BATON ROUGE, La. — Brandon Harris was gushing about how every LSU player loves head coach Les Miles recently when a reporter asked him to address the disconnect between how popular Miles was with his team and how much some fans wanted him out at the end of last season.

The Tigers’ quarterback smiled and shrugged.

“A lot of people don’t like me either,” he said. “So I can relate.”

Indeed, Miles found himself on the hot seat last year during a three-game losing streak late in the season, and much of it was tied to the inconsistent play of Harris, whose late-season slump coincided with the calls to have Miles removed.

Part of the frustration was that LSU has a world-class running game led by Heisman Trophy candidate Leonard Fournette. But can the Tigers muster enough of a pass attack to take advantage of the SEC’s leading rushing offense?

Miles is back and so is Harris. The question is, will Harris and the passing game progress to the point where it’s good enough to make Miles — and Harris — a little more popular?

Quarterback

Harris was seventh in the SEC in both passing yards per game (180.4) and pass efficiency (130.6) and, as a team, LSU was 11th.

It’s a recurring issue for LSU lately. Since the 2007 national championship season, LSU has finished in the top half of the league in passing just once, and the Tigers have won just one SEC championship in that period.

That 2011 team, with its epic defense, was shut out in the national championship game by Alabama.

But there is reason to think this team could be better. Harris is a returning starter, something the Tigers have had only once in the last five years. In that year, second-year starter Zach Mettenberger passed for over 3,000 yards on a team that also featured future NFL running back Jeremy Hill.

Could Harris, who possesses an NFL arm reminiscent of Mettenberger, make the same leap?

The good news is that if he doesn’t, LSU has upgraded its backup quarterback with Purdue transfer Danny Etling, a former Boilermakers starter. Justin McMillan and true freshman Lindsey Scott round out the scholarship quarterbacks.

LSU seems more willing to trust Etling than it was willing to trust 2015 backup (and 2014 starter) Anthony Jennings, who barely touched the field before transferring to UL-Lafayette.

Wide receiver/tight end

The other side of the passing game equation is a little top heavy.

Malachi Dupre (43 recepetions, 698 yards) and Travin Dural (28 receptions, 533 yards) were the Tigers’ top two receivers and both are back. Dural was the leading receiver in 2014 but was hampered by injuries last season.

After those two, LSU does not have another returning wide receiver who has caught a pass. Speedy D.J. Chark is the odds-on favorite for the third receiver role and Jazz Ferguson and a slew of freshmen, led by big, speedy Drake Davis, will contend for playing time.

The group was hurt by offseason attrition as three receivers who played significant but secondary roles last season (John Diarse, Trey Quinn and Tyron Johnson) all opted to transfer.

With the lack of experience at receiver, perhaps senior tight end Colin Jeter (12 receptions, 132 yards) will become a more significant player in the pass attack. His backup, Foster Moreau, is more of a blocking specialist.

Running back

There may not be a deeper stable of running backs in the country, starting with Fournette, the nation’s leading returning rusher (300 carries, 1,953 yards last season) and the nation’s leader in rushing yards per game (162.8).

At 6-foot-1, 235 pounds, Fournette is a throwback to the days of the big, fast tailback dotting the “I” like a Bo Jackson, Herschel Walker or Eddie George. A downhill force, tackling Fournette is a daunting task once he gets a head of steam going, and if he gets in the open field, he has the rare speed to take it the distance.

But the running threat doesn’t end there. Backup Derrius Guice (51 carries, 436 yards last season) was considered one of the best freshman backs in the SEC last year, and the Tigers’ third option, Darrel Williams (60 carries, 296 yards) is a talent who could start for a lot of major college teams.

So deep are the Tigers, sophomore Nick Brossette, an elite recruit coming out of high school, will have a hard time seeing the field for this team as will Fournette’s younger brother, redshirt freshman Lanard Fournette.

Fullback J.D. Moore established himself as a crushing blocker before his season ended halfway through because of a knee injury. That allowed backup Bry’Kiethon Mouton to get starting time, leaving the Tigers experienced at the position this year.

Offensive line

If there is part of the offense that deserves more worry than the passing game, it’s offensive tackle, where the Tigers lost both starters from last season’s team and are dealing with an injury to one of the projected replacements.

Maea Teuhema, the projected starter at left tackle coming into August, has been hampered by an ankle injury and may not get the opening day start (we’ll see soon enough). Either way, coaches seem pleased with the progress of K.J. Malone, the junior who’s the son of NBA Hall of Famer Karl Malone.

At right tackle, Toby Weathersby is the new starter but may be challenged by Teuhema when he returns.

The Tigers are a little more settled inside. At center, senior Ethan Pocic is a legitimate Rimington Award candidate. Guards Will Clapp and Josh Boutte are veterans. Boutte began last season as the starter but lost the job to Teuhema. LSU seems to be comfortable with the possibility of backup Garrett Brumfield moving into the starting lineup if necessary.

Special Teams

LSU had an awkward offseason moment when senior kicker Trent Domingue, who hit 13-of-17 field goals last year, opted to transfer to Texas after his scholarship was not renewed.

That leaves 2014 starter Colby Delahoussaye as the starter if he can hold off the challenge of true freshman Connor Culp.

Guice was last year’s kick return specialist (23.6 yards per return) and cornerback Tre’Davious White is back to return punts (11.4 yards per return last season).

Offensive strengths

Against most teams the Tigers will play, including many of the SEC teams, LSU can simply hand the ball to Fournette and opponents won’t be able to stop him. He’s that good, and the physical mindset Miles instills in his team will make the entire offense that good.

The offensive line’s inside positions can be dominant. Watch how often Pocic knocks defenders off their feet (he had 137 knockdown blocks last year). When you have possibly the nation’s best running back running behind possibly the nation’s best center, why not go up the middle?

Offensive weaknesses

The problem with being able to rely on the power run game so often is that when the Tigers see a team talented enough to stop it (i.e., Alabama), LSU has not been equipped to counter with an equally proficient passing attack.

Ever since Matt Flynn left LSU with a BCS championship ring, the Tigers have not been a good passing team, save Mettenberger’s senior season in 2013. Harris will have to stop that trend with a big assist from Dupre and Dural, likely two future NFL receivers.

The Tigers also need to prove they can block on the edge. Reviews of Malone’s play, in particular, have been good, but will it translate to game day?

Wild card

If Harris finds a viable third receiving option, then maybe this will be a pass offense that defenses will have to respect.

Who might that be? A big year from Jeter would be nice, because having the tight end as a receiving threat allows the offense to be effective passing from a personnel group that might suggest “run” to the defense. But if the Tigers go to third and fourth receivers, Harris has had glowing reviews for the development of Chark.

Another receiving option? How about dump-offs to Fournette and Guice out of the backfield?