Alabama Football: Ten questions for the 2018 college football season

(Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images)

Does LSU finally have a winning QB?

The growling in Baton Rouge is not only the often un-decipherable utterings of Ed Orgeron. The Bengal Tigers’ fans are not happy. Since the Saban-led LSU revival more than15 years ago, LSU fans expect to beat Alabama football. Failing to do that seven straight times demands retribution.

Every season LSU has one of the top rosters in the SEC. The jarring exception has been the lack of a winning quarterback. LSU has not had a top QB since JaMarcus Russel more than a decade ago. In 2007 Les Miles won a national championship with a roster inherited from Nick Saban. Matt Flynn was like many Saban QB’s, a game manager.

In today’s world of college football, the odds do not fall on the side of a team with a ‘Game-Manager’ at QB. Both sides of the football benefit from a playmaker at quarterback.

LSU fans have new hope for 2018 in graduate transfer QB, Joe Burrow. Burrow was rated a 4-Star dual-threat QB coming out of high school. He saw limited game action at Ohio State. His college career totals just 39 passes. He is fairly mobile though not exactly elusive. He has a good arm. As a coach’s son, he is valued as a good decision-maker. Is he ‘the guy’ that can save Ed Orgeron?

When will Joe Alleva sit down with the coordinators, without Coach O?

Purportedly, LSU athletic director, Joe Alleva met with Dave Aranda and Matt Canada during last season – without their boss, Ed Orgeron in the room. At the least, that is some pretty iffy management technique.

What he told the two coordinators is not known. Also unknown is Alleva’s explanation to Orgeron. Most college football experts believe Alleva took a bad a situation and made it worse.

Offensive coordinator, Matt Canada bolted to Maryland at the end of the season. LSU chose Steve Ensminger to replace him. Ensminger is an old-school guy. He and Coach O are more natural fits than Orgeron and Canada.

The Bengal Tigers will be strong defensively, particularly at inside linebacker and in the secondary. On offense, LSU has plenty of talent at wide receiver. The questions marks are a new lead running back, the offensive line and Burrow at QB.

And, will Joe Alleva muck things up again.

Next: Best and Worst SEC football coaches

Our 10th question needs no elaboration. Will UCF ride another cushy schedule into a repeat claimed national championship?