The LSU football passing game faces abundant turnover in 2024, as quarterback Jayden Daniels, wide receiver Malik Nabers and wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr were all drafted in the 1st round of the 2024 NFL Draft. Even so, with senior quarterback Garrett Nussmeier and plenty of veteran pass catching options returning to the team this year, the ceiling is high, and the Tigers could very well end up possessing one of the top passing offenses in college football for the second season in a row.
Quarterback Garrett Nussmeier is the man of the hour for LSU football in 2024
Entering year four of his time with the LSU football program, it’s finally time for quarterback Garrett Nussmeier to show the world what he’s capable of.
Nussmeier first signed on with the purple and gold as a part of the class of 2021, joining a star-studded group that included the likes of current NFL players Maason Smith (defensive line), Malik Nabers (wide receiver) and Brian Thomas Jr (wide receiver), as well as projected 2024 starters Chris Hilton Jr (wide receiver), Garrett Dellinger (offensive line), Greg Penn III (linebacker) and Sai’vion Jones (defensive line).
While many of the players named above received their first opportunities to see the field fairly early on in Baton Rouge, many others in the signing group spent the bulk of their young careers on the bench, ultimately leading them to the transfer portal.
Interestingly enough, though, Nussmeier doesn’t exactly fit in with either of those groups. Entering his true senior season, the 6-foot-2, 200-pound Lake Charles, LA, product has thrown just 219 passes in his three seasons thus far. Even so, and despite plenty of speculation – particularly entering last season – he never once made the decision to leave. Instead, he elected to stick it out, be patient, and it’s all led him to the 2024 season where he’ll finally get his chance to be the lone starter for a full season.
The newly dubbed LSU starting quarterback enters this coming season with a total of 1,720 yards, 11 touchdowns and seven interceptions recorded, while adding very little on the ground as far as moving the chains goes. Even so, his arm talent alone has fans all over the country excited to see what he can do as the full blown leader of the Tiger offense, especially after witnessing him throw for 395 yards and three touchdowns vs. a stout Wisconsin defense in the 2024 ReliaQuest Bowl last season.
The Tiger wide receiver room is full of current and future stars
When it comes to the LSU wide receiver room, there are three names that you should be abundantly aware of before the Tigers ultimately take the field on Sunday, September 1, vs. USC: Kyren Lacy, Chris Hilton Jr and CJ Daniels.
Entering the 2024 season, Tiger fans haven’t exactly seen a ton from the names listed above, but the expectations are certainly that they’ll be able to make an immediate impact, even despite the losses of soon-to-be NFL rookies Malik Nabers and Brian Thomas Jr.
Lacy is the projected leader of the group, having found his way onto the field in several big games during the 2023 season. In his two years with the program, he’s found his way to 54 receptions for 826 yards and seven touchdowns, but if this offseason has been any indication, he at the very least has the potential to double that total come November.
Outside of Lacy, Hilton Jr and CJ Daniels are the other expected starters, with the latter officially entering his first season with the program after transferring away from Liberty over the offseason. Interestingly enough, despite entering his fourth season with the program, Hilton Jr has yet to see that breakout season with the purple and gold just yet, but with some of the best speed on the entire team, it just feels like a matter of time.
Hilton Jr recorded 13 receptions for 225 yards and two touchdowns during the 2023 season as the fourth wide receiver on roster, while Daniels managed an impressive 55 receptions for 1,067 yards and 10 touchdowns as the leader for the Flames.
Outside of those three, there’s a ton of untapped potential, which is more than likely to see their time to shine in 2025 once this year’s group of veterans begins their journey to the next level.
Among the top names to keep in the back of your mind includes junior Zavion Thomas, redshirt sophomore Aaron Anderson, freshman Jelani Watkins and redshirt freshman Shelton Sampson Jr, who became no stranger to a highlight catch or two this fall camp.
Tight end could sneakily be one of the best position rooms on the entire roster
Well Brian Kelly, if this season goes as expected, it’s pretty safe to say that your mission to rebuild the Tiger tight end room turned out to be largely successful.
Everywhere he’s been, the LSU head coach has become fairly synonymous with the tight end position. Among the top names that he’s played a role in developing include Kyle Rudolph (2nd round pick in 2011 NFL Draft), Tyler Eifert (1st round pick in 2013 NFL Draft), Cole Kmet (2nd round pick in 2020 NFL Draft) and Michael Mayer (2nd round pick in 2023 NFL Draft).
Even so, when he elected to take the job in Baton Rouge ahead of the 2022 season, it wasn’t exactly a seamless transition into producing tight ends at that same level. As a matter of fact, in his first full season with the Tigers, three-star freshman Mason Taylor ended up getting the start.
As it would turn out, though, starting Taylor in that 2022 season was a pretty good decision, as the 6-foot-5 pass catcher out of Plantation, FL is now one of the best tight ends in college football, and is set to be the veteran presence in what could be a truly elite tight end room this season.
Backing up the talented veteran are two truly giant targets for quarterback Garrett Nussmeier, as both 6-foot-6 sophomore Ka’Morreun Pimpton and 6-foot-7 freshman Trey’Dez Green are expected to see a hefty dose of snaps during the 2024 season, and could even find themselves a part of some three-tight end formations.
Ultimately, after losing quarterback Jayden Daniels to the NFL over the offseason, there’s plenty of unknown with this Tiger passing game, and it could be a bit of a rocky start to get things going in September. Even so, if things do pan out with the high-potential group, we could end up seeing yet another truly elite offense in Baton Rouge under head coach Brian Kelly.
If this is the case, it will have meant that Nussmeier’s wait was well worth it, and that the pass catchers lived up to expectations, giving their star quarterback plenty of options downfield. However, none of this speculation ultimately matters until we see it on the field.
Expect offensive coordinator Joe Sloan to call plenty of passing plays early and often in 2024, as they look to find a rhythm as quickly as possible before SEC play begins on September 14 vs. South Carolina in Columbia, SC.
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