Time for a change

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By James Moroney

It happened, and I doubt there were any LSU fans who were even remotely surprised. Ryan Perrilloux was dismissed from the team after failing to follow the rules that Les Miles dictated to him when he brought him back from suspension at the end of spring practice.

Perrilloux leaves LSU after a three year rollercoaster ride of highs and lows. Unfortunately for Perrilloux, it will be hard to forget the off-the-field incidents and remember his SEC Championship Game MVP award or the role that he played in a national championship season.

In fact, after the season ended most fans were saying, “If Perrilloux can stay out of trouble, we can make a run at another national championship.”

That quote basically sums up Perrilloux’s time at LSU and the legacy he leaves behind. In the time I have been watching LSU football, I cannot think of another player that was the topic of so many “what ifs.”

There is no question in my mind that if Perrilloux became the leader of the team this year, LSU would have been the best team in college football for the second year in a row. However, a program of LSU’s caliber cannot afford to have so many ifs revolving around the quarterback position. It was time for LSU to make a change, and it will probably benefit both parties.

You can argue about the talent drop-off at quarterback all you want, but in the end, this football team will be better because Perrilloux is off the roster. Think about it. If all of the fans are worried about Perrilloux staying out of trouble, the players must have the same questions on their mind about the player who is supposed to be the leader of the offense.

Every time Perrilloux gets in trouble, it is another 48 hours of debate on ESPN as well as number of articles talking about the discipline of the team or the hypocrisy of Les Miles. Those distractions will hurt a team in the later months of the year.

As much as Perrilloux’s talent would have helped us next year, the quarterback position does not need to be the most talented position on the team. LSU had the most talented quarterback in the nation two seasons ago and still lost two games. Matt Flynn, who was drafted in the seventh round, took over and set LSU records for offense. In fact, if you look at all of the teams who have played for the BCS national championship over the last 10 years, only a couple of them are even in the NFL right now.

The most important part of an offense is who you surround your quarterback with. Next year, LSU will have one of the best running games, offensive lines and group of receivers in the SEC. Sure, Jarrett Lee and Andrew Hatch will make mistakes, but with all of the talent surrounding them, they don’t have to be great to succeed.

The timing worked out well for LSU because now Hatch and Lee will understand that they are the guys and prepare themselves for the fall. It’s much easier for Crowton to prepare his quarterbacks in the off-season than if this had happened in the middle of the year.

In the end, this move is good for both parties. LSU will not have to deal with the constant reminders of Perrilloux’s problems, and Perrilloux will get a much needed change of venue.

Let me set this straight. LSU fans should wish Perrilloux well wherever he goes. He made bad decisions at LSU, and he has paid the price for those decisions. There is no need for us to kick him while he’s down. Hopefully this will wake him up, and he will finally realize his potential and become the player we all thought he would become when he committed to LSU.

Originally Published: Issue 607 - May 6, 2008

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