Tag: malik nabers

Five reasons for optimism as the Brian Kelly era begins at LSU

There are plenty of reasons to believe the rough stretch of football in Baton Rouge is coming to an end.

The last two years haven’t been kind to the LSU faithful.

2019 brought the highest of highs only for the following seasons to bring the lowest of lows. We’ve seen a pandemic swallow up a season, [autotag]Ed Orgeron[/autotag] get fired, and some of LSU’s best players transfer or opt out.

With all the negativity surrounding the program during the previous two campaigns, I thought it was time for some optimism. The season is now just a couple of weeks away. It’s a new day in Baton Rouge.

With a new season comes opportunity. LSU has a chance to exorcise some of these demons and get back to the brand of football that we’re accustomed to.

We’ll look at five reasons Tigers fans can have some optimism as the season fast approaches.

Brian Kelly calls out veteran LSU receiver Jaray Jenkins regarding leadership

Kelly sent a message to the receiver room’s elder statesman.

LSU has one of the most intriguing wide receiver groups in the SEC (and potentially one of the league’s best).

With elite playmaker [autotag]Kayshon Boutte[/autotag] returning from injury and sophomores [autotag]Malik Nabers[/autotag] and [autotag]Jack Bech[/autotag] looking to build on solid true freshman campaigns, there’s a lot to be excited about — assuming the Tigers can find a quarterback capable of delivering the ball to them.

However, there’s one thing this young group is lacking: Experience, and the leadership that comes with it. That’s where fifth-year receiver [autotag]Jaray Jenkins[/autotag] comes in.

Jenkins has made a moderate impact so far at LSU, and he’s coming off his most productive season. Boutte’s return will limit his opportunities a bit, but he can still be a major part of this passing attack.

Asked if Jenkins has stepped up as a leader in the receiver room after the Tigers’ open scrimmage on Wednesday, coach [autotag]Brian Kelly[/autotag] called out the senior wideout.

“Yeah, that’s a good question,” Kelly said when asked if Jenkins had stepped up. “I wish he would take more of a leadership role. You’re hearing me, Jaray? Can he hear me? He’ll hear me won’t he?

“We need that leadership, and it comes from consistency. Will he hear that too? …He’s a great kid, we just need that (consistency) every single day. If we can get that from him every day, that room is going to be in great shape.”

Kelly certainly didn’t mince words here, and it’s clear from the way he said it that the coaching staff has been hoping for Jenkins to take a step up. He didn’t go super in-depth on what the veteran needs to do better, aside from being more consistent.

Jenkins started six games last fall, including five of LSU’s last seven after Boutte’s campaign was ended by a broken ankle. He finished with 34 catches (which ranked third on the team) for 502 yards and six touchdowns (both of which ranked second).

Even with a talented group, Jenkins is expected to take another leap this fall after mostly being a role player to this point in his career. We’ll see if he responds to this challenge from Kelly.

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Where LSU’s quarterback competition stands after Myles Brennan’s retirement, per USA TODAY Sports

Jayden Daniels seems poised to win the job after Myles Brennan’s retirement.

LSU has seen one of the tightest quarterback battles in the land, with neither of the three candidates separating themselves during spring ball.

The fall has been a bit of a different story, however, and we now have a lot more clarity about the situation after sixth-year quarterback [autotag]Myles Brennan[/autotag] announced that he would leave the program and hang up his cleats when he was informed he would not be the starter.

Reports from practice leading up to Brennan’s decision indicated that [autotag]Jayden Daniels[/autotag] and [autotag]Garrett Nussmeier[/autotag], the other two competitors, were splitting first-team reps.

Many assume that Daniels is now the frontrunner to win the job. A transfer from Arizona State, he brings three years of starting Power Five experience to the table, with most of it being positive. However, you can’t count out Nussmeier, who had some positive moments down the stretch in 2021 and was arguably the most impressive passer in the spring game.

USA TODAY Sports provided an update and predictions for several of the remaining high-profile quarterback battles, including LSU’s. Here’s the latest intel.

The competition lost a third contender with Myles Brennan’s decision to end his playing career. That leaves Daniels, who was new coach Brian Kelly’s pick from the portal, and Nussmeier, who had a very strong spring but has seemed to fade from contention in this key quarterback battle. If Kelly is more interested in experience and reliability in his first run through the SEC, Daniels’ multiple years starting at Arizona State could give him an insurmountable edge.

Prediction: Daniels. He may be on a shorter leash than most SEC starters, especially if the Tigers start slow in Kelly’s debut. If he does struggle, Daniels could be replaced by Nussmeier as LSU looks for an offensive spark. But after a down 2021, Daniels’ play should rebound when surrounded by the Tigers’ skill talent.

Certainly, an offense with players like [autotag]Kayshon Boutte[/autotag], [autotag]Jack Bech[/autotag], [autotag]Malik Nabers[/autotag], [autotag]John Emery Jr.[/autotag] and [autotag]Noah Cain[/autotag] should be an improvement from what Daniels had to work with in Tempe, and he does seem like the safest bet to win the job after Brennan’s departure.

Daniels’ experience should allow him to start the opener against Florida State, but if he struggles, it may not take much for Nussmeier to get a chance.

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LSU receiver corps ranked as the best in the SEC by On3

LSU’s wide receiver room has a chance to be the class of the league in 2022.

LSU has a lot of question marks as it begins the [autotag]Brian Kelly[/autotag] era. The wide receiver room is not one of them.

On3’s Jesse Simonton released his top-five SEC receiver units on Monday, and LSU topped the list.

“LSU has the best collection of perimeter playmakers in the SEC,” Simonton wrote, “They’re built like a basketball team with size, speed, and versatility.”

LSU’s receiver room has been getting hype all offseason with [autotag]Kayshon Boutte[/autotag] being the focus of most discussions. Boutte projects to be one of the best receivers in the country, but LSU has plenty of guys to compliment him.

Big things are expected from slots receivers [autotag]Jack Bech[/autotag] and [autotag]Malik Nabers[/autotag] after they impressed as freshmen in 2021.

[autotag]Brian Thomas Jr.[/autotag] and [autotag]Chris Hilton Jr.[/autotag] were also part of that dynamite freshmen receiver class last year and have the talent to take the next step at any moment.

[autotag]Jaray Jenkins[/autotag] has been making plays for LSU since 2018 and brings veteran experience to the group. Transfer [autotag]Kyren Lacy[/autotag] adds some experience, as well.

There’s an array of possibilities for how LSU’s season could play out this fall, but this group of wideouts should provide plenty of excitement in games, win or lose.

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Here’s what ESPN says about LSU in its SEC West preview

There’s a wide range of possibilities for LSU in the West this year.

ESPN’s Bill Connelly released his SEC West preview earlier this week. Connelly is best known for his SP+ ratings, a system that uses advanced metrics to predict results.

LSU fans may not be happy to see where SP+ has the team.

The rankings place the Tigers last in the West, projecting them to win just 2.8 conference games and giving them only a 45% chance to make a bowl game. However, Connelly writes that if transfers work out for LSU, [autotag]Brian Kelly[/autotag] could have a top 15 team this fall.

Connelly says LSU’s defensive line has the potential to be excellent and likes some of the transfers LSU brought in on defense. His guess is that Jayden Daniels wins the starting quarterback job, but that could change at any moment.

Continuing to discuss the offense, Connelly pointed out LSU’s strength at receiver and questions at other positions.

The running back position is terribly unproven, as is the offensive line, but the receiving corps — led by a healthy [autotag]Kayshon Boutte[/autotag] and reinforced by [autotag]Jaray Jenkins[/autotag] and a trio of sophomores ([autotag]Jack Bech,[/autotag] [autotag]Malik Nabers[/autotag] and [autotag]Brian Thomas Jr.[/autotag]) — is high end.

Whoever the quarterback is, offensive coordinator [autotag]Mike Denbrock[/autotag] might find himself leaning on the passing game in his first season as the play-caller in Baton Rouge.

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WATCH: Malik Nabers makes acrobatic touchdown grab in spring game

Myles Brennan connected with Nabers as the third quarter winded down in Saturday’s spring scrimmage.

Without star receiver [autotag]Kayshon Boutte[/autotag], who is still recovering from offseason surgery, available for the spring game on Saturday, LSU’s other receivers got the opportunity to showcase their skills.

One player who many were excited to see was sophomore [autotag]Malik Nabers[/autotag], who became the team’s top option after Boutte’s 2021 season ended prematurely.

As the clock ran out in the third quarter of the exhibition, Nabers made an excellent play on a home-run ball from quarterback [autotag]Myles Brennan[/autotag] inside the red zone. The ball was tipped, but Nabers’ concentration allowed him to make the juggling catch and do the necessary footwork to stay inside the end zone and give the offense a 52-28 lead.

Nabers is one of several Tigers pass-catchers to make some nice plays on Saturday, including [autotag]Brian Thomas Jr.[/autotag] and [autotag]Jack Bech[/autotag]. Once Boutte is back in the fold and hopefully healthy this fall, this will be a tough receiver group for opposing defenses to contend with.

The only question is which quarterback will be the one throwing to them.

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Where do LSU’s passers stand in SEC quarterback rankings?

The duo of Jayden Daniels and Myles Brennan landed 10th in On3’s SEC quarterback rankings.

This LSU team has a lot to figure out this spring, but much of the discussion so far has centered around the quarterback battle.

There are two primary competitors to win the job: [autotag]Myles Brennan[/autotag], a redshirt senior whose career has been marred by injuries and was talked out of the transfer portal by coach [autotag]Brian Kelly[/autotag], and [autotag]Jayden Daniels[/autotag], the player Kelly added in the transfer portal.

Daniels comes from Arizona State, where he was a three-year starter and had productive seasons in 2019 and 2020 before struggling this past year. He’ll look for more success in Baton Rouge, and many consider him the favorite to win the job.

Regardless of which signal-caller gets the nod initially, On3’s Jesse Simonton ranked LSU’s quarterback position at 10th in the SEC.

Brian Kelly has the rest of the summer and fall to determine who will be his quarterback Week 1 against Florida State, but it wouldn’t surprise me if both Brennan and Daniels, a transfer from Arizona State, see action to start the season. Brennan shocked many when he took his name out of the transfer portal to return to LSU, but then Kelly went and recruited Daniels away from ASU. The Tigers have a shoddy offensive line and their once-vaunted run game has been absent in recent years, but they are loaded at receiver.

As Simonton notes, the quarterback certainly won’t be wanting for targets in the passing game. The Tigers return Kayshon Boutte, one of the top receivers in the nation, as well as other contributors like [autotag]Malik Nabers[/autotag], [autotag]Jack Bech[/autotag] and [autotag]Brian Thomas Jr.[/autotag].

The big challenge for LSU will be up front, where it has to replace four of five starters from a year ago along the offensive line. That could prove to be the limiting factor this season, but given the fact that the Tigers have two veteran players with experience competing for the job, it’s hard to imagine the winner of the job can’t be in the top half of the league’s passers.

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Evaluating LSU’s wide receiver room in 2022 and beyond

We take a look at how LSU stacks up at wide receiver in 2022 and the years to come

When Brian Kelly first took the job at LSU, perhaps his most daunting task was to rebuild the roster.

That’s what this is, after all, a rebuild. Rebuilding takes time. When Kelly took this job, it was clear it would take some time to fill this roster.

In a short time, Kelly and the staff have done a good job at steering the ship in the right direction. LSU has been active in the portal and LSU has done what it can do on the recruiting trail.

With all the movement that has gone on, it was easy to miss some things. The roster looks wildly different now than it did in November.

There’s now some time to take a look at how the roster is positioned heading into 2022 and the future.

LSU looks good at some positions such as defensive line and quarterback. There are position groups that are trending up, such as linebackers and safety. Some question marks remain too, like cornerback and offensive line.

The pandemic combined with new transfer rules has presented challenges to managing a roster over the last couple of years. These are things coaches plan for years in advance. Recent turbulence in the sport has forced coaches to adjust.

Now that we’ve done quarterback and running back, today we will take a look at the wide receiver position.

2022 Season: LSU ranks in the bottom half for returning production

Things will look a lot different in Death Valley.

It isn’t always the case but more often than not, returning production can be a key indicator to success for the upcoming season. Looking at the LSU Tigers, they rank among the bottom half of the FBS in returning players from a season ago. LSU has 62% of their team returning in 2022, which is No. 82 in FBS according to Bill Connolly of ESPN (subscription required).

Looking at the numbers for the SEC, only the Texas A&M Aggies and Georgia Bulldogs have less returning production. Those two teams also had two of the top three recruiting classes in 2022. Neither made much of an impact adding talent through the transfer portal.

Given the lack of wins over the last two years, perhaps the lack of returning production is a good thing. The team underperformed since that night in New Orleans in the College Football Playoff national championship game. They have won just 11 games over two seasons which prompted athletic director Scott Woodward to make a change at head coach.

Brian Kelly didn’t inherit the greatest team but he quickly went to work looking to re-stock this roster.

Offensive Returning Production: 54% (No. 96)

Scott Clause/The Daily Advertiser

The offense took a major hit as they lost their starting quarterback to Texas A&M and countless transfers. They will have to replace almost their entire offensive line. But the team still has leading receiver Kayshon Boutte and that is a good place to start.

Key Returners: Myles Brennan, Kayshon Boutte, Jack Bech, Malik Nabers

Defensive Returning Production: 69% (No. 58)

Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports

LSU fared a little better with the defensive returning production. The top ones returning are linebacker Micah Baskerville and edge defender BJ Ojulari. Baskerville finished second on the team in tackles behind Damone Clark while Ojulari led the team in quarterback pressures and sacks. Both will be crucial to getting back to the top of the SEC West. If not to just win a couple of more games than they did a year ago.

Key Returners: Micah Baskerville, BJ Ojulari, Ali Gaye, Maason Smith, and Jay Ward.

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Five LSU freshman poised for big second seasons

These five could be in line for bigger roles in 2022

As we continue to review the 2021 season and look ahead to 2022, we have the freshman class of last season. The team dealt with injury after injury forcing the young guns into action.

Some earned bigger roles due to their talent level such as Maason Smith. Others were forced onto the field earlier than expected due to the growing number of injuries at the position, such as Malik Nabers. He likely would have seen the field regardless but the injury to Boutte forced them to up his number of snaps. Not to mention Trey Palmer had issues prior to joining the transfer portal.

One player that isn’t on our list of freshmen poised to have big seasons next year is quarterback Garrett Nussmeier. The redshirt freshman in 2022 would certainly qualify but it is likely that Myles Brennan could win the starting role for the LSU offense in 2022.

Should Brennan struggle or suffer yet another injury then Nuss will need to be ready to go. With a new system and a new quarterback coach in Joe Sloan, his development will be key. He seemed erratic at times when on the field in 2021, the new staff will need to reign him in a bit. Brian Kelly typically likes to roll with a veteran quarterback, so be on the lookout for Brennan to take hold of the starting job in 2022.