Georgia: Lee continues to learn as LSU’s starting QB

Jarrett Lee is ahead of schedule. He had no choice.

After redshirting last season as Matt Flynn quarterbacked LSU to its second national championship in five years, Lee expected to be the backup this season to Ryan Perrilloux. That changed in May, when Tigers coach Les Miles dismissed Perrilloux for disciplinary issues.

“Coming into this summer and being such a young guy, I really was pretty nervous,” Lee said Monday. “But these guys have really taken me in, and I’ve really enjoyed the experience. I’ll be the first to admit I’ve been pretty fortunate.”

Lee will make his fourth straight start Saturday afternoon when the No. 11 Tigers host No. 9 Georgia. The 6-foot-2, 190-pounder from Brenham, Texas, rallied LSU past Auburn on Sept. 20 and has started since, though he is sharing time with sophomore Andrew Hatch in what seems to be an effective midseason rotation.

In Saturday night’s 24-17 win at South Carolina, Lee took 51 snaps and Hatch took 27. Lee is considered the better thrower, having completed 84 of 141 passes for 1,041 yards and eight touchdowns, while Hatch has a running edge that is beneficial in certain situations.

“I think we’re further along at quarterback in the progression there than I thought,” Miles said. “I think we need to take steps again this week, but I like the way we are using our quarterbacks in and out.”

Said Lee: “We’ve been doing this all summer, and I think it’s really benefited us. We’re just trusting what the coaches are doing and trying to execute the best that we can.”

The tandem has helped the Tigers continue their school-record streak of scoring 21 or more points, which now stands at 30 games.

LSU is using somewhat of a tailback rotation as well after Saturday, with Charles Scott starting out before being replaced by a fresh Keiland Williams. Defensively, the Tigers are using a front comprised entirely of ends on third-and-long plays.

The Tigers collected six sacks at South Carolina.

“I think when you put Tremaine Johnson, Kirston Pittman, Tyson Jackson and Rahim Alem in the game, it creates a faster front group,” Miles said. “Any of the other guys that you can put in the game just aren’t as fast. When it’s an obvious passing situation and you can increase your athleticism, it benefits you.”

LSU made history last season by becoming the first program to win two BCS national titles, and it made a different kind of history two weeks ago in a 51-21 loss at Florida. That was the worst defeat ever for a reigning BCS champ. The Tigers set the previous mark in 2004 in a 45-16 loss at Georgia.

Lee said the Florida rout left a very bad taste, and he realizes last week’s win proved only so much in terms of the Tigers and their current national perception.

“We have a lot of guys who came back from last year’s team, so we’re just trying to play hard like LSU always does,” he said. “You never want to lose like we did at Florida, but we learned last year that you win some and lose some. We’re going to be just fine.”

Odds and ends

LSU has won 30 straight Saturday home games since a 2002 loss to Alabama. ... Georgia tailback Knowshon Moreno was named Monday as the SEC offensive player of the week after rushing 23 times for 172 yards and a touchdown in last Saturday’s 24-14 win over Vanderbilt. The sophomore won the same honor against Central Michigan and leads the league in scoring with 9.43 points per game. ... LSU is about to play five straight home games for the first time since 1970. ... Rantavious Wooten, a 5-10, 158-pound receiver from Belle Glade, Fla., is the 16th commitment for Georgia’s 2009 signing class. Wooten is rated the No. 25 receiver nationally by Rivals.com and picked the Bulldogs over offers from LSU, Miami, Auburn and Michigan.