We’ve officially made it to the month of August, and the college football season is rapidly approaching. First things first, we need to get through fall camp, which should hopefully answer plenty of questions around the country. Some programs have quarterback competitions; others have off-field issues they’d like to sort out. Here, we’ll take a look at some of the biggest questions coach Brian Kelly and LSU football hope to answer within the next month of practice.
How much does Jayden Daniels improve as a passer in LSU football fall camp?
When beginning to analyze a college football team, the first look is almost always the quarterback position. After all, the quarterback is the player who leads the offense and often the entire team.
For LSU football, the man of the hour is none other than senior Jayden Daniels. While many have wondered about a possible quarterback competition, coach Brian Kelly has made it clear that Daniels is the starter.
It’s for good reasons as well. In his first season with the Tigers in 2022, Daniels was electric and played a significant role in bringing LSU back to the SEC Championship.
As a passer, he threw the ball for 2,913 yards and 17 touchdowns compared to just three interceptions. However, the ground game is where he shined for the Tigers’ offense. In total, he ran the ball 186 times for 885 yards and 11 touchdowns and was the team’s leading rusher.
As exciting as he is with the ball in his hands, there’s undoubtedly some concern to it. In the above video, Daniels took several big hits on his way into the endzone. While he found a way to push through and stand up with relative ease afterward, there’s always the question of injury.
This is one of the big reasons many fans hope to see Daniels throw the ball more in 2023. Still, this doesn’t change the fact that the star quarterback is at his best when running the ball. Don’t expect to see him hang out in the pocket every play.
Despite his running ability, I expect to see the senior quarterback throw the ball more. In 2022, he completed 68.6 percent of his passes, so we know he’s a more than capable passer. Still, what does the offense look like with him throwing upwards of 30 passes a game? If Daniels can keep up the level of efficiency he showed in 2022, a stronger emphasis on the passing game could be an excellent thing for the offense.
Who shines the brightest within the revamped Tiger secondary?
What a time it has been for the Tigers’ secondary over the past few seasons. More specifically, in the last two offseasons, coach Brian Kelly has brought in a whopping 19 new members to the group. Furthermore, 10 of those 19 additions were through the transfer portal.
So, with all the in and out this defensive back group has faced, what does the group look like today? Well, the quick answer is that we could see an entire starting lineup full of former transfers this year.
The safety position is relatively self-explanatory, as two main contributors are back from last year’s team. Senior Greg Brooks Jr., a former Arkansas Razorback, figures to take one of the spots. Junior Major Burns, a former Georgia Bulldog, will take the other.
Cornerback is where things get interesting. This past offseason, the Tigers took four corners out of the transfer portal, each with the potential to start.
The four corners are sophomore JK Johnson (Ohio State), junior Duce Chestnut (Syracuse), junior Zy Alexander (Southeastern Louisiana) and sophomore Denver Harris (Texas A&M).
Former five-star Denver Harris has by far the highest expectations out of the group. According to 247 Sports, Harris was the No. 2 overall transfer in the 2023 class. Still, all four corners have elite ability in their own right and could start for the Tigers.
Then, if you look at returners like sophomores Laterrance Welch and Sage Ryan, things begin to get even muddier. There are plenty of options in this defensive back room; it’s just a matter of who takes the leap first.
Fall camp should be a major factor in who stands out and earns a starting job in 2023.
Do any running backs take that next step?
Possibly the deepest position group in all of college football is the LSU running backs room. With a quick look over the group, you’ll quickly find at least five starting-caliber players. That isn’t a projection, either.
When glancing at the top five backs on the roster, junior Armoni Goodwin, junior Logan Diggs, senior Noah Cain, 5th-year John Emery Jr. and 5th-year Josh Williams each head into 2023 with starting experience. It’s safe to say depth will not be a concern for the group.
The only downside is that there isn’t that one running back who could take over a game the moment he sets foot on the field. At least, we haven’t seen it yet from any of the Tigers’ options.
That’s not to say they aren’t capable, however. There’s plenty of experience in the room, and several of the players have shown an ability to break a game wide open in the blink of an eye.
It could be Josh Williams taking a jump from his 532 yards and six touchdowns in 2022. Maybe Logan Diggs will find a way to make an immediate impact in his premier season with the program. Regardless of who it is, it would be an excellent sign if one of the running backs finds a way to stand out from the group and take charge.
For LSU fans, there’s plenty to be excited about regarding the 2023 college football season. Still, the Tigers need to first get through fall camp. There are plenty of questions to answer, but if year one of the Brian Kelly regime showed us anything, he’ll have the team ready come September 3rd.
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