LSU quarterback Anthony Jennings has reportedly earned the Tigers' starting nod over freshman Brandon Harris for Saturday's season opener against Wisconsin, further clearing a somewhat murky quarterback picture in the SEC.
Nola.com cited a source close to LSU in reporting the result of what has been a relatively secretive quarterback competition. LSU coach Les Miles said earlier this week that both Jennings and Harris would see action against the Badgers. Jennings (6-foot-2, 216 pounds) backed up Zach Mettenberger last season, but appeared in nine games. After Mettenberger sustained a late-season knee injury, Jennings engineered a comeback win over Arkansas. He started LSU's Outback Bowl win over Iowa, but didn't play well (7 of 19, 82 yards, one interception).
Harris enrolled early at LSU, allowing him to compete in spring drills. He threw three touchdown passes in the Tigers' annual spring game, giving rise to speculation about the competition at the position.
It was reported Thursday that Alabama's equally secretive quarterback situation would resolve with fifth-year senior Blake Sims starting the Crimson Tide's opener against West Virginia. Earlier in the week, Texas A&M coach Kevin Sumlin selected Kenny Hill as the winner of a tough, camp-long competition with true freshman Kyle Allen. That decision looked pretty good on Thursday night.
If Sims and Jennings play even half as well as Hill did, the first-year starters will acquit themselves nicely.
*Follow Chase Goodbread on Twitter **@ChaseGoodbread*.
