The big USC-LSU game is now almost three weeks away on Sept. 1. You can feel the excitement growing for this huge showdown. LSU Wire wrote about “five burning questions” they had for the Tigers as they began fall practice. They lose three key components of their explosive offense last year: Heisman quarterback Jayden Daniels, and two fellow first-round NFL draft picks at wide receiver.
LSU Wire explained their concerns:
One of the biggest changes this fall will come at the receiver position. LSU is losing top producers Malik Nabers and Brian Thomas Jr. with Kyren Lacy expected to assume the WR1 role.
Entering camp, the picture behind Lacy was muddy, but on Monday, Kelly said CJ Daniels and Chris Hilton Jr. are emerging to form a solid three-man lineup.
“Kyren Lacy is going to be there. Chris is going to be there. CJ is going to be there,” Kelly said, “Those three guys, you know, you can count on them being integral parts.”
Kelly added the offense is aiming to get other players first-team reps too. This is a position where depth is needed, and at some point, [Garrett] Nussmeier will be throwing to guys further down the depth chart.
The goal now is to ensure Nussmeier is comfortable with a handful of pass catchers, deepening LSU’s rotation. Lacy looks ready for a breakout year, but there are players in this group who still need to prove it at an SEC level.
USC’s secondary is tall, long and physical. Greedy Vance, who can play corner or nickle back, transferred from Florida State and joined the Trojans in the summer. The first word cornerback coach Doug Belk used to describe him was, “Sticky.”
Vance will most likely join a commination of cornerbacks DeCarlos Nicholson, John Humphries and Jacobe Covington on the outside. Nicholson, Humphries and Covington average just over 6-foot-2 and 198 pounds. A pair of safeties, Akili Arnold and Kamari Ramsay, will patrol over the top and up in the box. This unit is the most experienced and talented on the team, rivaled only by the Trojan wide receiver room.
Kelly and Nussmeier are hoping that Lacy and Daniels can play physically with USC’s secondary; both are 6-foot-2 as well. They also hope that Hilton can live up to his recruiting hype and emerge into the receiver he was predicted to be with Nabers and Thomas moving on.
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