re: How does an "elite" program get itself into a 4 year JJ/JL mess?

Well, the program regained its' elite status this year, during this mess. So, overall, the overall program most be very strong.

Perrilloux was a big part, in that by getting him we weren't a good fit for other players for a couple seasons. Note that Ohio St didn't have some superstar sitting behind Terrell Pryor. Note that the 2 seasons that Perrilloux missed, but would have been an upperclassman and starter, were the only 2 that LSU failed to win at least 11 games and finish in the top 5.

Last year and this year, the past 2 years of the JJ/JL mess, we finished 24-3, won the Cotton convincingly, won the SEC with an undefeated season, and played in the BCS national title game.

I'd say that indicates those 2 guys did pretty well on the college level, and they both had some decent tools. Nothing that would get either drafted.

Sheppard was a swing and a miss apparently, but then to be fair, aren't most athletic QBs coming out of high school playing another position in college? Zach Lee was given a couple million bucks to not stay here.

Now we give a 2nd chance to Mettenberger after he had possibly a worse off-field incident than JJ did, redshirted the younger brother of an NFL QB (who may or not have his brother's skill), and just signed the top QB prospect in the country.

I'd say things are pretty solid.