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Why Brian Kelly still believes LSU is a building a championship foundation

See why Brian Kelly still believes a championship foundation is being built at LSU

After a three-game losing streak, LSU could have quit. LSU was knocked out of the SEC title race and playoff hunt after losing to Florida and the Tigers had to find something else to play for.

With back-to-back home games to finish the year, LSU showed up. Brian Kelly’s team didn’t quit and capped off the regular season with wins over Vanderbilt and Oklahoma.

Following the win over the Sooners, Kelly was adamant about what he was building at LSU.

“I’m proud of my team,” Kelly said, “Last two weeks, they listened to the narratives out there that they weren’t excited to play for anything, that the season was over, and they simply went out and played inspired football the last two weeks.”

Kelly didn’t stop there.

“We’re taking receipts, and, you know, we’ll see you at the national championship. This team’s building,” Kelly said.

Kelly said he knows what the standards are in Baton Rouge.

“Everybody wants to win every game. We wanted to win every game. We’re not happy if we lose a game,” Kelly said.

But despite LSU’s struggles and inconsistencies in 2024, Kelly still believes in the foundation of the program.

“We’re happy about the foundation of this program, playing with young players that are only going to get better and we’re going to supplement those players,” Kelly said.

Kelly saying LSU will supplement the core echoes what we’ve heard the last couple of weeks — LSU will be aggressive in the transfer portal.

On top of what LSU may add from the portal, Kelly said LSU will retain key players and that excites him about the future of this program.

Stock Up, Stock Down: Tigers win their final home game of the season

Who saw their stock rise and fall in LSU’s big win over Oklahoma

Coming into tonight’s game against Oklahoma, [autotag]Brian Kelly[/autotag] and the LSU Tigers were coming off of a win over Vanderbilt. On the other hand, Oklahoma was coming off of a big win at home over Alabama. The question entering the game was if Oklahoma would suffer a hangover from that win.

It appeared as though they may have still been hungover from their big win last week as LSU came out with a big 37-17 win over Boomer Sooner. On senior night, the seniors on this team decided to go out with a bang.

A few of the key players in this game were Garrett Nussmeier, Caden Durham, Chris Hilton Jr., and Whit Weeks. Those four guys were a big reason why the Tigers won.

Let’s look at the players who saw their stock rise or fall in this game.

Stock Up: Caden Durham

[autotag]Caden Durham[/autotag] was the leading rusher for the Tigers tonight as he finished the game with 11 carries for 80 yards. His longest rush of the night was a 50-yard scamper.

Stock Down: Penalties

The biggest thing I want to harp on in this game is penalties. LSU had 6 penalties for 46 yards. In the first half, the Offensive Line had a holding penalty and two false start penalties.

Stock Up: Garrett Nussmeier

[autotag]Garrett Nussmeier[/autotag] played well once again, although he left the game with an injury for a short period. He finished the game 22-for-31 throwing for 277 yards and three touchdowns.

Stock Up: Chris Hilton Jr.

[autotag]Chris Hilton Jr.[/autotag] only had two receptions tonight but they were both big ones. He had two receptions for 85 yards against Oklahoma but both of his receptions went for touchdowns.

Stock Up: Whit Weeks

[autotag]Whit Weeks[/autotag] was phenomenal for the Tigers tonight. He finished the game with the most tackles on the team (15) with nine of those being solo tackles.

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Five takeaways from LSU’s commanding win over Oklahoma

Here are five takeaways from LSU’s 37-17 win over the Sooners

LSU football capped off the regular season strong on Saturday night with a commanding win over the Oklahoma Sooners in Tiger Stadium.

Following a three-game losing streak, LSU finishes on a high with back-to-back wins. From a narrative perspective, Brian Kelly and crew needed these wins. There will still be some noise, but the last two weeks should go a long way towards calming nerves at LSU.

LSU finishes the regular season 8-4 and will have a chance to get to nine wins with a win in the bowl game. The win was LSU’s fifth SEC victory of the year, allowing the Tigers to finish over .500 in conference play.

LSU QB Garrett Nussmeier played his best game of the year, completing 22 of 31 passes for 260 yards and four touchdowns. It was a gutsy performance after he went down with a shoulder injury in the first quarter.

Caden Durham led LSU on the ground with 11 carries for 80 yards. He was a weapon in the passing game too, catching four passes for 32 yards.

Here are five takeaways from the win.

Nussmeier plays game of the year.

Given the opponent, this was, by far, QB Garrett Nussmeier’s strongest performance. He was efficient and explosive, attacking all areas of the field and playing with a confidence we hadn’t seen before.

It looked murky at first. Oklahoma got on the board with a strip sack and score before knocking Nussmeier out of the game late in the first quarter.

Nussmeier wasn’t out long and led a scoring drive just before halftime.

The deep ball was working for LSU and Nussmeier connected with Chris Hilton Jr. twice. Once for a 45-yard touchdown and again for a 40-yard score.

Nussmeier took a big step last week after struggling vs. Florida. He took an even bigger step on Saturday. If Nussmeier elects to return, the last two games have LSU feeling good about its quarterback.

LSU was explosive

We noted Nussmeier’s two explosive touchdowns to Chris Hilton, but that wasn’t all. Nussmeier found Pimpton for a big play on a wheel route down the sideline. Running back Caden Durham found space for a 50-yard burst.

The big play element was lacking from LSU’s offense for most of the year, but the Tigers found it in a big way on Saturday night.

After the game, Brian Kelly talked about how critical it was for Hilton to provide that spark. It took time for Nussmeier and Hilton to get on the same page this year, but the two were in sync here.

According to GameOnPaper, LSU’s explosive play rate was 13%, putting the Tigers in the 90th percentile.

Defense plays shutout football in the second half

LSU’s defense had some hiccups in the first half. Jackson Arnold ripped off a few big runs while OU targeted Major Burns for a big play down the seam.

In the second half, LSU shut it down. As the LSU offense built the lead, LSU’s defense got more aggressive. Blake Baker’s unit played to its identity and began to live in the Sooners’ backfield.

On the night, LSU finished with ten tackles for loss and four sacks. Freshman defensive tackle Dominick McKinley came up big with two sacks.

The Sooners finished the night averaging -0.73 EPA/dropback, making it an elite performance for the LSU defense.

Aaron Anderson provides special teams spark

Aaron Anderson had a breakout year on the offensive side of the ball, but on Saturday night, he came up big on special teams.

With Garrett Nussmeier in the locker room, Anderson broke free for a 100-yard kickoff return at the perfect moment. The score put LSU back in front and bought Nussmeier the time he needed.

Senior night Josh Williams ran with Anderson the whole way, throwing a key block as the pair approached the goal line.

LSU wanted Anderson for his speed and playmaking ability. It was on display tonight.

LSU showed what it was made of

After LSU’s loss to Florida, we said we were about to learn a lot about this LSU team. Some threw the “quit” word out there, asking how LSU would respond after a three-game losing streak.

LSU was favored against Vanderbilt and Oklahoma, but both were formidable opponents. Oklahoma just beat Alabama 24-3 a week ago.

Brian Kelly got his team up to play on both occasions. LSU’s veteran leadership pulled LSU together for a strong finish to the year.

What Brian Kelly said about Chris Hilton’s big night in Oklahoma win

What did LSU head coach Brian Kelly say about Chris Hilton’s breakout performance?

LSU needed a boost heading into halftime in its final game of the regular season.

[autotag]Chris Hilton[/autotag] gave LSU that spark when he caught a 40-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Garrett Nussmeier and gave his team a seven-point edge at the break over Oklahoma.

With under seven minutes left in the third frame, the redshirt junior wide receiver hauled in a 45-yard strike to put the game out of reach and accounted for the only points of the third quarter.

Hilton led all receivers with 85 yards on those two touchdown receptions. Saturday marked his fifth game of the 2024 season as he missed the first half with an injury that also held him out of preseason camp.

LSU head coach Brian Kelly said Hilton got the game ball for his performance and praised the Zachary, LA native for his effort in the win.

“He was out for eight weeks and it takes a while to get back into rhythm,” Kelly said. “We either missed him on overthrows or the timing wasn’t quite where it needed to be. It normally takes about four weeks to get that.”

In an offense that performed lackluster in a midseason losing streak, Kelly said finding Hilton with the deep ball created space within the rest of the offense.

“The deep threat has been missing from our offense,” Kelly said. “Teams have sat down on us, teams have made it difficult for us because we haven’t had that vertical threat.”

LSU turned in a balanced offensive performance in Saturday’s victory. Nussmeier threw for 277 yards and three touchdowns and the run game totaled 110 yards, including a game-high 50-yard Ruch by Caden Durham.

Kelly credited the deep ball connections as the reason for the efficient showing, saying it was “needed desperately.”

“When you can push the ball down the field and have the other options within our offensive structure,” Kelly said. “It allows you to run the football, it allows you to have the intermediate passing game and vertical passing game.”

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Instant recap: LSU defeats Oklahoma in regular season finale

LSU finished the regular season strong with a 37-17 win over Oklahoma

In the final game of the 2024 regular season, LSU overcame a slow start and a brief injury to its quarterback to beat Oklahoma 37-17.

Despite leaving the game with a shoulder injury at the end of the first quarter, LSU gunslinger [autotag]Garrett Nussmeier[/autotag] returned near the end of the half and led LSU on a touchdown drive.

The redshirt junior finished with 277 passing yards and three touchdowns.

After connecting with Kyren Lacy for a game-opening touchdown, Nussmeier fumbled the ball and the Sooners returned it to tie the game.

The Tigers reclaimed the lead with just over seven minutes left in the first half when Aaron Anderson took a kickoff to the house, making the score 17-14. LSU never trailed following Anderson’s tally and held Oklahoma scoreless in the second half.

Nussmeier found wide receiver Chris Hilton Jr. for two scores with passes over 40 yards. The first, a 40-yard strike, gave the Tigers a seven-point lead heading into the locker room. The duo picked up where they left off with under seven minutes remaining in the third quarter as Hilton hauled in a 45-yard pass and found the end zone.

Damian Ramos nailed all three of his field goal attempts. He made a 34-yard kick in the second quarter to give LSU a three-point edge along with two in the fourth quarter to seal the win.

LSU’s defense combined for four sacks and 10 tackles for loss. Freshman defensive tackle Dominick McKinley totaled two sacks and two tackles for loss. Sophomore linebacker Whit Weeks led the Tigers with 15 tackles, including nine solo.

The Tigers finish the season with an 8-4 record and await their bowl game selection.

Report: Five-star Jahkeem Stewart visiting LSU for Oklahoma game

In a surprise, Jahkeem Stewart will visit LSU on Saturday. Can LSU make a late push with the five-star?

LSU will welcome a surprise visitor to Death Valley for Saturday’s game against Oklahoma.

According to reports, 2025 defensive line prospect Jahkeem Stewart will take an unofficial visit to Baton Rouge.

Earlier this week, there were reports that Stewart wouldn’t be visiting anywhere this weekend, but LSU made a late push to get the New Orleans native to Baton Rouge.

The On3 Prediction Machine gives LSU a 44.8% chance to land the 5-star recruit after it predicted Stewart would choose USC. The Trojans have a 35.5% chance to earn his commitment.

According to the On3 Industry Rankings, Stewart ranks as the top prospect at his position in Louisiana. He checks in at third at his position nationally and No. 16 overall.

Stewart is the top uncommitted player left in the state after reclassifying from 2026 to 2025. He was originally the top-ranked recruit in the 2026 class.

Allowing an in-state recruit of his caliber to slip away to an out-of-state school would be a huge loss for head coach Brian Kelly’s team. LSU typically performs well with high prospects from New Orleans.

Key LSU linebacker commit set to visit Texas A&M on Saturday

A key LSU commit is exploring his options, visiting an SEC rival on Saturday

LSU football’s 2025 recruiting class has taken hits in recent weeks and another top prospect is exploring options outside of Baton Rouge.

Keylan Moses plans to visit No. 20 Texas A&M in its regular season finale against No. 3 Texas in a primetime matchup, per On3’s Chad Simmons.

“What keeps me interested in A&M is how I love their interest in me,” Moses told Simmons.

The Aggies defeated the Tigers earlier this season in College Station. At 8-3, A&M is hoping to punch its ticket to the SEC title game.

A native of Baton Rouge, Moses committed to LSU on November 30, 2023. The 4-star linebacker chose his hometown school over Texas, Florida, Oregon, and Tennessee.

Moses stands at 6-foot-1.5 and 215 pounds. He ranks as the No. 14 prospecting Louisiana and No. 39 at linebacker in the nation.

The LSU 2025 recruiting class currently ranks sixth in the nation. Moses is one of 13 4-star prospects, which includes fellow linebackers Jaiden Barker and Charles Ross. Cornerback DJ Pickett and running back Harlem Berry are the two five-stars left in the class after the loss of No. 1 overall prospect [autotag]Bryce Underwood.[/autotag]

LSU reveals uniform for primetime game against Oklahoma

Has LSU relied too much on alternate uniforms this year?

LSU football will face Oklahoma on Saturday night for its final game in Death Valley this year.

The combination features a purple top with gold trim along with white pants and helmets. The helmet reads “LSU” in purple above a Tiger photo. The pants are completed with a purple “L” on the right leg.

The Tigers last wore the white-purple-white combination in 2023 when they defeated Georgia State in Baton Rouge 56-14. Quarterback Jayden Daniels finished with 413 passing yards and six touchdowns along with 96 yards and two scores on the ground.

Malik Nabers (140), Brian Thomas Jr. (103), and Kyren Lacy (101) each finished with over 100 receiving yards and at least one touchdown.

LSU will hope for a similar success on Saturday night.

Saturday marks the first time for this uniform this season. LSU wore the purple jersey in a 34-17 win over UCLA earlier in 2024. The second time comes on Senior Day in Tiger Stadium.

The Tigers host Oklahoma in the regular season finale on Saturday. The Sooners became bowl-eligible last week with an upset win over No. 7 Alabama.

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Five LSU true freshman to watch when Tigers take on Sooners

Its senior night in Tiger Stadium, but what true freshman should you have your eye on when the Tigers face the Sooners?

LSU football hosts Oklahoma on Saturday night. It’s senior night, and for many, it will be their last game in Tiger Stadium.

With the seniors being honored, let’s look at the future. It’s the final game of the year, which means a few true freshmen have worked their way into the rotation by now.

LSU’s 2024 recruiting class was a good one. [autotag]Brian Kelly[/autotag] is counting on the core of that group to get LSU where it needs to be in 2025. That class is even more important as we’ve seen more inconsistent results from the 2023 recruiting class.

If LSU’s 2024 class takes the step you expect an elite recruiting class to take, LSU can get back in the playoff hunt next year.

We’ll look at guys on both sides of the ball, from a couple of defensive tackles to a playmaking running back.

Here are five true freshmen to watch when LSU faces Oklahoma in Death Valley on Saturday night.

DT Dominick McKinley

McKinley was a five-star and No. 3 ranked defensive tackle in the class. He’s the exact type of talent LSU needed on the interior defensive line given the Tigers’ struggles at the position.

McKinley didn’t enroll early and nursed an injury throughout training camp. Because of that, he didn’t see the field right away, but he’s since joined the rotation.

With 105 snaps on the year, McKinley ranks fourth among true freshman defenders at LSU. He’s pressured the QB four times and made three stops, per PFF.

McKinley was a difference maker in LSU’s win over Ole Miss. Last week against Vanderbilt, he recorded two pressures in just eight pass rush snaps.

DT Ahmad Breaux

We’ll stick with the defensive tackle position here and talk about a guy who made an immediate impact.

With 240 defensive snaps, Breaux leads all LSU true freshman. Brian Kelly said he was the most physically and mentally ready freshman on the team and Breaux’s playing time reflects that.

Breaux has posted an impressive PFF 79.3 tackling grade. He has eight stops and four pressures on the year. Keep an eye on Breaux tonight as he looks to put an exclamation point on a good freshman campaign.

ED Gabe Reliford

Reliford’s playing time is up and down. He didn’t see the field in the opener vs. USC but got 25 snaps vs. FCS Nicholls.

He played 13 snaps at South Carolina, but just one at home vs. UCLA. Later in SEC play, he played one against Texas A&M and Vanderbilt but played a combined 26 snaps vs. Alabama and Florida.

Reliford’s best game of the year came against South Alabama, with three pressures and a sack.

LSU has two senior edge defenders with Bradyn Swinson and Sai’Vion Jones. Reliford is a guy LSU needs to take a step. Saturday night is a good time to start.

CB PJ Woodland

Cornerback was a problem position for LSU in 2023. Many expected the Tigers to attack the transfer portal, but LSU stayed put, relying on what it already had and incoming freshmen.

One of those new arrivals was PJ Woodland, who impressed early.

There was talk about Woodland taking over a starting role after a strong fall camp. Woodland started two games this year but has mostly stuck to a rotational role.

Woodland is good for about 5-15 snaps a game and I expect the same on Saturday night.

Woodland’s last three games have been inconsistent. In just 17 coverage snaps, he’s allowed 60 yards. Oklahoma isn’t expected to throw it a ton, but when the Sooners do, LSU corners just need to prevent the big play.

RB Caden Durham

Few freshmen have made the same splash as running back Caden Durham.

Durham, a four-star recruit, quickly became LSU’s most efficient running back. Durham’s breakaway rate ranks top 10 among SEC running backs, as does his 5.2 yards per carry.

Only two true freshmen in the Power Four have more rushing yards and his 226 receiving yards lead the same group.

Durham has battled a toe injury in recent weeks and took a backseat to Josh Williams in the Vanderbilt win.

Oklahoma’s run defense is one of the best in the country and LSU will need to find a way to create some big plays on the ground. Durham is the guy to do it.

Dan Quinn makes it clear what he thinks about Commanders QB Jayden Daniels in cold weather

Dan Quinn is not worried about cold weather and Jayden Daniels.

Winter is setting in the DMV area, and Dan Quinn was asked about it Friday.

One of the media members asked about quarterback Jayden Daniels’s reaction to the cold weather. Here is the video of this portion of Quinn’s press conference.

Indeed, the prediction for Sunday is the high temperature will be 44, with a morning low of 24. This means when the players are warming up on the field around 11:30, it will be about 40 degrees, with the high temperature coming around halftime.

“We’ve been out in practice all week and so, looking at similar practice, so that’s for him and for all his teammates. We’re an outdoor team, and this is where we play, man,” replied Quinn.

Quinn wasn’t upset, but he certainly didn’t like the question. This was revealed when he elaborated a bit further.

“So, we practice outside for a reason. We only had one practice inside since training camp. And so, it didn’t have to go in there at all, didn’t have to go outside. We had one last Friday that we had to, but by and large we’re going to practice outside as often as we can and he’s done a good job with that.”

Quinn was then asked a surprising question if Daniels playing in warm weather had come up during the draft process. His response? A simple, single word, “No.”

The follow-up came immediately, asking, “Is that something you think about with a team in general? You practice outside, was there anything else you can do to prepare?”

Shaking his head side to side, Quinn replied, “No.”

To me, the most telling element of the exchange is how Quinn immediately turned his head to the other side of the room, his body language suggesting, ‘Next question, and about something else.’

Wouldn’t you know it? The next question asked what winter element gives quarterbacks trouble when playing in the cold.

“Wind for sure, yeah. Because that, the gusts and that can go because there’s different kinds. Like if it’s snowing, it’s not as cold as some other days that you can get really cold, like the minuses and those things. But yeah, definitely wind’s the biggest one.”

For those wondering why weather was a focus during the Friday press conference, Jayden Daniels was born and raised in California. He played high school football at Cajon H.S. in San Bernardino, CA.

Daniels then played his first three college years at Arizona State before playing his last two seasons at Louisiana State University (LSU).

In Quinn’s defense, perhaps the subject of Daniels in warmer weather never came up prior to the draft because to he and Peters, if Daniels was available, they were hands down going to select Daniels.