By SCOTT RABALAIS AND RANDY ROSETTA

When the race is this close, the competition this tight, one misstep makes a loud thud.

So when redshirt freshman quarterback Jarrett Lee didn’t practice Monday, a day before LSU’s third and final preseason scrimmage, his absence was deafening.

While bells went off for the media covering practice, Lee’s inability to practice turned out to be a bit of a false alarm.

LSU sports information director Michael Bonnette said Lee missed practice with back spasms, but is

expected to be available for today’s scrimmage.

Whether that means Lee will step back into his role with the first unit is unknown.

The 6-foot-2, 190-pound Texan reportedly took a good portion of the first-team snaps in LSU’s last scrimmage on Saturday after returning from an ankle ailment that kept him out of action for several days.

Sophomore Andrew Hatch, the other veteran quarterback in the hunt for playing time, left Saturday’s scrimmage early with a sore back. Read the rest of this entry »