Tag: aj swann

Where does LSU’s quarterback room rank nationally entering 2024?

LSU is losing a Heisman-winner at quarterback, but Garrett Nussmeier seems ready to take the mantle.

LSU enters the 2024 season — the third under coach [autotag]Brian Kelly[/autotag] — with quite a few questions.

However, one of the most pressing has to do with the game’s most important position. Heisman-winning quarterback [autotag]Jayden Daniels[/autotag] is out, and [autotag]Garrett Nussmeier[/autotag] is set to take over the starting job after seeing sporadic action in his first three seasons.

In addition to Nussmeier, the Tigers have Vanderbilt transfer [autotag]AJ Swann[/autotag], redshirt freshman former four-star recruit [autotag]Rickie Collins[/autotag] and [autotag]Colin Hurley[/autotag], a true freshman early enrollee who reclassified from 2025 to 2024.

While that group isn’t the most experienced in the country, it does feature quite a bit of talent. In his rankings of college football quarterback rooms in 2024, On3’s Jesse Simonton slotted the Tigers eighth.

LSU lost Heisman Trophy winner Jayden Daniels, but the Tigers have kept Garrett Nussmeier around for a reason and the country will see why this fall. Just in case, Brian Kelly added some interesting insurance to the QB room as well, grabbing Vandy transfer AJ Swann (27 touchdowns, nine picks in his career).

Replacing a player of Daniels’ caliber won’t be easy, but it’s hard to see quarterback as a major concern despite the fact that it will likely be rolling with a signal-caller who has made just one career start, which came in the ReliaQuest Bowl at the end of the 2023 season.

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Garrett Nussmeier has full control running LSU’s offense, Brian Kelly says

Garrett Nussmeier will make his first start on Monday morning.

LSU will get a sneak peek at the [autotag]Garrett Nussmeier[/autotag] era as the redshirt sophomore is set to make his first start in the ReliaQuest Bowl with [autotag]Jayden Daniels[/autotag] opting out.

Nussmeier has seen quite a bit of action, but this will be his first time running the offense for an entire game. While one may expect the team would ease him into the role, [autotag]Brian Kelly[/autotag] said Nussmeier has the “keys to the car.”

“He’s got the keys to the car going forward in ’24,” Kelly said, per On3. “The offense, he knows it well. He’ll be able to do the things that we need to do offensively, run it, throw it, do the things that are necessary to be a championship football team.”

Kelly said he’s noticed a difference in the way Nussmeier carries himself around the facility.

“I think it’s different,” Kelly said. “Going from being the backup to the starter, everything is a little bit faster. I think there’s a little bit more of a need to communicate and take the reins. When you’re a backup, you can kind of muddle your way through it a little bit, fake your way through it. There’s no faking now. You’re running it.

“He walks around the building a little bit differently, there’s no doubt. But he hasn’t played. So the game is different than practice. He’s preparing. When it’s live, and Wisconsin’s got a great scheme, they do a lot of really good things defensively, and he’ll be challenged.”

This could be an important audition for Nussmeier as he will have to compete with Vanderbilt transfer addition [autotag]AJ Swann[/autotag] in 2024. Kelly said Nussmeier has embraced the upcoming competition.

“It’s very similar to last year where Jayden came back, but we gave Nuss a fair shot at competing for that starting position,” Kelly said. “Nuss pushed it, but Jayden was better.

“We’ll have the same situation where AJ will have a chance to take that job from him. It is not a closed position. We were transparent with him. Nuss knows that, too. We’re going to be honest and open about the competition. You don’t bring in a guy who started at Vanderbilt and say, ‘Listen, you’re coming in, but you have no chance.’ That doesn’t make any sense. Nuss knew that, too.”

Nussmeier will make the first start of his career on Monday at 11 a.m. against Wisconsin.

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Where Joe Burrow, Jayden Daniels rank among top all-time QB transfers

The Tigers have hit the jackpot in the transfer portal when it comes to signal callers.

LSU has certainly hit the jackpot at the quarterback position in the transfer portal era.

In the last five seasons, the team has produced two Heisman winners at the position in [autotag]Joe Burrow[/autotag] and [autotag]Jayden Daniels[/autotag], and both were transfers who came in after spending several years at Ohio State and Arizona State, respectively.

Their arcs aren’t identical. Burrow rode the bench with the Buckeyes before getting his chance in Baton Rouge, while Daniels was a three-year starter with the Sun Devils, showing early flashes before things soured with a coaching staff that was out of its depth.

247Sports recently ranked the top 15 transfer portal quarterbacks of all time, and Daniels ranked seventh.

The latest transfer quarterback to etch his name in Heisman lore, Jayden Daniels was superb this season in Baton Rouge with numbers that rivaled the record-setting season from Joe Burrow a couple years ago. The projected 2024 NFL Draft first-rounder won’t play in LSU’s upcoming bowl game against Wisconsin after throwing 40 touchdown passes and rushing for another 10 scores this season. In total, Daniels engineered 4,946 yards of total offense for the Tigers as a fifth-year senior.

In what shouldn’t come as much of a surprise, Burrow led the way at the No. 1 spot.

Joe Burrow’s magical 2019 season is the freshest in everyone’s minds and it came at a historic level. Not only did he guide the LSU Tigers to a 15-0 national championship campaign, Burrow lit it up on the field with plenty of talent around him. He finished the year with 5,671 yards, 60 touchdowns and six interceptions, while completing 76.3% of his passes. It was evident early on that Burrow was doing something special. His 60 touchdowns and 202.0 quarterback rating are NCAA records and he also led the NCAA in completion percentage and passing yards. He later became the No. 1 overall pick by the Cincinnati Bengals.

LSU likely already has its next starter on the roster in [autotag]Garrett Nussmeier[/autotag], but it also added a transfer with SEC experience in [autotag]AJ Swann[/autotag], who will look to become the next great portal quarterback product for the Tigers.

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LSU officially announces three transfers additions

LSU officially announced the addition of three transfers to the team for the 2024 season on Friday.

LSU Football just officially announced the addition of three transfers to the team for the 2024 season. The Tigers announced the addition of [autotag]Jardin Gilbert[/autotag], a safety from Texas A&M, [autotag]AJ Swann[/autotag], a quarterback from Vanderbilt and [autotag]Zavion Thomas[/autotag], a wide receiver from Mississippi State.

Gilbert played in 25 games over three years for the Aggies as he made 79 tackles, two tackles for loss, 0.5 sacks and two interceptions. Gilbert is from White Castle, Louisiana, so he is returning to the boot to play his final year of college football.

Swann played in 15 games for the Vanderbilt Commodores and threw for 2,731 yards. 22 touchdowns, and nine interceptions. Swann will bring a lot of experience to a talented quarterback room. He will join [autotag]Garrett Nussmeier[/autotag], [autotag]Rickie Collins[/autotag] and [autotag]Colin Hurley[/autotag] in pursuit of the starting quarterback job.

Thomas is another Louisiana man who had left the state to play at another SEC school but he is now returning home. In 22 games, Thomas caught 42 passes for 507 yards and one touchdown. He made plays on special teams as well as he returned 10 kickoffs for 297 yards and a touchdown and 29 punts for 365 yards and a touchdown.

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LSU QB Garrett Nussmeier addresses upcoming first start, addition of transfer AJ Swann

The Garrett Nussmeier era is set to begin in the ReliaQuest Bowl on Jan. 1.

With [autotag]Jayden Daniels[/autotag] officially announcing his decision to opt out of the ReliaQuest Bowl against Wisconsin on Jan. 1, the [autotag]Garrett Nussmeier[/autotag] era is set to begin at LSU.

Nussmeier has seen some extended playing time in his three seasons with the Tigers, but the upcoming bowl game will be his first start as a college player. He said he’s excited to get the opportunity to lead this team.

“It’s been a long three years trying to stay patient and trust in the plan, trust in the process, trust in God’s plan,” Nussmeier said, per On3. “It’s a weird feeling, but I’m very excited. I’m more excited to get out there and play my best and show people what I can do and that I can lead this offense to its maximum potential.”

Nussmeier enters the 2024 season as the likely starter, but LSU did add some competition this offseason in the form of Vanderbilt transfer [autotag]AJ Swann[/autotag], who brings SEC starting experience to the table. Nussmeier said he’s glad the room is getting deeper and that he was aware LSU was looking at adding a transfer.

“It’s great for our room and I’m excited for him to get here,” Nussmeier said. “I don’t know what I’m allowed to say, but yes, I knew (they were looking at adding a transfer portal quarterback).”

Nussmeier is far from inexperienced. He’s appeared in 17 games for the Tigers and attempted 174 passes, of which he completed 56.3% for 1,325 yards, eight touchdowns and six interceptions.

But on Jan. 1, we’ll get our first look at Nussmeier in action over the course of an entire game.

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Breaking down LSU transfer QB addition AJ Swann

Here’s what LSU’s getting with Vanderbilt QB transfer AJ Swann.

LSU added to its quarterback room on Monday, picking up a commitment from Vanderbilt transfer [autotag]AJ Swann[/autotag].

The addition wasn’t a surprise. It had been known LSU was in the market for a QB with some experience and several years of eligibility remaining.

Swann fits that bill. The rising junior appeared in 15 games in two seasons at Vanderbilt but has two years of eligibility left and potentially more if he redshirts in 2024.

[autotag]Garrett Nussmeier[/autotag] is expected to be LSU’s starter in 2024. But Swann is a guy who can push him and adds insurance should Nussmeier get hurt.

Before adding Swann, LSU lacked a backup QB with any meaningful experience. That makes this a critical pickup.

Let’s take a look at what LSU’s getting in its newest QB.

LSU QB commit shows out during U.S. Army Bowl

Here is a reminder that the Tigers are adding a quarterback in the 2024 recruiting class from high school, as well.

With all the talk about LSU’s quarterback room with the addition of [autotag]AJ Swann[/autotag] from the transfer portal, here is a reminder that the Tigers are adding a quarterback in the 2024 recruiting class from high school as well.

[autotag]Colin Hurley[/autotag] is a 6-foot, 213-pound, four-star quarterback from Jacksonville, Florida, where he plays for Trinity Christian Academy. Hurley led the Conquerors to a 9-4 record and a loss to Clearwater Central Catholic in the third round of the playoffs.

Hurley played as a quarterback on the Black team in the U.S. Army bowl last night and he had an incredible game. I do not have any official stats, but the videos below are proof of the multiple touchdown passes he threw against the Gold team.

Hurley was previously a member of the 2025 recruiting class until he re-classified to 2024 and committed to LSU. He is expected to sign with the Tigers on early signing day and be on campus next month.

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BREAKING: LSU lands a quarterback in the transfer portal

Garrett Nussmeier will have some new competition in the quarterback room in 2024.

[autotag]Garrett Nussmeier[/autotag] will have some new competition in the quarterback room in 2024.

With [autotag]Jayden Daniels[/autotag] leaving Baton Rouge for the NFL, there is an opening at the quarterback spot for LSU. Nusmeier is presumed to be the next man in line for the spot but things may have just changed.

LSU landed former Vanderbilt quarterback [autotag]AJ Swann[/autotag] from the transfer portal on Monday. Swann is a sophomore from White, Georgia, where he played for Cherokee High School. Swann has appeared in 15 games over the past two seasons. He made 12 starts for the Commodores and threw for 2,731 yards, 22 touchdowns, and nine interceptions.

His career completion percentage is 56% but take those numbers with a grain of salt given his team and the caliber of competition.

Going from the worst team in the SEC year-after-year to one of the best teams in the SEC could elevate his game, but he will have to beat out Nussmeier, [autotag]Rickie Collins[/autotag] and incoming four-star 2024 recruit [autotag]Colin Hurley[/autotag] for the starting job.

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Tale of the Tape: Auburn vs. Vanderbilt

The heavily favored Auburn Tigers travel to Nashville this week to take on Vanderbilt this week. Will this game be closer than expected?

The 4-4 Auburn Tigers will put on their dancing shoes on Saturday when they travel to Broadway to take on the 2-7 Vanderbilt Commodores in Nashville.

Quarterback [autotag]Payton Thorne[/autotag] and the Auburn offensive line look to keep the good times rolling in Music City after coming off arguably their best game of the season.

Vanderbilt on the other hand could really use somebody to step up, as the Commodores have lost 7 straight games after starting 2-0.

The different directions of these two teams explain why Auburn is favored by a 12.5-points on the road in this one, according to BetMGM.

ESPN FPI also believes in the Tigers’ chances to take a wrecking ball to the Commodores. The Index is giving Auburn an 84.1% chance to win.

That is by far the highest Auburn has been favored in FPI since their game against Samford all the way back in September.

Will the tale of the tape show us Auburn will set the world on fire and take care of business, or does a closer look show us this game might be closer than expected?

As always, we’ll start with the quarterbacks.

Starting quarterback [autotag]Payton Thorne [/autotag] played his best as an Auburn Tiger last week in the win over Mississippi State.

The transfer has struggled most of the season, but threw for 230 yards and 3 touchdowns in last week’s victory, putting his season totals at 1,075 yards and 8 touchdowns in 8 games.

Auburn’s “QB1” has also been a threat with the legs, rushing for 297 yards and 2 touchdowns this season.

Vanderbilt’s quarterback situation on the other hand has been more disgusting than the floors at Tootsie’s.

The Commodores started the season with sophomore [autotag]AJ Swann[/autotag]. Swann went on to start Vanderbilt’s first 5 games of the season, throwing for 1,290 yards, 11 touchdowns, and 7 interceptions before going down with a shoulder injury.

Senior [autotag]Ken Seals [/autotag] took over as the de-facto starter and threw for 740 yards and 5 touchdowns in his first 3 starts before getting benched in favor of redshirt freshman [autotag]Walter Taylor[/autotag] last week against Ole Miss.

I’m giving the edge to Thorne and Auburn in this category due to the simple fact Vanderbilt’s quarterback situation is a mess.

The skill position battle is a little bit murkier. Vanderbilt has the best receiver in this game, [autotag]Will Sheppard[/autotag], but it’s hard to judge how much of his output is attributed to the Commodores always playing from behind.

I will say Auburn running back [autotag]Jarquez Hunter[/autotag] is the most talented player for either team on the offensive side of the ball. That fact alone gives the Tigers the edge in the skill position battle, although it’s close.

Auburn also gets the edge up front. [autotag]Gunner Britton[/autotag] is not only the best lineman in this game, but he has also become one of the premier blockers in the SEC.

The Tigers has the edge across the offensive side of the ball.

On the defensive side of things, it’s not even close. Auburn boasts one of the best defenses in the SEC (22.5 opponents PPG), while Vanderbilt has arguably the worst (36 opponents PPG).

The talent gap on the defensive side of the ball is bigger than Dolly Parton’s Brentwood mansion.

After taking a closer look at this game, it’s clear why Auburn is favored by 12.5 points. The Tigers have an incredible chance to come out of Nashville one win away from being bowl-eligible.

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Areas of concern ahead of Alabama’s Week 4 matchup against Vanderbilt

Some areas of concern ahead of Alabama’s Week 4 matchup against the Vanderbilt Commodores.

Alabama hasn’t had many discrepancies at any particular position to begin the 2022 season. In recent years, several positional groups struggled. This season has been an adjustment for quarterback Bryce Young as three of his top wide receivers (John Metchie III, Jameson Williams, Slade Bolden) departed for the NFL.

He has to develop chemistry with the incoming wide receivers. There have been some miscues with being on the same page. However, that comes with a new group at the wide receiver position. That will likely lessen as the season progresses.

The defense has played well throughout the first three weeks of the season. Coach Golding and the rest of the defensive staff have been trying to establish some depth at each position. That will be very valuable as the season goes along.

Roll Tide Wire will look at some of the areas of concern heading into Alabama’s Week 4 matchup against Vanderbilt.