NASHVILLE, Tenn. — More than likely, Les Miles is probably just teasing LSU fans again.

It was a standard line over the second half of the season as quarterback Anthony Jennings mostly struggled and backup Brandon Harris mostly sat glued to the bench.

In one form or another, Miles would lament that, doggone it, he meant to get Harris some snaps. Miles wanted to see him play more. But somehow, the situation just never was right and he’d be sure to rectify it next week.

The month-plus since the Texas A&M game has been no different, with hints that Harris might have a role tomorrow when the Tigers play Notre Dame in the Music City Bowl.

It’s probably another smoke screen — or at the least it’s news to one of the particulars.

“I’m getting all the No.1 reps right now,” Jennings said when the Tigers arrived at their resort hotel Saturday. “I expect to start and play well.”

He certainly didn’t sound like a quarterback looking over his shoulder. He seemed surprised there was any question about it.

“It’s not what everybody thinks it is,” Jennings said of the Tigers’ quarterback situation.

“I don’t think I’m in competition at all. I get all the No. 1 reps and I come in every day and continue to get better, running with the ones. Those guys know that.”

So, the Tigers apparently will represent the SEC against an often-porous Notre Dame defense with a quarterback who ranked 12th in the league in passing yards (115 per game), 12th in passing efficiency and the only conference starter who completed fewer than 50 percent of his passes (48.8).

It’s been a year since Jennings was preparing for his first start, in place of injured Zach Mettenberger, in the Outback Bowl against Iowa.

The big question for LSU hasn’t really changed in those 12 months — can the Tigers generate a passing game without Mettenberger, who’s now with the Tennessee Titans.

The Tigers as a team rank dead last in the SEC in passing yards with only 164 per game.

The low point may have been at Arkansas, when the Razorbacks paid no attention to any passing threat and held the Tigers to a paltry 123 yards, the lowest LSU total in 39 years.

Jennings doesn’t harp on such things, although he admitted the low point for him might have been when he lost the starting job for the Auburn game — and regained it by default when Harris bombed badly.

“That was pretty tough (but) I think I always keep an even keel; don’t get too high, don’t get too low,” Jennings said. “All of the coaches have confidence in me.”

Jennings, no stranger to social media, is well aware that his confidence isn’t always shared by LSU fans.

It wasn’t always easy for a true sophomore suddenly in the fishbowl holding down one of the most high-profile positions in the state.

“You have to not listen to anybody outside of what really matters,” he said. “Coaches, teammates, my parents, the people that really matter. (You can) not be brought into social media, the criticism of fans (or) anything like that.

“Things are going to happen, people are going to say things. That’s what comes with being a quarterback here.”

Jennings said he has seen the criticism but never responded back.

“I just talk with my teammates,” he said.

So, nothing much has changed.

LSU will likely win or lose the Music City Bowl with its power running game and defense. But, the Tigers did unveil some new looks in the season finale against Texas A&M.

With emphasis on Jennings using his legs for the read-option and a steady diet of jet sweeps from wide receiver Travin Dural, it almost looked like the Tigers installed a totally new offense before beating the Aggies 23-17.

With an open date following the Arkansas debacle, Jennings said offensive coordinator Cam Cameron met with him the first of the next week.

“He just came in and said, ‘Hey, we have a couple of new wrinkles we’re going to add to it,’ ” Jennings said. “He said these things will help us now and in the future.”

Jennings thinks it fits his style, even if it didn’t exactly light up the airwaves.

“It helped us offensively to run the ball better, with more deceptions,” he said. “You can get the ball in playmakers hands, like Travin, and get (running back) Leonard (Fournette) coming down hill.

“There’s a lot of things we can do off of that, a lot of things we can expand on for this game.”

Then perhaps, the competition begins anew, with Harris still judged to have the bigger “upside” and rumors that LSU may try to bring in a junior college transfer to add to the mix.

A big performance Tuesday certainly wouldn’t hurt him when spring practice starts.

“Right now I’m just thinking about this bowl game and executing this plan,” Jennings said. “Obviously, it’s going to be big to end this season on a high note.”

After that?

“I don’t know. We’ll see what the coaches say. They are going to play the best man for the job.”LSU quarter Anthony Jennings confident of Music City bounce back. (Rick Hickman/American Press)