On Monday afternoon, Les Miles told the media at his weekly press conference that quarterback competition that’s been opened and closed at various points this season is once again a live battle. Miles said he will not name a starter until later this week, and possible not until kickoff.

For a quick refresher, Anthony Jennings opened the season as the starter, but struggled to produce consistent offense. Brandon Harris came into the Mississippi State game late for Jennings after the latter suffered a shoulder injury and nearly led a miraculous comeback. The following week against New Mexico State, Jennings once again floundered. Harris came in during the second quarter of that game and lit it up, earning himself the start against Auburn.

Of course, things went sour quickly with Harris at the helm. He went 3-for-14 passing for just 58 yards against Auburn and was lifted for Jennings in the third quarter, with an ankle injury as part of the reason.

Is this a good or a bad idea by Miles? Take a look at it from both sides.

PROS

  1. The team needs a long-term solution. This season is looking more and more to be a rebuilding year, so that means the future starts now. Miles and offensive coordinator Cam Cameron would be better served figuring out who their guy is going to be for the next two or three seasons as soon as possible. If they don’t think Harris is capable of being that guy, then it is fair to go back to Jennings, although one game shouldn’t be enough evidence.
  2. It instills confidence in Anthony Jennings. The sophomore was yanked after that horrific start against New Mexico State. He was so bad that it probably wouldn’t have surprised anyone if he didn’t get another start, outside of as an injury replacement, for the remainder of his career. Giving him another shot at the job gives LSU another quarterback mentally capable of winning games.

CONS

  1. It keeps both quarterbacks looking over their shoulder. With an open competition, both Jennings and Harris will undoubtedly be on short leashes, and that’s not a great thing for two young, inexperienced quarterbacks. Instead of getting comfortable on the field, they may instead be worried about making a mistake and getting yanked. Moreover, it looked a week ago as if Brandon Harris was ready to take the job long-term, and the indications out of the football building said as much. Now, he’s back fighting for a job that he already won. Miles said that Harris was uncomfortable against Auburn, and this announcement will open add to that feeling.
  2. It disrupts the offensive line. LSU has been surprisingly shaky up front, mostly due to the middle of the line. Switching quarterbacks will only halt any development of continuity from the line. Quarterbacks have different cadences and tendencies in the pocket and personalities, and not knowing who the QB is going to be week to week could easily cause confusion.
  3. The running game will suffer. Defenses are already crowding the line against LSU, and if they know the Tigers aren’t confident enough to pick one quarterback things will only get worse for the running backs trying to find a hole. The offensive line is having a hard enough time, but eight-man fronts will only make their jobs tougher.