Ed Orgeron used the word "miraculous" Wednesday to describe the slim chance of quarterback Myles Brennan playing this week.

In fact, the coach said the fourth-year junior could still be working back from his "lower-body injury" for multiple weeks, with the timeline for his recovery difficult to specify.

"Could be," Orgeron said. "Could be, no question. He could be healed by next week or he couldn't be. This could be a lingering deal or it couldn't be. It all depends on his body and how he heals properly.

"I was just talking to (Director of Athletic Training) that each person's different. We're just gonna have to go along with it. And when he's ready, we'll put him back in."

Brennan suffered the injury Oct. 10 during the Tigers' 45-41 loss at Missouri.

The quarterback finished the contest, completing 29 of 48 passes for 430 yards and four touchdowns.

"Well, we knew it," Orgeron said. "Jack told me he was gonna be pretty bruised and banged up. And, you know, they worked him, and he could throw the football. His rotation was good enough to go in the game. He wanted to go in the game. I think after the game, after he got sore and after they tested him and found out exactly what was wrong with him, we found out the significance of the injury.

"Now, the thing about the injury is some people heal fast and some people don't heal fast. You know, there's not a timeline. I think each human being is different in the way they heal on that injury. So that's what they're facing right now."

Brennan missed practice Monday, Oct. 10, with soreness and has yet to return.

True freshmen T.J. Finley and Max Johnson have split reps in his absence.

"Rehab, rehab, rehab," Orgeron said. "He hadn't been out to practice. When the players are not able to practice, I'd rather them stay in the training room and get rehabbed and get better. And he's been working with Jack. And right now we don't think he's gonna play. It doesn't look like he's gonna play. I'm not saying he won't. Some miraculous thing may come up. But right now we're planning on going with either T.J. or Max."

The coach said he doesn't expect his team's offense to change much, from a scheme and playbook standpoint, with either freshman in the game.

He has praised Finley and Johnson throughout even preseason practice and expressed confidence the past week in their potential to start in Brennan's place.

"I think it's helped that both of 'em are mid-year graduates," he said. "They work very hard. They both throw the ball very well. They're both good athletes. They're very similar, to be honest with you. I really think the difference between one and the other will be shown in the game — which one's gonna be sure or not, which one's gonna handle the pressure, which one can make the calls.

"We feel like both like both of 'em can do it. We feel like both of 'em will do well. But you never can tell until you play 'em."

The Tigers have been among the top passing teams in the SEC thus far this season with 370.7 yards per game second only to Alabama's 393.0.

LSU is one of just two teams in the conference to average fewer than 100 rushing yards per contest.

Only the "Air Raid" approach of Mississippi State has netted less than the Tigers' 96.7-yard average on the ground.

LSU has rushed 90 times for 290 yards, compared to the Bulldogs' 114 yards on 74 attempts.

"We're not gonna change the offense," Orgeron said. "We've kept the same offense. We're running the same plays. Nothing's gonna changed much, because that's what they've been running. We wanna give 'em both the chance to compete, and both of 'em have competed very well. I have no problem starting either one of 'em. Whichever one it's gonna be, it's gonna be very close. And more than likely, both of 'em will play."