcased his blazing speed with a number of long plays when he was on the field.

“That’s certainly the plan,” Miles said. “We’d like to throw (Shepard) some balls. We’d need more protection for the offense to get in the position to give him the football.”

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