by Lonn Phillips Sullivan

Following a week in which doubts from LSU Legend (and National Champion) Ryan Clark’s Twitter account attempted to rile and divide the Tigers’ social media fanbase, Myles Brennan’s imminent takeover of the 2020 Tigers finally became a hot topic of discussion and boiling anticipation.

On Saturday, in swift defiance, Myles gave us what we all came to see: full gusto throws, precision-equipped back-shoulder fades to Terrace Marshall, quick releases across the middle for Chase, intense eyes….and most of all, every throw meant the world to him.

Watch his face when Ja’Marr Chase and Kevontre Bradford drop catchable passes, he lights ’em up without needing an “F bomb” or angry expressions…they can feel his steely, subtle, stern gaze from 50 yards away.

For those of us wondering where and when Brennan’s aggression and Joe Burrow-esque mentality will rear its head, you may have to keep waiting until Burrow’s NFL Draft selection ends the media’s never-ending turbine of criticism, exploitation and praise for the Heisman Winner:

“When you backup the Heisman all year, you tend to keep your mouth shut,” Orgeron smiled before dropping the grin, and looking as serious as Mr. Rogers reporting a bicycle theft.

He continued: “But we’ve already seen the intensity that none of you see…” Orgeron’s statement made sense:

Why would the backup to the most demonstrative, badass quarterback in football be screaming at everyone while holding a clipboard?

Myles needs to continue trusting his instincts, recognizing the time or the place for launching into a tirade, leaning on coaches for criticism and support, or to simply say nothing while leading by example….whichever he chooses, I trust this kid.

But now’s his time …his family have been waiting nearly 4 years to watch their son start a game for LSU, and so far, the closest they came to watching their son for a full game was the 25 minutes he played in the historic losing effort vs Troy.

By now, if you’re wondering whether Myles has the minerals to respond to such a high bar, questions will still abound for those people until Brennan successfully defends LSU’s national title:

There’s some unspoken tension towards the kid who, after his home was destroyed by Hurricane Katrina, didn’t spend the aftermath in the Superdome, but rather docked on a 70 foot yacht in Destin, Florida.

His financial elevation wasn’t the problem, rather how he’s been raised to respond to adversity.

How will The Silver Fox respond to doubt, division and straight-up illogical anger for “daring to exist” post-Burrow?

Could Brennan wilt under the pressure strapped upon his shoulders by the world’s college football media?

For Myles Brennan, the surfer boy and rich kid tags mean nothing when you look at how he dropped 452 yards and 3 TDs in his first high school game for 4A St. Stanislaus…against a 6A team….or how even after replacing Danny Etling (before being benched in favor of Etling again), Brennan was once thought of amongst LSU fans as “the savior” of the program…

…In a bizarre twist of fate, as these high expectations swirled inside his head and around campus, Myles then had to sit back for 2 years and watch Joe Burrow rescue LSU out of the doldrums and into the stratosphere…but throughout it all, Brennan, a sure starter at many top Power 5 schools, refused to transfer…

The kid may be well off financially, he may have lived a sheltered childhood… but entitled he is not

On the field Saturday, we witnessed a phenomenally quick release from Myles, adjustments in his footwork which will pushback against his critics, and a quieter, less-demanding demeanor which hasn’t given itself over to the red-eyed mercenary bravado of Joe Burrow just yet; still, Myles looks capable of his own brand of renegade leadership….we’ll just need to get used to it, and it’ll be somewhat fascinating to watch the quarterback wrestle against his own past:

Since Burrow screamed at his teammates after a certain failure, should I now scream at them?

Since Joe waved to the Texas fans, should I do that if we’re up big at the end?

Since the unproven Joe led with his words and fearlessly leapt into the void of the unknown, backing up those boasts 100%, should I guarantee a 15-0 season and a Heisman for myself?

No, Myles.

You’re not Jeaux.

More than Brennan’s arm, his awareness, his footwork in the pocket, and ability to extend the play, most concerning to many LSU fans is whether Myles has the stones to stare doubt in the face, geaux jumping into the fire with little outside support, and come back a Heisman-winner and National Champion?

Let me tell you this Tigers fans:

Myles won’t need to pull off a single Joe Burrow move, line or guarantee for us to defend our national title….

…He just needs to be the best version of Myles Brennan and LSU’s destiny to repeat will be firmly placed in their hands.

However…if we get behind Brennan 100%, perhaps he could throw 70 TDs in 2020…

If there’s anything the quarterback learned from Joe Burrow, the lesson is:

“Why the hell not?”

Read the entire article at LSU SPRING PRACTICE OPENS WITH A VENGEANCE

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