Miles rejects idea of quarterback change for LSU

• LSU QB Zach Mettenberger ranks 10th in the SEC in passer rating
• "We're not so prone to discard him for a mobile quarterback," coach Les Miles said
• The Tigers host No. 3 South Carolina on Saturday

BATON ROUGE – After just his second regular season loss in nearly two years and first after a 17-0 run, LSU football coach Les Miles is not ready to play another quarterback or switch his offensive coaches' responsibilities around.

He was asked about both on Monday at his press luncheon following a 14-6 loss at Florida on Saturday in which his team failed to score a touchdown for the second time in seven games, counting the 21-0 loss to Alabama in the BCS national championship in January.

"We're not so prone to discard him (Zach Mettenberger) for a mobile quarterback," said Miles, who did exactly that last season when he benched drop back quarterback Jarrett Lee for the mobile Jordan Jefferson even though Lee was No. 1 in the Southeastern Conference in passing efficiency and 13th nationally at the time through eight starts.

Mettenberger, also a straight drop back quarterback who is not fleet-footed, isn't having the kind of year Lee had by a long shot. He is 10th in the Southeastern Conference at 139.9 on 89-of-144 passing for 1,174 yards and six touchdowns with three interceptions. He also has fumbled three times. And Miles has an experienced dual-threat quarterback at his disposal as he did last year.

The Tigers signed former Penn State quarterback Rob Bolden in August, and Bolden started parts of two seasons in 2010 and 2011. LSU's offense suffered late last season under the erratic Jefferson, however.

"Ideally, you'd like to have that quarterback in the game that gives a great advantage with him in the game and the ball in his hand as he dispenses it in the pass," Miles said. "We really think Zach is that guy. We just need to make sure we get the ball to the guy that has it coming, who by strategy the defense has left not as well covered. We need to catch it and advance the ball. If we do those things, we'll be fine."

The No. 8 Tigers (5-1, 1-1 SEC) may have to be more than fine on offense to beat No. 3 South Carolina (6-0, 4-0 SEC) on Saturday in a 7 p.m. home game on ESPN. The Gamecocks are third in the SEC and 11th natonally in total defense with 278 yards allowed a game.

"I want Tiger Stadium to be a loud and very difficult place to play for our opponent," Miles said.

Mettenberger has not been that, but he has suffered from a rash of dropped passes by various receivers throughout the season.

"We can't have an effective passing game when we keep dropping balls," said wide receiver Jarvis Landry, who has caught one pass in the last two games. "And we have not true standout receiver. It's been frustrating."

LSU has no receivers in the top 15 listed by the SEC in receptions per game. Sophomore wide receiver Odell Beckham is No. 10 in the league in receiving yards per game with 60.7 on 20 catches for 364 yards, but he has several drops and a critical fumble at Florida. That came after he caught a well thrown 56-yard bomb by Mettenberger at the Florida 23 in the third quarter with LSU down just 7-6. Miles mentioned the Beckham fumble for the second time in three days on Monday.

"If we hold the ball on the 20-yard line and get to play from there, I don't know if that game might have been a little different," he said.

"There's not pointing the fingers at anybody," Mettenberger said when asked about the drops after the Florida game. "I just have to keep going to them. Hopefully, they can work it out."

In the meantime, LSU has sunk to No. 12 in the SEC and 98th nationally in pass offense with 195.7 yards a game and to No. 9 in the SEC and 76th nationally in total offense with 394 yards a game. These are the type of low rankings LSU had in 2009 and '10 with Jefferson at quarterback that led to former offensive coordinator Gary Crowton's dismissal after the 2010 season.

Miles was asked if he would switch around some of the responsibilities of his offensive coaches, who are led by offensive coordinator/offensive line coach Greg Studrawa and quarterbacks coach Steve Kragthorpe. A former NFL quarterbacks coach and head coach at Tulsa and Louisville, Kragthorpe was hired as offensive coordinator in 2011 to replace Crowton, but he was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease that July and stepped down to just quarterbacks coach. Studrawa, a former offensive coordinator at Bowling Green from 2003-06, was then promoted to offensive coordinator. LSU has a new receivers coach in Adam Henry, who was tight ends coach at Oakland in the NFL from 2009-11.

"We're all doing the same things we've done for the last number of years," Miles answered. "There's no reason to change responsibilities in my mind."

Studrawa and Kragthorpe were running the offense along with Miles when LSU went 13-0 last season and won the Southeastern Conference title with an 8-0 mark before the BCS title game. Still, LSU finished 10th in the SEC in pass offense and 106th nationally. It finished sixth in the league in total offense and 86th nationally. Mettenberger was supposed to change all that.

"I think a lot was expected of Mettenberger," Miles said. "I think that he's trying to give us that. We're teaching every day. I like Mettenberger. I think he's going to improve with snaps, and I think he's improved."

In addition to more trouble at quarterback, Miles and his staff are encountering many more issues on the field than they did last season when they breezed through nearly every game with defense and a fierce rushing attack. LSU has dipped a bit in both categories, particularly in critical times.

"Our football team is going through some changes," Miles said. "We need to play better in a number of ways. We have to play smarter and with a wisdom that allows us to use the advantages that we are given in that game. Certainly we had some new guys in different spots. We're playing some young players. That's no excuse."

LSU has had a series of injuries to starters. Left tackle Chris Faulk has been the most significant loss. His season ended after the first game with a knee injury, and the Tigers have struggled to replace him and to protect the passer. LSU is 10th in the SEC sacks allowed with 15 for minus-113 yards. South Carolina is No. 1 in the SEC and No. 4 in the nation with 25 sacks for minus-148 yards. On Saturday, LSU lost right guard Josh Williford with an apparent concussion, but he may return Saturday.

"We can't have an effective passing game when you can't protect the passer. It's really everything," Landry said.

"This team still has the potential to be a great team," Mettenberger said.

"I don't think we've gotten there yet," Miles said. "I'm not ready to say that we're not going to be a really good football team here in the future. It's just that we need to do the things that we can do and do them extremely well."

The Tigers are not enjoying their rare air.

"It's interesting because for the first time in a year and a half, we are talking about a regular season loss," he said. "And it is miserable for us."