He was 21-0 as a starter at Destrehan,
including an undefeated season and state championship his senior year.
In his last two years, Jefferson threw for 4,512 yards and 44 touchdowns with seven interceptions. His passer rating in his senior year was 172.5.
As a result,
Rivals.com and
Scout.com, the nation's main recruiting agencies, listed him as one of the 20 best quarterback prospects in the nation, and Rivals.com selected him a "top 10 pro-style" quarterback.
"I lean toward both ways," Jefferson said in assessing his own game.
He did not mean, he said, that he is equally comfortable in both offenses (he prefers the traditional attack). But he is committed to making the play the situation requires.
"I'll use my athletic ability to run the ball when I have to, but my philosophy is throw it first and run second," he said. "I would like to get the yards by passing. I want to throw the ball, but I will make whatever play we think can beat you. That's basically how I play football."
How he plays will be one of the most closely watched aspects of the Tigers, who seek a return to BCS-caliber play after going 8-5 last season and finishing unranked one year removed from a national championship. Jefferson's backup, sophomore
Jarrett Lee, has the finest passing touch of any quarterback in the program, according to the receivers, but he did not appear capable of handling the load single-handedly when required to in 2008.
Equally important -- and harder to define than the spread is to defend -- will be Jefferson's development as a leader. Coach
Les Miles and Crowton spent more time in the offseason drilling that into his head than they did schemes, Jefferson said.
"They were making sure I prepared myself when I was off the field, and making sure I didn't do anything negative -- which I won't now that I'm playing," he said.
In other words, it is early, he is young, but he's not seeking a delay.
"I have three years to play college football, and I just appreciate that I'm playing them at LSU -- and that I get to represent this team and this university," he said.
Neither Miles nor Crowton could have scripted it any better.
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