How Will LSU Football Quarterback Battle Shake Up This Week?

LSU freshmen stepping up with loss of key role players the last few weeks

LSU has been looking for veteran leadership throughout the entire 2020 season as the Tigers’ struggles have magnified. It turns out recently, the leadership growth from some of the impact freshmen has been outstanding. 

TJ Finley, Max Johnson, Arik Gilbert, Elias Ricks and BJ Ojulari are just a few true freshmen who have seen significant snaps this season and are undoubtedly the future to helping get this program back to a championship caliber level. On Monday, Orgeron said that Finley and Johnson in particular have done a great job of letting their voices be heard. 

"You've got to look at TJ and Max. Those guys work every day. You come here and go in during the summer, they're working all the time. They're leaders, they lead by example," Orgeron said. "They're great character young men. Arik Gilbert, look at him at tight end, the things he can do. Kayshon Boutte, the things that he can do.

"The guys who stand up so far, TJ and Max. Those guys stand up. TJ got the team fired up and Max was fired up to go. Our players believe in both of those young men."

The quarterback battle will be particularly interesting to follow this week as Finley likely has the leg up being the only scholarship quarterback who's been on the field the last two weeks. That's not to say that Johnson doesn't have a shot considering the struggles Finley had against Auburn. 

It will be three weeks on Saturday since the Tigers have taken on an opponent in another uniform and it'll be important that the continuity on the field is pristine. That tends to favor Finley as he's also proven to be the only one of the freshmen who has been able to put four winning quarters of football together.

The future at quarterback is undoubtedly bright but players like Ricks, Ojulari and Gilbert give credence to the fact that the nucleus of the LSU program is strong as well. All three have started all five games the Tigers have played in thus far and though the results have been mixed, the experience gained along the way should help immensely in future seasons. 

With an impressive recruiting class on the way, the main goal should be about building winners out of the younger players. Orgeron was asked on Monday if there was any inclination to play more younger, inexperienced players at the mercy of losing future games. 

"It's all about winning the games. We've got a lot of young guys playing. It works out both, but I'm not going to take out an older guy just to play a younger guy to give him reps," Orgeron said. "This is about winning the game, giving our guys the best chance to win."

The best opportunity to win games should be the goal as the older players should be the ones teaching the younger guys on the roster how to do so. Think about some of the upcoming opponents beyond Arkansas. 

No. 1 Alabama, No. 5 Florida and No. 7 Texas A&M are still on the schedule. Imagine the confidence boost this would give the program if the Tigers were able to squeak out a win against one of these opponents. It's part of the recipe for building a championship contender, something that Orgeron reiterated on Monday, is the main goal for the program.

"I know we're going to build a championship team. I know it's coming. But you have to go through some adversity, man," Orgeron said. "Iron sharpens iron. You have to develop some grit and toughness. You just can't go roll your helmet out there. We've got to coach better. We've got to pay attention to details. It all starts with me, I gotta get this program better. But I do know this we're building character."