LSU Tigers

GeauxTigerNation's Gary Laney stopped by to discuss all things LSU, from spring practice to recruiting.

If you missed it, click here for a full transcript.

Several of RecruitingNation's SEC sites took a look this week at the players headed to the NFL combine, which begins today in Indianapolis, and other predraft camps. Click here to read the entire predraft series. Today: Defensive backs and special teams.

LSU Tigers

The obvious acronym for Louisiana State University is "LSU." But to many, the Baton Rouge school gets the title "DBU" for its mass production of NFL defensive backs, from cornerbacks like Patrick Peterson and Morris Claiborne to safeties like LaRon Landry. This draft will do nothing to harm that reputation. Three LSU defensive backs -- including the booted-from-the-team Tyrann Mathieu -- were invited to the NFL combine this week, a year after three (Claiborne, Ron Brooks and Brandon Taylor) were taken in the draft.

(Read full post)

When Zach Mettenberger was named the starting quarterback early in the offseason, LSU fans were hopeful that he would be able to improve a passing game that finished 10th in the SEC in passing in 2011.

However, for most of this season, that hasn’t been the case. While in his first eight games, Mettenberger averaged slightly more yards per game (177.4), he also had more turnovers (7) than Jordan Jefferson and Jarrett Lee had combined last season (6).

Despite those struggles, in the biggest game of his young career last Saturday against Alabama, Mettenberger rose to the occasion.

After completing just 46.2 percent of his passes in his first four SEC games, Mettenberger completed 24 of 35 passes (68.6 percent) for a career-high 298 yards.

He was especially strong in the second half, going 14-of-17 for 206 yards. It had been 31 games since the last time a quarterback threw for 200 yards in a half against Alabama's defense.

The question going forward is whether Mettenberger’s play in the second half is a trend or a fluke. His play on third downs and against the blitz bodes well for future success.

On third downs, Mettenberger converted eight first downs through the air, tying the most allowed by Alabama in the Nick Saban era. Last season, in two meetings, LSU did not convert a single third down through the air against the Crimson Tide, throwing for more interceptions (1) than yards (0).

In Mettenberger’s first four SEC games, he converted just 34.3 percent of his third-down pass attempts into first downs with three turnovers. Against Alabama, he converted 57.1 percent of his passes into first downs, including 85.7 percent in the second half (6-for-7).

Mettenberger also showed marked improvement against the blitz, particularly in the fourth quarter. Mettenberger was 7-of-8 for 118 yards and a touchdown in the fourth quarter against Alabama when the Tide sent at least five pass-rushers. That’s more yards than either he had or Alabama had allowed in those situations in a full game until then. Mettenberger also completed three passes of at least 20 yards against the blitz, one more than he had in his previous four SEC games combined.

Downfield passing had been another area in which Mettenberger was expected to improve LSU’s offense. In non-conference games, Mettenberger completed 66.7 percent of his passes that travelled at least 15 yards in the air. However, in conference play, Mettenberger is just 6-of-30 on deep passes (20 percent). But in the fourth quarter against Alabama, Mettenberger was 2-of-3 for 58 yards on deep passes.

While Mettenberger comes in after the best half of his career, this week’s opponent has struggled defensively the last two weeks. Mississippi State has allowed opposing quarterbacks to complete 77.8 percent of passes the last two weeks without an interception (both losses). During its 7-0 start, Mississippi State intercepted 12 passes, so Saturday’s game is a good litmus test to see if Mettenberger truly has turned the corner.

BATON ROUGE, La. -- How big is it for LSU to land Jarrell Martin, the No. 14-ranked player in the ESPN 100?

Martin, who committed to the Tigers on Thursday in an assembly at Madison Prep Academy, is the most coveted recruit to commit to the Tigers since Glen "Big Baby" Davis, who was ranked as the nation's No. 13 player when he pledged in 2004. If LSU coach Johnny Jones was hired to improve recruiting, Martin's pledge is proof that he's delivering.

That makes Martin the the most coveted player to commit to LSU since Davis who, like Martin, prepped at a local high school, as Davis attended University Lab.

Martin should provide Jones with plenty of the firepower he wants in implementing an up-tempo, fast-break offense at LSU.

At 6-foot-7, Martin projects as a power forward, but he said he hopes to move inside and out, depending on how he's matched up -- and Jeff Jones, Martin's coach at Madison Prep, agreed with his star player's assessment, comparing him to North Texas standout and former Johnny Jones pupil Tony Mitchell.

"Really what will help Johnny with his system are the guys he'll have in John Udoh and Deng Deng and [Jordan] Mickey and [Tim] Quarterman," Jeff Jones said. "... There will be a lot of places to move Jarrell around. And whatever you ask Jarrell to do, he's going to do it."

Martin sees his versatility as being similar to a particular player who never even considered attending North Texas.

"I'd say I see my game like LeBron James -- I just take whatever is there," Martin said. "If a big guy is on me I'll go out and use my perimeter game, if a small guy is on me I'll go down low."

In light of that versatility and willingness, the presence of other big men among LSU commits could be a boon for Martin offensively.

Add in LSU's previous commitment from forward Jordan Mickey, the No. 46 player in the ESPN 100, and LSU has two Top 50 players in the same class for the first time since 2005 when Mitchell and Magnum Rolle both signed with the Tigers as top 50 recruits on Rivals.com. LSU also has a pledge from Tim Quarterman, the No. 66 player on the Rivals 100 and junior college forward Deng Deng. John Odoh, a junior college center, will join the team in January.

Better than that, Jones' new batch of recruits already have some experience playing with each other.

"I actually played against Tim Quarterman and Jordan Mickey," Martin said. "Me and Jordan Mickey used to be together at the camps, and he was one of the guys that we'd be together at the camps and become close friends."

But it's Martin who stands out among the trio of prospects. LSU has had other top players since Davis, but stars such as Tasmin Mitchell (No. 20, Rivals) in 2005, J'Mison Morgan (No. 26, ESPN), Aaron Dotson (No. 45, ESPN) in 2009 and Johnny O'Bryant (No. 46, ESPN) in 2011 were all highly regarded recruits, but not as much as Martin.

It should also be noted that Morgan signed with LSU when John Brady was still head coach and was let out of his letter of intent by Trent Johnson, eventually winding up at at UCLA before transferring to Baylor.

Five great nuggets of information to get you ready for the weekend in college football.

1. The Notre Dame Fighting Irish are the only FBS team this season that has not allowed a touchdown drive longer than 75 yards. In fact, the Irish have allowed just six offensive touchdowns in 92 opponent drives all season, the fewest touchdowns and lowest percentage in FBS. The key has been excellent red-zone defense. Notre Dame's opponents have scored a touchdown on 21.7 percent of their red-zone possessions, the lowest percentage for an FBS defense in the last nine seasons.

2. Since Week 2 of the 1993 season, the LSU Tigers have been shut out three times in 244 games. All three of those blankings came:
• At the hands of the Alabama Crimson Tide
• Took place in the state of Louisiana
• Game was played at night

In 1996, Alabama shut out LSU, 26-0, and in 2002 won 31-0. Both games were played in Baton Rouge. The third shutout came in the 2012 BCS Championship Game, 21-0, in New Orleans. Dating back to 1975, LSU has been shut out nine times. Seven have been in the state of Louisiana (six in Baton Rouge) and four have come against Alabama.

3. The SEC has a rich tradition of productive running backs, but this season might feature something that hasn't happened in 40 years. Currently there are no SEC players averaging 100 yards per game on the ground. The conference leader is Texas A&M freshman Johnny Manziel (99.1) and he's a quarterback. The last season that the SEC failed to produce at least one player averaging 100 yards per game rushing was in 1972, when Auburn's Terry Henley led the conference at 93.7 yards per game.

4. Out west, the Oregon Ducks have scored at least 42 points in all eight games this season. Oregon is the sixth team in major college history to reach 42 points in its first eight games of a season. However, only one of those teams stretched the streak to nine games: The 2010 Oregon Ducks. That streak was stopped in the 10th game of the season against California. Dating back to last season, Oregon's 42-point streak stands at 11 games, which is the longest all-time.

5. Perhaps the Kansas State Wildcats should be grateful to be No. 2 behind Alabama in the BCS Standings after three weeks. Since 2001, only one of the 11 teams that led the BCS Standings after three weeks went on to win the national championship (USC in 2004). Over that same stretch, five teams ranked second after three weeks won the title (Miami in 2001, Ohio State in 2002, Texas in 2005, Auburn in 2010 and Alabama in 2011).