Last Modified: Tuesday, November 15, 2011 8:28 AM

BY SCOOTER HOBBS / AMERICAN PRESS

Maybe it’s because there is little else to dicker with on an LSU team that is 10-0 for the first time in 53 years and, this week, the nation’s unanimous No.1-ranked team across the board.

But the quarterback rotation again dominated head coach Les Miles’ weekly press luncheon Monday as the Tigers began preparations for Saturday night’s game at Ole Miss.

The bottom line: LSU will continue to play both Jordan Jefferson and Jarrett Lee, he doesn’t know which one will start this week and he wishes he had played Lee before the fourth quarter of last Saturday’s 42-9 victory over Western Kentucky.

Miles did address one rampant Internet rumor.

No, he said, Lee was not being punished with a half-game benching for skipping a class —or ­anything else.

“There was no disciplinary action in any way,” he said.

And this week?

“We’ll consider that position and how we will go a little bit later in the week,” Miles said. “I really think that it is specific to (the opponent) we play and how those guys are playing.

“We need both. We will use both.”

Lee started the first nine games, but Jefferson has gotten the bulk of the playing time since coming off the bench early in the second quarter against Alabama.

Lee played only one play in the second half of that game — throwing an interception — and didn’t leave the bench last Saturday until just 12 minutes remained in the final quarter.

“Frankly, we felt like we should have gotten more snaps to Lee,” Miles said.

Perhaps the question is: Does it matter?

“It really doesn’t,” said wide receiver Rueben Randle, whose eight touchdown passes include six from Lee and two from Jefferson. “We have confidence in both guys. It’s up to coach Miles, whoever he wants in the game at the time.”

It’s nothing new really. The two have bounced back and forth going on four years now.

But Randle said there’s a difference this season.

“We know what we want to do whichever quarterback is in the game. We understand it as an offense. I think we’re more defined (on offense) than we were last year when we struggled with it.

“This season we understand what we want to do.”

Added Miles, “I think they recognize that we’ll have one of those two quarterbacks and both are guys that this team counts on and they’re going to contribute.

“I think you have to have two quarterbacks and be prepared to play them in key times of the season.”

So far it’s certainly working as the Tigers are one of two undefeated teams from BCS conferences.

For all the talk about a pedestrian offense feeding off its defense, the Tigers are second in the SEC in scoring and also second in the league in pass efficiency. Lee is also second individually at 151.49. Jefferson doesn’t have enough attempts to qualify for the conference lead but is actually ahead of Lee at 176.39.

But Miles isn’t sure it will become a copy-cat trend among the top programs.

“I don’t necessarily have to have two quarterbacks. That’s not the issue,” Miles said. “The issue is that I have two quarterbacks that both deserve to play and have differing skills.

“I want both skill sets on the field.”

Much is made of opposing defenses having to prepare for the two differing styles, with Lee known as a straight drop-back passer while Jefferson has the added dimension of being a good runner.

But Miles said it also means LSU’s offense has to practice with both styles.

“I would like to have one quarterback and a second quarterback that was exactly the same as the first quarterback in that you could train (them) in the exact same offense and the exact same plays, and there wouldn’t necessarily be a change in script,” he said.

“We have two quarterbacks,” he said. “Frankly, when I think about the quarterback position I think about both guys. We’re very fortunate to have two quality quarterbacks.”

“It just happens to benefit our team in a long season and hopefully in a championship run to have both of them play.”