Jasen Vinlove – USA TODAY Sports
The LSU Tigers have been searching for answers this offseason at the quarterback position, trying to decide between incumbent starter Anthony Jennings and dynamic playmaker Brandon Harris. After Jennings was one of four LSU players to be arrested and suspended on Thursday, however, Les Miles’ decision should be made much easier.
According to reports, Jennings, cornerback Dwayne Thomas, and defensive lineman Maquidius Bain were arrested and charged with unauthorized entry of an inhabited dwelling and also charged Thomas with simple burglary of an inhabited dwelling. In an unrelated incident, redshirt freshman defensive tackle Trey Lealaimatafao was arrested and charged with attempted robbery and simple battery in the parking lot of a Baton Rouge bar, capping a pretty poor day for the Tigers from a PR standpoint. All four players have been suspended while their criminal investigations are underway.
Even if Jennings is able to escape these charges without serious legal ramifications, though, he should not be reinserted into the starting lineup for LSU.
The 2014 starter was already on thin ice based on his play on the field last season. He completed just 48.9 percent of his passes for 1,611 yards with 11 touchdowns and seven interceptions. He would often get pulled during games for Harris when Jennings was struggling to move the offense and even gave up some starts to the younger signal caller.
While Jennings appears to be the steadier and safer bet under center, he is a limited quarterback who struggles to consistently loosen up defenses with the passing game to help the running attack. This off-field incident should earn him a spot on the bench as it shows he has just as much inconsistency in his judgment as he does with his passes.
Harris is a raw talent who often struggled with the offense in 2014. However, he does have a unique playmaking spark that can create some big plays for the Tigers. More importantly, he has kept out of trouble, up to this point, and would provide more reliable leadership to the offense than Jennings.
While the quarterback race won’t officially be settled until the fall when Jennings’ legal issues will likely be resolved, there is no question now about who should be the No. 1 quarterback for LSU in 2015. Can Brandon Harris rise to the occasion and become a leader?
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