By Glenn Guilbeau, Gannett Louisiana

BATON ROUGE - LSU quarterback Jordan Jefferson's status for the season opener on Sept. 3 against No. 3 Oregon may be in doubt as he and many other LSU football players continue to be a focus of a Baton Rouge Police investigation into a fight outside a bar near campus early Friday morning.

"This investigation will continue into the weekend," Baton Rouge Police spokesman Sgt. Don Stone said Friday night.

No one has been arrested, Stone said, but he said Jefferson was identified to police by multiple witnesses at the scene in a parking lot near Shady's bar on Boyd Drive, which is only a few blocks from Tiger Stadium.

"There was a fight outside the bar, and four people were sent to the hospital," Stone said. "Jordan Jefferson has been implicated as being involved as well as other football players, who have not been specifically identified yet. We're not calling Jefferson a suspect. We're not calling him a victim. We don't know how much he was involved, but we're getting a lot of information leading us in that direction."

Stone said the four people sent to the hospital were not football players and were released from the hospital after a short stay with "minor injuries."

Jefferson, a senior from Destrehan outside New Orleans who has been LSU's starting quarterback since late in the 2008 season, had not been interviewed by Baton Rouge Police as of 8:30 p.m. Friday.

Asked if Jefferson, 20, or some of the other football players involved may be arrested, Stone said, "It may come to that, but that's very premature right now. We're in the middle of the investigation right now."

LSU coach Les Miles has suspended players in the past for games. The No. 4-ranked Tigers are expected to contend for the BCS national championship this season and play Oregon, which reached the BCS title game last year but lost to Auburn, on ABC national television in Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas.

Miles suspended former LSU quarterback Ryan Perrilloux for the Alabama game in 2007 after his involvement in a fight at the Varsity bar and music club near campus. Perrilloux, though, had been a constant problem on the team since he signed in 2005. Jefferson has had no arrests or issues with the law during his LSU career and is a leader of the team and one of the more respected players on the team.

"We are aware of the incident that took place at an off-campus location at which some of our players were present," Miles said in a prepared statement Friday. "We don't know to what extent our players were involved. We are trying to get as much information as possible to get a better understanding of what exactly took place."

The football team was off on Friday after its last and longest scrimmage of the preseason Thursday night. The team returns to practice Saturday.

Miles has visibly and vocally been one of Jefferson's most ardent supporters in light of Jefferson drawing a lot of fan and media criticism for his 2010 season, in which Jefferson finished last in the Southeastern Conference and 92nd nationally in passing efficiency.

"I think he has matured as a person and as a quarterback," Miles said over the summer.

At LSU's media day on Aug. 9, Miles praised Jefferson more.

"I think that he is relaxing. He's enjoying the position that he has on this football team," he said. "He realizes this is more his team. I saw him laugh and enjoy a play on the field differently than I have ever seen him before. That speaks to a guy who is comfortable in his skin and knows what the team expects of him. He is enjoying being who he is in that role. I think he is confident in where he is and and more relaxed. Nothing will happen on Saturdays that he hasn't experienced before."

LSU is already facing the possible suspension of starting wide receiver Russell Shepard for the Oregon game because of an NCAA investigation into his off-campus living arrangement over the summer. Shepard has told reporters he may be suspended or he may not be suspended.