This story was originally published by Dead Spin
LSU enters fall camp seeking replacements for Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Jayden Daniels and a pair of his wide receivers, Malik Nabers and Brian Thomas, who all landed in the NFL as first-round picks in April.
But the focus for head coach Brian Kelly isn’t on the skill positions as the Tigers get back on the field after posting a 10-3 record (6-2 SEC) last season.
“Being the No. 1 offense in the country was not good enough,” Kelly said Monday at SEC Media Days in Dallas. “We need more balance. We’ve got to be able to complement each other. We’re going to have to be able to play better defense this year. You can’t have the No. 1 offense in the country and not play the kind of defense to get you to the next level.”
The Tigers were 82nd in total defense and 81st in points allowed at an average of 28 per game. LSU’s defensive staff was entirely replaced in the offseason. Kelly hired former LSU linebacker Blake Baker as defensive coordinator.
“It’s about players truly wanting to be part of those 11 guys,” Kelly said of Baker, who was previously Missouri’s defensive coordinator. “Blake’s ability to put that together has been evident.”
It won’t take long for the first measurement of the Tigers’ progress. LSU gets a massive test in the opener against Southern California in Las Vegas on Sept. 1.
Kelly said redshirt junior quarterback Garrett Nussmeier has to prove in games what he has shown in meetings and walkthroughs — that he has the qualities needed to become a great player. The first sign of his ability to translate traits into performance was in the ReliaQuest Bowl win over Wisconsin, his only career start in 18 games.
He threw for a career-high 395 yards with three touchdowns and completed 31 passes. Nussmeier has waited four seasons for the full-time role.
“His persistence, his patience, his leadership — we’re excited to watch him lead our team this year,” Kelly said.
Daniels was drafted No. 2 overall by the Washington Commanders, four spots ahead of Nabers (sixth overall, New York Giants).
Daniels completed 72.2 percent of his passes for 3,812 yards, 40 touchdowns and four interceptions. He also rushed for 1,134 yards and 10 touchdowns while averaging 8.4 yards per carry. Nabers had 89 catches for 1,569 yards and 14 touchdowns in 13 games last season and Thomas (23rd, Jaguars) led the FBS with 17 TD catches in 2023.
Kelly said others are ready to fill those shoes.
“When we look at our football team in its totality, there will be a number of players we count on,” he said. “I think we start with Kyren Lacy. At the wide receiver position, I think there will be six to eight players who will get an opportunity to contribute and make an impact. That’s the one thing I like about that position. We’ve got depth.”
–Field Level Media
