The annual tradition of spring football is beneficial for several reasons. For the fans, it’s their first glance at what the roster will be looking like for the ensuing season. For coaches, it’s an opportunity to get a better idea about who they can trust in a starting role, as well as which positions may need a little extra attention. Here are three position battles to keep a close eye on as we rapidly approach today’s 2024 LSU football spring game.
Position battles to watch ahead of 2024 LSU football spring game
1. Backup Quarterback
While this one doesn’t necessarily impact the immediate play on the football field in 2024, you truly never know when the backup quarterback will become the most important position on the field.
Take a look at the 2023 college football season. Senior Jayden Daniels ultimately won the Heisman Trophy, but he wasn’t a stranger to the occasional injury, which meant at-the-time backup Garrett Nussmeier had to stay ready to hop into the game.
While he didn’t necessarily dominate in his limited snaps this past season, Nussmeier did find himself on the field enough to throw 78 passes, totaling 591 yards and four touchdowns in a season that would end up solidifying him as the future starter for the Tigers.
In turn, with the rising senior set to take over as the new starting quarterback in 2024, the backup slot is up for grabs and it appears as though we’re in the midst of a significant battle for the spot.
Both rising sophomore Rickie Collins and transfer portal addition AJ Swann have put together a solid spring overall, and are making coach Brian Kelly’s job much more difficult in terms of deciding on a QB2. While today’s scrimmage won’t necessarily solve any questions, we could find ourselves much closer to an answer if one of the two signal callers can put together an impressive showing.
2. Starting Cornerbacks
For the third year in a row, coach Brian Kelly is entering the LSU football spring game with very little idea of who will end up winning the starting jobs at cornerback. Luckily for him, though, it seems like this is the first year in which they didn’t need to rely too heavily on the transfer portal to fill those spots.
Heading into today’s spring game, there are plenty of names who could take hold of a starting role, but it’s important to note that the wide majority of said players are sophomores or freshmen who coach Kelly recruited to play for the purple and gold out of high school.
The major candidates thus far include freshman PJ Woodland, sophomores Ashton Stamps, Jeremiah Hughes and Javien Toviano, as well as transfer portal additions Jyaire Brown and JK Johnson.
Former Southeastern cornerback Zy Alexander will likely take one of the starting slots eventually once he returns from injury, as he put together a solid 2023 campaign that included 44 tackles, seven passes defended and two interceptions.
Additionally, it’s important to note that former five-star and veteran Tiger Sage Ryan has pretty solidly stuck as the starter at slot, which should continue throughout the offseason.
However, as far as the second and third cornerbacks spots go, may the most deserving man win. Today will likely play a major role in the eventual answer, but expect this position battle to go all the way up to the start of the 2024 season in late-August.
3. Primary Edge Rushers
One of the more underrated position battles ahead of the 2024 LSU football spring game is that of the edge rushers and defensive ends. While the Tigers didn’t necessarily lose a ton at that position over the offseason, their performance in 2023 didn’t exactly lend to a ton of confidence heading into the new year.
Among the returning players who earned starting-caliber snaps in 2023 include veterans Sai’vion Jones and Bradyn Swinson, as well as young star Da’Shawn Womack.
Additionally, it will be interesting to see if any new additions – such as freshmen Kolaj Cobbins, Gabriel Reliford, or Ahmad Breaux – manage to make an impact during today’s scrimmage.
If we want to see overall improvement from the Tiger defense ahead of the 2024 season, getting pressure on the quarterback will be key. Getting past offensive linemen was something the LSU defensive line struggled with mightily in 2023, which just means it’s time for someone to step up and take control of the room.
The 2024 LSU football spring game will take place later this afternoon, April 13, at 1:00 p.m. CST and will be available to watch live on SEC Network+. Gates are set to open up at Tiger Stadium at 11:30 a.m., with the scrimmage getting started sometime around 1:15 p.m..
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