Ed Orgeron dishes on LSU's quarterback competition
It remains unclear which quarterback will get the nod when LSU plays Miami on Sept. 2 in AT&T Stadium, but the first step toward naming a starter begins on Saturday.
The LSU football team reported to campus on Friday morning and met for team meetings, and for the first time, Ohio State graduate transfer Joe Burrow is in the quarterbacks room. He joins Justin McMillan, Myles Brennan and Lowell Narcisse, who competed against one another in the spring.
Coach Ed Orgeron was quick to point out that ultimately, he has the final say in this quarterback race.
"I will rely heavily on our staff and (offensive coordinator) Steve (Ensminger)," Orgeron said Friday, "but I have the ultimate decision."
An ultimate decision indeed.
Burrow's arrival in Baton Rouge certainly alters this competition in a major capacity. His decision to transfer from Ohio State to LSU gives a fourth quarterback with more experience under his belt than any of the three already in place.
Being the new presence in the room doesn't translate to any advantages, though, as reps will continue to be divvied up equally amongst the quarterbacks when camp opens up.
"During walk-throughs, during team periods, we're going to split out 7-on-7 into two spots," Orgeron said. "We'll have two spots in 7-on-7 and team drills. We'll have two spots so our guys get more reps."
This is the second consecutive camp in which Orgeron is overseeing a competition at quarterback. Last year, the veteran -- Danny Etling -- beat out Brennan and McMillan.
Orgeron credited former Miami coach Jimmy Johnson and former Southern Cal coach Pete Carroll for educating him on this process. He has witnessed several notable quarterback battles during his time as an assistant coach, particularly in Los Angeles when it was Matt Leinart vs. John David Booty vs. Matt Cassel back in 2003. Those experiences are proving noteworthy as Orgeron looks to find LSU's next starter in one month's time.
"Jimmy Johnson's philosophy was recruiting great defensive linemen, get a great quarterback and recruit speed, and I took that philosophy on," Orgeron said. "Then, Pete Carroll -- when we were walking out to play Auburn -- Pete said, 'What do you think?' I said to give him (Matt Leinart) a quarter. That was his first game and I think he went 21-of-23 and we won a national championship that year.
"I've been in close quarterback races. I used to walk out with Matt Cassel every day. He would say, 'I can do it' and I said to be patience, but I don't know if he ever played a snap. I've been in those quarterback battles, and in the end, the best man is going to win out."
LSU, which opened at No. 24 in Preseason Amway Coaches Poll, will name a starter before it takes on the Hurricanes in Arlington, Texas on Sept. 2. Whoever is behind center that Sunday evening will have to earn the job over the next month.
It boils down to consistency, according to Orgeron, which follows a spring in which Brennan, Narcisse and McMillan all shined, but could not do so on a regular basis. With Burrow now in the mix, competitiveness in the quarterback room is at an all-time high. Now, it's on one of those contenders to make a consistent-enough case to be No. 1.
"What he has to do: everything," Orgeron pointed out. "Everyone has their own demeanor, their own way. Some are more about the film room or being vocal leaders. I've talked to (strength coach) Tommy Moffitt about their workouts; they're better conditioned. They all look good. They've answered the bell like I thought they would do."