By JAMES MORAN | Tiger Rag Associate Editor
LSU coach Ed Orgeron charged Steve Ensminger with the task of developing “championship quarterbacks” in promoting the long-time assistant to offensive coordinator.
That means coaching the current trio of scholarship quarterbacks, Myles Brennan, Lowell Narcisse and Justin McMillan as much as possible this spring heading into the 2018 season.
“At LSU we must and we will develop championship quarterbacks to be a championship-caliber team,” Orgeron said. “We have three outstanding quarterbacks coming back. All of them have different skill sets. Steve is equipped, and also his offensive staff is equipped, to run the offense to utilize their skill sets.”
Ensminger said in his introductory presser that he envisions different offensive sets that match the specific talents of each quarterback. Brennan is more of a pure pocket passer where the other two are dual threats. He also raved about the receivers they’ll have to throw to, a position group he called the strength of LSU’s roster.
“We have a great group of quarterbacks,” Ensminger added. “We have three outstanding quarterbacks, and as offensive coordinator, it’s my job to develop them. It’s my job to take what’s best for each one of them. It’s my job, if they are in the ball game, to prepare them to win the ball game and I do what’s best for them and put them in that position there.”
Starting Friday, Ensminger’s duties also entail scouring the country far and wide to identify and attract whatever talented signal callers will be coming next down the pipeline.
“He’ll recruit quarterbacks in and out of the state,” Orgeron said. “And I’ll keep him in Shreveport because he’s done such a great job in that area. He had Dallas before. He will not be going to the Dallas area, I’ll put someone else there. But he’ll be recruiting national quarterbacks.”
Orgeron has credited the job Ensminger has done in Shreveport before. North Louisiana used to be a bit of bugaboo for LSU in terms of recruiting, but Ensminger is credited with signing wide receiver Terrace Marshall of Shreveport, the top-ranked player in Louisiana for 2018. He also signed former LSU quarterback Brandon Harris out of Shreveport in 2014.
But Ensminger’s primary job on the recruiting trail going forward is to be the point man on quarterbacks, just as Matt Canada and Cam Cameron did as offensive coordinators before him. LSU will host uncommitted four-star quarterback James Foster on campus this weekend for an official visit.
So what kind of quarterbacks will Ensminger recruit from this point on? Orgeron provided a bit more insight into the topic.
“We’re going to fit our offense to fit their needs. We’re going to recruit great quarterbacks,” he said. “You need to remain open-minded, fit the offense that fits the players’ needs. We’d like a quarterback that can extend plays with his feet. That’s what’s happening with college football now. We also see, like Georgia, a pro passer can take us to the championship. Are we going to recruit one style of quarterback? We’re going to recruit the best guy to come to LSU and fit their needs.”
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