Spring practice is fast approaching. For the most part, LSU’s 2023 roster and coaching staff are set. It’s time to evaluate where LSU stands as a program in the current and future.
We’ll be taking a look at how LSU shapes up position by position and what it means for Brian Kelly’s goal of returning LSU to a national title.
We’ll begin with the quarterbacks, the most talked about and most important position. LSU is in a good spot with a returning starter in Jayden Daniels and an emerging player in Garrett Nussmeier.
The Tigers did lose Walker Howard, but that’s the price of doing business these days.
The immediate future
Daniels is LSU’s starting quarterback right now. Kelly said so after the bowl game, and there’s no reason to think that’s changed.
When Daniels transferred to LSU, it was his job to win. He did just that, and now it’s his job to lose. Until we’re given any other indication, it’s wise to assume five will be under center in 2023.
Kelly could have deemed it an open competition. He didn’t have to confirm Daniels’ position as the starter, but he did. That means something and signals the staff’s belief in the veteran quarterback.
LSU knows what it has with Daniels. At worst, he’s an elite runner with an arm good enough to win 10 games. At best, he’s a guy who can take over in the biggest moments.
According to PFF, he was one of the SEC’s five best-graded QBs in 2022 and among returning players, only KJ Jefferson graded out higher. Not counting sack yardage, Daniels was a 1,000-yard rusher.
He’s a good player with a chance to take another step forward. However, despite Kelly reaffirming Daniels as QB1, he’ll be pushed.
