LSU and Jarrett Lee have Rendezvous with Destiny

As I watched LSU pull away from Oregon in route to their 40-27, well, rout.  I, like most people, couldn't help but feel good for Jarrett Lee.  Lee and LSU have had a symbiotic relationship like no other college football team that I can remember.
In 2008 Lee was forced into action against Auburn, on the road, clearly before he was ready.  He threw his first of what would be seven "pic six" interceptions that season. But what's been put into the distant memory of most LSU fans is that Lee came back to throw two TD passes in the second half of that same game, including the game winner late in the fourth quarter.
That's the story of Jarrett Lee's career at LSU.  Goat, hero, goat, hero,  Booed, cheered, booed cheered. Les Miles tried replacing, ignoring then burying Lee into the depth chart.  Most would have transferred.  Instead, incredibly, Lee said "I didn't come to LSU to transfer, I came to win".
Miles has brought in prized recruit after prized recruit yet there's Lee again, thrust into duty, standing tall and winning his first start since 2008.  Against the #3 team in America!
It was vintage Lee. 10/22 for 98 yards and one TD. Pedestrian stats yes, but with Lee, who cares.  Some bad throws, some bad luck, but like the Florida game in 2010, Lee came up with three big time passes.  The first a perfect back shoulder beauty to Rueben Randle at the end of the first half that Drew Brees would envy.  The second came after Lee took a sack instead of forcing a throw.  His discretion paid off on the next play as he hit well covered TE DeAngelo Peterson in stride on third and twelve for a first down.  A Michael Ford TD run ended that drive and put LSU up two scores.  The third came following Oregon's second turnover in the third quarter.  On first down, after a play action fake, Lee dropped a rainbow into the arms of Peterson inside the Duck's ten yard line.  This set up Spencer Ware's plow into the end zone to put the Tigers up 30-13.  Game over.
Through it all, Oregon ran every defense they could think of to stop LSU.  Eight in the box, nine in the box, blitzes and stunts.  But Lee, riding a dominate running game behind Spencer Ware's 100 yards and Michael Ford's 96, stayed poised.  He managed the game well and threw not one interception.
It helped Lee that LSU's defense was spectacular.  Oregon leading rusher and Heisman trophy candidate, LeMichael James had no place to run.  Much heralded Darren Thomas, was exposed as the average QB that he is.  The vaunted Oregon special teams were anything but, comitting two turnovers resulting in LSU TDs.
Lee was voted team captain for the game by his teammates.  In sports, there is no greater show of respect.  Perhaps Lee's teammates know what more and more LSU fans are beginning to.  When adversity comes to LSU at some point this season, Jarrett Lee will be there. Steadfast and determined. He knows no other way.