Etling still safe as LSU’s starter

Published 7:05 pm Tuesday, November 7, 2017

BATON ROUGE — It raised a few eyebrows late in LSU’s game against Alabama.

Danny Etling 

Special to the American Press

But LSU quarterback Danny Etling doesn’t have to worry.

How much he should be looking over his shoulder over the Tigers’ final three games and a bowl is up to interpretation.

But head coach Ed Orgeron was adamant Monday in standing behind Etling heading into this week’s home game against Arkansas.

“Danny is our starting quarterback, and Danny’s done a good job for us,” Orgeron said. “We’re going to finish the season (with) Danny as our quarterback.”

It would have taken a major miracle to turn around the Tigers’ 24-10 loss to Alabama Saturday.

But LSU replaced Etling and gave Myles Brennan a chance on the final drive of the game.

Brennan had played with some games still on the line early in the season. But that plan changed after the Tigers’ shocking loss to Troy in late September, and Etling had taken all of the significant snaps until Brennan entered the Alabama game late.

Etling is a senior transfer playing his last season. Brennan is a freshman who is the apparent future at the position for LSU.

But that, Orgeron said, won’t be a factor going forward for the final three games and postseason trip.

“No, that’s not fair. That’s not fair at all,” Orgeron said when he asked if coaches might play Brennan with an eye toward next year.

“I would not give Myles the starting quarterback job just to get ready for next year. We’ve got a lot of things to play for. We’re thinking one game at a time, and we want to have a very good year. For right now, Danny’s our quarterback.

“Myles would have to beat Danny out on a play-by-play basis in practice. He’d have to play better than (Etling) would in a game. He hasn’t done that yet.”

But Orgeron did say that, henceforth, Brennan could go into a future  game at any point.

“That could happen. He could play more. But he would play more because he is equal or better to Danny, that’s the reason he’d play. If Danny’s in there, and he’s hot and playing well, he’s our quarterback. We’re playing to win.”

Etling was 12 of 26 for 137 yards with one costly interception against the Tide. Brennan’s brief appearance produced one first down while he was 3 of 5 for 18 yards before the Tigers turned the ball over on downs following his second sack.

Etling hit an early 31-yard pass, but LSU couldn’t connect on at least five other deep passes that appeared open during the game,

“That was our game plan to go deep, we had a chance to make those plays,” Orgeron said. “If we make those plays, that’s a different ballgame.”

Etling and the LSU receivers all tried to take the blame for the misfires after the game.

“It’s always close like that,” Etling said. “That’s why you’ve got to work so hard. Some games you’ll hit them, some games you won’t.

“Coach, obviously if he puts me out there, he has faith in me. I’ll continue to try to do what I’m coached to do and try to do better every single week.”

So what would Etling have to do to keep Brennan at bay?

“Myles can go in any time, but Danny would have to be not executing the game plan,” Orgeron said. “He would have to go maybe two series not doing the things that (offensive coordinator) Matt (Canada) wants him to do.

“Danny wasn’t playing that well at the end (of the Alabama game) and we wanted to give Myles a shot. But it could happen. It could happen a second series or third series, but Danny hasn’t warranted that yet.”

The thought that LSU (6-3, 3-2 SEC) might sacrifice some with an eye on getting Brennan ready for next season hadn’t occurred to Etling.

“That’s not really for me to understand or not. It’s more of the coaches what they want to do. I got to do whatever the coaches say. That’s my job.

“I think there’s still a lot to play for this year. I think that we can still a have a pretty successful season, still get a lot of wins and still make a pretty big bowl game and finish high in the SEC.”