We are officially less than a day away from the return of college football. What better way to get ready for the upcoming season than to talk about one of the most exciting teams in college football, the LSU Tigers? The Tigers are one of the winningest franchises in college football history but also have had a ton of recent success. Of course, in 2019, they put together one of the greatest rosters ever with Joe Burrow at quarterback, but they also saw a lot of success during Jayden Daniel’s tenure. In the last two years with Daniels at the helm, LSU went a combined 20-7, made an SEC Championship appearance, and won two bowl games.
As a result, 12 Tigers were selected in the NFL draft these past two years, including three first-round picks in 2024. So, now that Daniels is gone, the question is, what does the future hold for LSU? In this edition of our Burning Questions series, I will review five things we still don’t know about LSU that will have major ramifications on the season. Without further ado, let’s get into it.
1. Has the defense truly turned a corner?
Blake Baker, previously the defensive coordinator at Mizzou, was named the new defensive coordinator at LSU following the 2023 season. This should certainly help, but is it going to be enough? In 2023, LSU’s defense wasn’t just bad; it was the worst out of every school in the FBS. The Tigers gave up 45.5 points per game last year, and no other team gave up more. If it weren’t for Jayden Daniels playing at a Heisman Trophy-winning level and two of the best wideouts in program history in Malik Nabers and Brian Thomas Jr., we could be talking very differently about this LSU team. In 2024, all three of those players will be gone, which means the team can’t necessarily rely on that kind of offensive production to win games. That leads me perfectly to my next burning question, which is:
2. Is Garrett Nussmeier the next breakout LSU Quarterback?
While it’s not a given, you can’t say it hasn’t happened before. Joe Burrow and Jayden Daniels had good but unextraordinary careers before their massive breakout seasons with LSU. Burrow didn’t even break out in 2018, his first year as the starter for the Tigers, so those things can be extremely difficult to predict. Nussmeier is going into his fourth-year junior season after redshirting as a freshman at LSU. Unlike most players in today’s college football landscape, he’s been at LSU for all three years of eligibility despite being unable to start. This, in particular, projects well for Nussmeier: not only does it show his patience and commitment to the team, but it means he’ll have an extensive understanding of the offense that you can’t get in a single offseason.
Don’t get me wrong, Daniels’s 2023 campaign is an incredibly tough bar to clear, and there’s almost no chance Nussmeier will be able to replicate the production LSU had this year fully. Still, Nussmeier’s one start last year in the ReliaQuest Bowl was exactly what you’d hope to see from the young signal caller, throwing for nearly 400 yards and three touchdowns. He seems to have what it takes to excel, but only time will tell.
3. Is 2024 the year LSU reemerges as a premier College Football heavyweight?
I know I’ve talked about all the success LSU has had over the last two years, but they didn’t win the conference or a New Year’s 6 Bowl in either season. It’s great to get ten wins, but what drives a program are championships, and the Tigers haven’t brought any meaningful hardware back to Baton Rouge since 2019. But if a few things can go right for LSU this year, that streak might end. Brian Kelly is entering his third year as the head coach in Baton Rouge, and the third season has most certainly been the charm over his coaching career.
In his third year at Central Michigan, he coached the Chippewas to a 9-4 record and a Motor City Bowl victory over MTSU. In his third season coaching Cincinnati, the Bearcats went undefeated in the regular season before Kelly left for Notre Dame. And, of course, in 2012, his third year with the Fighting Irish, Notre Dame went undefeated in the regular season but ultimately lost in the National Championship to Alabama. Kelly won every major Coach of the Year award. I think it’s safe to say he’s got some magic ready for this season.
4. Will the Tiger’s running game be as good as advertised?
LSU lost several key contributors to the running back position in the offseason, and since they didn’t bring in any transfers, the two main options are Josh Williams and Kaleb Jackson. Williams is going into his final year of eligibility after four years of playing for the Tigers, and despite being in a small role, he has been steady and reliable. 2022 was his most productive season, going for 532 yards and six touchdowns on just shy of 100 carries.
His role will have to increase this year, and he should project to be a steady workhorse back that will get the job done on the ground. The spicy option is Jackson, a top-10 recruit at his position coming out of high school. Even though he saw a very limited opportunity last year as a freshman, he played well with the time he was given on the field and has elite athleticism that can elevate this run game to the next level. Last year, LSU saw a 1000-yard rusher, Tyrion Davis-Price, in 2021, but we should be looking for Jackson to change that this year.
5. Is Harold Perkins the Ultimate Game-Changer for LSU in 2024?
Perkins has done it all in his first two seasons for the Tigers; the 5-star Linebacker and New Orleans Native has been one of the few bright spots on an LSU defense that has been miserable over the past few years. He’s done everything asked of him, whether it’s rushing the quarterback, dropping back in coverage, or even that one time where he scored a rushing touchdown. That was weird, but he was even good at that. Jokes aside, Perkins is primed for a huge sack year in 2024 after showing slight regression last season due to the bad coverage. Now, with an overhauled secondary and a new defensive coordinator, we might finally see Perkins’ true potential as a matchup nightmare who can completely change the tides of games. Don’t be surprised when he’s got double-digit sacks by the end of the year.
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