Could LSU make a run at the top available safety in the transfer portal?
LSU football is still looking for a safety in the transfer portal. One of the portal’s newest additions could be a fit.
Former NC State safety TaMarcus Cooley is now the top available safety in the transfer portal after entering last week. The On3 Industry Ratings slate Cooley as the No. 2 overall safety, only behind Dillion Thieneman, who signed with Oregon.
LSU and Brian Kelly said they would be aggressive in the transfer portal. So far, LSU has cleaned up most of its needs, including wide receiver and defensive end.
Safety stands out as a position where the Tigers remain in need of a difference-maker.
Cooley is just that.
According to PFF, Cooley was the sixth-best graded safety in the ACC. Given he was a redshirt freshman in his first year starting, that’s doubly impressive.
Cooley led all ACC safeties with eight pass breakups. He picked off three passes and forced two fumbles. In the box, he made 11 stops and pressured the quarterback three times. He’s an all-around player that fits in Blake Baker’s defense.
LSU was patient on the safety market in hopes some bigger names would enter. Cooley fits that bill.
We learned a lot about LSU football in 2024. Here are 10 key takeaways.
When the 2024 LSU football season began, there was a lot we didn’t know. Every year begins with questions, but we entered 2024 with fewer answers than usual.
LSU was tasked with replacing a Heisman trophy-winning quarterback and two first-round wide receivers. On defense, LSU was hoping to recover after the 2023 unit was one of the worst in program history.
A lackluster transfer portal class meant LSU was counting on young players to lead the turnaround — not established veterans.
LSU had two new coordinators, too. Mike Denbrock took the OC job at Notre Dame after leading the most efficient attack in the country in 2023. On the other side, Brian Kelly moved to replace his entire defensive staff.
Despite all the changes and unknowns, LSU ranked No. 13 in the preseason poll. Kelly still had a talented roster, and the expanded playoff gave the Tigers a shot at the postseason.
LSU got off to a 6-1 start, but a three-game losing streak thwarted any playoff hopes.
We got answers to a lot of the questions we asked in August. Some good, some bad. Here are 10 things we learned about LSU football in 2024.
1. Garrett Nussmeier has star potential
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Opinions differed on Garrett Nussmeier entering the year, but the prevailing thought was Nussmeier had the talent to be one of the best quarterbacks in the SEC. He’s a former blue-chip recruit who waited his turn behind a Heisman winner and showed flashes of brilliance when he got the chance.
Nussmeier continued to flash that arm. He’s liable to make an NFL-level throw at any given moment. Look no further than the final seconds of regulation vs. Ole Miss, where Nussmeier put it on a thread to Aaron Anderson to force overtime.
It’s those moments that have NFL scouts buzzing about what Nussmeier can be next year. That’s why he’ll be a Heisman favorite.
Nussmeier was arguably the best QB in the SEC down the stretch. The expectation is the trend stretches into 2025.
2. But Nussmeier was inconsistent
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While the moments of brilliance were there, Nussmeier was inconsistent. Nussmeier’s 12 interceptions were tied with Carson Beck for most in the SEC. For a large portion of the year, LSU lacked a downfield passing attack, too,
Part of that was on Nussmeier, but it was also LSU’s inability to run the ball. Defenses sat on the intermediate routes, taking away what Nussmeier does best.
Nussmeier struggled throughout LSU’s three-game losing streak that killed the Tigers’ playoff hopes. He threw some bad picks in the second half at Texas A&M before struggling to find rhythm against Alabama and Florida.
At times, Nussmeier looked like a quarterback starting for the first time because he was a quarterback starting for the first time. He wasn’t ready to be the guy that takes over games. In 2025, he might be.
3. LSU missed Malik Nabers and Brian Thomas Jr.
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There’s a narrative that LSU just pumps out receivers. No matter the year, the Tigers will have game-breakers on the perimeter. There’s some truth to that, but Malik Nabers and Brian Thomas Jr. were different.
Nabers and Thomas were the most explosive receivers in the country in 2023. You don’t just replace that. In hindsight, LSU missed its two first-round receivers more than we thought.
Kyren Lacy is good, and he’ll be a professional, but he didn’t have the speed to take the top off a defense. Aaron Anderson enjoyed a breakout year, but he wasn’t the dynamic playmaker LSU needed on the outside yet.
With Anderson returning, along with the transfer additions of Nic Anderson and Barion Brown, LSU aims for better receiver play in 2025.
4. Blake Baker was worth it
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After a 2023 campaign where LSU’s defense was among the worst in the country, Brian Kelly went and hired Blake Baker to take over the unit. LSU made Baker the highest-paid assistant coach in the country.
The results were immediate. LSU is far from a finished project on that side of the ball, but LSU jumped from 52nd to 33rd in ESPN’s SP+. A year after LSU ranked 82nd in the country in scoring defense, the 2024 Tigers sit 59th.
Development was better across the board, with LSU getting breakout seasons from CB Zy Alexander, DE Bradyn Swinson, and LB Whit Weeks.
Baker played an aggressive style of defense that put LSU near the top in sack rate. The Tigers will look to build on that in 2025.
5. Bo Davis was too
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Baker wasn’t the only splash hire on the defensive side of the ball. Kelly managed to land one of the biggest names in the sport — defensive line coach Bo Davis.
Davis was a member of Nick Saban’s staff at LSU before working with Saban again at Alabama. Just prior to LSU, Davis was at Texas, helping mold the Longhorns into a playoff contender. He’s one of the best recruiters and developers in the sport. He’s the total package as far as assistant coaches go.
LSU’s defensive line room was a major question mark entering the year, but Davis made the most of it. Wisconsin transfer Gio Paez exceeded expectations and looked better than he did with the Badgers.
Perhaps Davis’ most impressive work was getting two true freshmen ready to play and contribute. Ahmad Breaux and Dominick McKinley were both instant impact players and look to be a big part of LSU’s future plans on defense.
That brings us to our next takeaway…
7. 2024 recruiting class can be really good
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Breaux and McKinley aren’t the only difference makers from LSU’s 2024 recruiting class. This has a chance to be Kelly’s best signing class at LSU.
Five-star tight end Trey’dez Green emerged in the Texas Bowl with two touchdowns, coming up big on third and fourth down throughout the night. At 6’7′, he can be one of the best pass-catching tight ends in the country.
In the backfield, true freshman running back Caden Durham racked up 753 yards and six scores. He looks like a budding star.
On the defensive side of the ball, LB Dahvon Keys and S Da’Shawn Spears both look prime to be major contributors as sophomores in 2025.
If this class comes together, LSU can build around it in 2025 and 2026. Kelly could use a stable core to work with after the last two campaigns.
8. 2023 recruiting class was a miss
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While the 2024 class is trending up, most of the 2023 recruiting class is looking like a miss.
The top-ranked signees from the class were tackle Lance Heard and defensive end Da’Shawn Womack. Both transferred.
Rounding out the top six were DB Javien Toviano, WR Jalen Brown, WR Shelton Sampson, and DE Jaxon Howard. From that group, only Toviano remains.
Ka’Morreun Pimpton, Kylin Jackson, Rickie Collins, Mac Markway, and Ryan Yaites were all four-star signees in 2023 and have all transferred.
Of the ones that remain, Weeks is the only proven candidate. DJ Chester was LSU’s starting center, but he’ll be competing for his job in 2025. Toviano and RB Kaleb Jackson are talented but still looking to carve out a role.
LSU’s swing and a miss in 2023 is a big reason why the Tigers had to be aggressive in the portal this cycle.
9. Aaron Anderson’s future is bright
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Aaron Anderson transferred to LSU in 2023 after beginning his career with Alabama. The former five-star was a Louisiana native but spent most of 2023 watching Nabers, Thomas, Lacy, and Mason Taylor make plays. There just wasn’t room for Anderson yet.
In 2024, Anderson got his chance and made the most of it. He was one of the most effective slot receivers in the SEC. He was deadly on crossers, and LSU found ways to involve him in the screen game.
Anderson’s 874 receiving yards rank eighth among SEC receivers. His 7.5 average yards after the catch sits top 10, too. He has a chance to post a 1,000-yard campaign in 2025.
10. LSU needed more from the transfer portal
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It was a point of contention among fans in the offseason — how much did LSU need in the transfer portal?
The Tigers opted to remain passive in the portal last year, outside the pursuit of big-name defensive tackles, they didn’t even land.
LSU went for value additions. Sometimes that works out; sometimes, it doesn’t. As it turns out, LSU needed more help.
LSU was inconsistent at safety, and while the defensive tackle group overperformed, a big name up the middle could have changed the outlook for this defense.
On offense, another playmaker at wide receiver or running back could have given LSU the explosive element it needed throughout the year.
Could Garrett Nussmeier’s brother follow in his footsteps with LSU football?
The Nussmeier name is synonymous with the quarterback position.
LSU quarterback Garrett Nussmeier is 3,352 yards away from becoming the program’s all-time leading passer. Through four seasons donning the purple and gold, he passed for 5,763 yards and 40 touchdowns. Following the regular season finale, he announced a return for a fifth year in Baton Rouge.
His father, Doug Nussmeier, is the Philadelphia Eagles’ quarterbacks coach. While he currently mentors Jalen Hurts and Kenny Picket, he also worked with Justin Herbert of the Los Angeles Chargers and Dak Prescott of the Dallas Cowboys in the same position.
Doug finished his collegiate career at Idaho as the all-time leading passer with 10,824 yards before being drafted by the New Orleans Saints in the 1994 NFL Draft. After six seasons of professional football, he coached in the Canadian Football League, then at the collegiate level, even winning the 2013 BCS National Championship with Alabama.
But there is another Nussmeier looking to make his mark as a quarterback — Colton Nussmeier, Garrett’s younger brother.
The system slots him as the No. 4 recruit in Texas and No. 3 at his position. The 6-foot-3, 175-pounder currently holds 13 Power 4 offers, including Ole Miss and LSU.
Nussmeier, a left-hander, plays at Marcus High School in Flower Mound, TX. He impressed at LSU’s Elite Camp, but will he end up following in his brother’s footsteps?
Following 2025, the Tigers are slated to elevate Mississippi State transfer Michael Van Buren with the starting role, as he’ll have two or three seasons of eligibility remaining.
Should he choose LSU, Colton would have a year to develop as a backup, just as Garrett did for two years behind Heisman winner Jayden Daniels.
LSU still has yet to secure a commitment from a quarterback in the 2026 cycle. If it fails to do so, it will be looking to add a quality arm in the 2027 class, and Nussmeier may be a great target, especially if the Tigers miss on Baton Rouge native Elijah Haven. He is the class’ top passer and ranks as the No. 3 recruit overall in the class.
A former LSU football offensive linemen has landed at an SEC rival
A former LSU football offensive lineman made his way back to the SEC after entering the transfer portal a second time.
Marcus Dumervil is transferring to Arkansas, per an announcement from the Razorbacks’ social media on Sunday morning.
Dumervil began his career with LSU in 2020. He spent three years with the Tigers and remained with the program as LSU transitioned from Ed Orgeron to Brian Kelly.
The most action he saw at LSU was in 2021, where he played 79 snaps, seeing time at right guard and right tackle.
Following the 2022 season, where Dumervil played just 23 snaps, he hopped in the portal and transferred to Maryland. He finished 2024 as Maryland’s starting left tackle but opted to enter the transfer portal again.
Now, Dumervil lands with Sam Pittman at Arkansas. The Hogs are looking to rebuild its offensive line after losing some key pieces in the transfer portal.
Coming out of high school in Florida, Dumervil was a four-star recruit and the No. 114 ranked player in his class. The On3 Industry Ratings slotted Dumervil as the No. 16 overall tackle in the class of 2021.
A rising young coach is leaving his GA spot at LSU to be Tulane’s assistant offensive line coach
LSU graduate assistant Kanan Ray is moving up.
Ray was hired by Tulane as an assistant offensive line coach, returning to his alma mater. Ray worked with Brad Davis and the LSU offensive line in 2024. Before joining LSU, Ray spent a year working as a grad assistant at Tulane in 2023, after he was a starting offensive lineman in 2022.
Ray previously worked with Wille Fritz and staff at Tulane, but Fritz accepted the head coaching job at Houston after the 2023 season. Now, with Jon Sumrall leading the program, Ray returns under a different staff.
Assistants with ties to LSU and Louisiana have a way of returning to the Tigers, so he’s a name to keep an eye on when it comes to future openings on LSU’s staff.
Ray was one of two support staffers to leave LSU for an AAC job on Friday, with offensive analyst Todd Fitch accepting the offensive coordinator position at Charlotte.
A key LSU offensive assistant is heading to the AAC as an offensive coordinator
LSU is losing a key offensive assistant, according to FootballScoop.
Senior offensive analyst Todd Fitch is heading to Charlotte to take over the 49ers offensive coordinator role.
Fitch joined LSU in 2024 after [autotag]Joe Sloan[/autotag] was promoted to offensive coordinator. Fitch was Sloan’s right-hand man. Sloan played for Fitch at ECU, and the two worked together at USF and Louisiana Tech.
Hitch was heavily involved with the LSU offense and was often the one meeting with Garrett Nussmeier and the quarterbacks on the sideline.
Prior to LSU, Fitch spent three years as an offensive analyst at Ohio State, working with CJ Stroud and a productive Buckeyes offense. Fitch also served as Vanderbilt’s interim head coach in 2020.
Fitch has experience coaching all over the country. He’s originally from the Midwest and spent years coaching in that region before later stops across the SEC footprint. He also made a stop at Colorado State.
At Charlotte, Fitch gets to return to play calling under new head coach Tim Albin.
Here’s what West Weeks said after his brother Whit Weeks left the Texas Bowl with an injury
LSU was shaken up during the second quarter of Tuesday’s Texas Bowl against Baylor as its star linebacker left the game with an injury.
[autotag]Whit Weeks[/autotag] suffered an ankle injury late in the second frame. Surrounded by his teammates, he was carted off the field with an air cast on his lower right leg.
One of those teammates was [autotag]West Weeks[/autotag], Whit’s younger brother and fellow Tiger linebacker. Following the win over the Bears, West was still emotional when talking about his brother’s status.
“I can’t really even put it into words,” West said. “Seeing my brother like that it took a huge toll on me, and honestly, the only thing that got me back in the game was seeing my whole team rallying around him. That was special to me.”
Despite only playing in the first half, Whit was tied for the team lead in tackles with six.
On the season, he led the Tigers with 125 tackles, including ten for loss and three and a half sacks. He added six quarterback hurries, three pass breakups, and an interception.
Starting quarterback [autotag]Garrett Nussmeier[/autotag] called Weeks one of “our leaders” and shared what they said before Weeks was carted off the field.
“Hopefully, he’s happy with how we were able to respond with him coming out,” Nussmeier said. “I went and gave him some love when he was in the cart, and he told me just to win it, to finish it, and I told him I got him.”
Ex-LSU football players continue to find new homes with Jay’Viar Suggs heading back to the Midwest
A former LSU defensive tackle found his next home after entering the transfer portal — Jay’Viar Suggs will be transferring to Wisconsin.
Suggs spent one year at LSU after beginning his career at Grand Valley State. He was part of LSU’s overhauled defensive line room as the Tigers hit the portal hard to find the needed numbers.
Suggs gave LSU 133 defensive snaps, ranking fifth among LSU defensive tackles. According to PFF, Suggs was the top graded of the bunch, thanks to his efficiency rushing the passer.
In just 74 pass rush snaps, Suggs racked up 11 pressures and three sacks. He was charted with eight stops and five solo tackles.
Suggs was not expected to start for LSU in 2025. The emergence of true freshmen Ahmad Breaux and Dominick McKinley and the return of sixth-year defensive tackle Jacobian Guillory would have kept Suggs to a rotational piece.
But Suggs was more than just depth. He has the talent to make an impact at the Power Four level.
A former LSU quarterback found his next stop, transferring to the Sun Belt
A former LSU football quarterback found his next school.
According to On3’s Hayes Fawcett on Friday, AJ Swann is transferring to Appalachian State. Swann spent two seasons at Vanderbilt and one at LSU. He has two years of eligibility remaining.
Through three collegiate seasons, Swann totaled 2,741 passing yards and 22 touchdowns. He played in 17 games with 12 starts. In his lone season with the Tigers, Swann made two appearances, completing two passes for 10 yards as he backed up Garrett Nussmeier.
Though he wouldn’t have started with the Tigers next season due to Nussmeier’s return, Swann looked poised to compete for the backup role. However, with Mississippi State starter Michael Van Buren joining the room, it looked like a long shot for Swann to ever claim the starting spot.
Swann originally committed to Maryland as a three-star recruit in the 2022 class but later flipped his decision to the Commodores in December 2021. Before choosing the Tigers in the 2024 transfer portal cycle, Swann visited South Carolina, and early reports pointed toward him landing with the Gamecocks. However, a visit to Baton Rouge won him over.
Here’s what Nussmeier and Brian Kelly had to say about Chris Hilton after bowl win
Playing without its top two pass catchers, LSU needed new threats to emerge to defeat Baylor in the Kinder’s Texas Bowl on Tuesday.
In the Tigers’ 44-31 win, [autotag]Chris Hilton[/autotag] hauled in a game-high 113 receiving yards, including one for 43 yards and a touchdown. The redshirt junior’s performance against the Bears continued a late-season surge after dealing with an injury during fall camp and early in the year.
“We knew he was going through something, and we stood by him,” LSU quarterback Garrett Nussmeier said. “We did whatever we could to help him get back to him. When he was ready and was able to get back to himself, I think you can see what we’ve all seen from him.”
For Nussmeier, it was deja vu from last season’s ReliaQuest Bowl when Hilton totaled 56 receiving yards and a touchdown with an explosive play for 43 yards. Developing the chemistry started toward the end of last season and continued during the offseason.
After an injury sidelined him the first seven games of 2024, Hilton played every game for the rest of the season, starting with Texas A&M. Through six games, he totaled nine receptions for 243 yards and three touchdowns, averaging 27 yards per catch.
Head coach [autotag]Brian Kelly[/autotag] remained confident that Hilton would make an impact upon his return and looks forward to his future donning the purple and gold.
“Chris has been waiting for these opportunities, and he got his chance and was able to do the things he’s capable of doing,” Kelly said. “When he ran the inside stop route, and we saw burst from him, that was electric, so big things for him to come.”
