Brian Kelly has been actually good at this third-year stuff.
In every of his final three tenures, his program skilled a breakthrough within the third season. He hopes to proceed that pattern as he begins his third season as LSU’s head coach in 2024.
The Tigers might be the SEC’s large shock this season, and Kelly stated he’s targeted on the day-to-day course of “that’s normally been fairly good at my different stops.”
In Kelly’s third season at Central Michigan in 2006, the Chippewas improved from 6-5 to 9-4, gained the MAC West, and Kelly was off to Cincinnati.
In his third season with the Bearcats in 2009, Kelly’s group improved from 11-3 to 12-0 and reached the Sugar Bowl because the coach moved on to Notre Dame.
In his third season with the Preventing Irish in 2012, Kelly’s group improved from 8-5 to 12-1 and reached the BCS Championship Sport.
(By the best way, in Kelly’s first tenure at Division II Grand Valley State, his third group dropped from 8-3 to 6-3-2 in 1993, although he wound up profitable 77 % of his video games over 13 seasons).
As Kelly enters his third season at LSU, the Tigers try to enhance from a pair of 10-win seasons and seize one of many 12 spots within the expanded CFP.
LSU had simply 39 scholarship gamers readily available when Kelly arrived from Notre Dame, and the coach stated his third group would be the deepest group of Tigers he has had. The important thing as to whether LSU can break via is whether or not it may be extra balanced than it was a 12 months in the past.
Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Jayden Daniels led the best offense within the nation, however the Tigers pale from SEC title rivalry due to one of many poorest defenses in class historical past.
Kelly stated he believes this system has completed its low season purpose to “make the type of strides that convey our protection as much as the usual essential to play for a championship.”
He modified defensive coordinators, changing Matt Home with former LSU assistant Blake Baker, who was a key contributor to Missouri being the SEC shock group in 2023, because the coordinator for these Tigers.
Kelly additionally introduced in defensive position coach Bo Davis from Texas to try to improve a unit whose enchancment might be central to the fortunes of the protection and the group as a complete.
A more practical efficiency on the line of scrimmage ought to allow linebacker Harold Perkins to be one of the dynamic defenders within the nation. Baker hopes to accentuate the protection’s aggressiveness if the cornerbacks reveal they will deal with extra man-to-man protection.
As for the offense, nobody is anticipating Garrett Nussmeier to duplicate what Daniels did earlier than shifting on to the NFL’s Washington Commanders. But when Kelly will get the defensive enchancment he expects, one of many prime offensive traces within the nation and a bevy of expert runners and receivers ought to allow Nussmeier to achieve success.
Nussmeier has performed in simply 18 video games in three seasons and made his solely begin when Daniels sat out the ReliaQuest Bowl in January. Nussmeier handed for 395 yards and three touchdowns in a victory in opposition to Wisconsin.
Joe Sloan has taken on coordinator and play-calling duties and retained his function as quarterbacks coach after former coordinator Mike Denbrock left for Notre Dame.
Nussmeier isn’t the working menace that Daniels was, however his arm power is phenomenal. Improved decision-making ought to allow him to be one of many extra productive passers within the SEC.
Along with the annual SEC gauntlet (which features a go to from convention newcomer Oklahoma within the regular-season finale), LSU additionally has difficult non-conference video games in opposition to USC (within the Sept. 1 season opener in Las Vegas) and UCLA (Sept. 21 in Tiger Stadium).
Kelly’s first two groups bought off to gradual begins by dropping their openers to Florida State within the Caesars Superdome two years in the past and in Orlando final season. If this group can break via with a victory within the opener, it may set the stage for a breakthrough season.
The Tigers host Vanderbilt and keep away from Georgia, Texas, Missouri and Tennessee, get Ole Miss and Alabama at residence.
