Tag: quarterback competition

Fans, media react to QB Myles Brennan’s decision to retire

The news took the college football world by storm on Monday.

LSU was the center of perhaps the biggest story in the college football world on Monday when news broke that sixth-year quarterback [autotag]Myles Brennan[/autotag], considered one of the top competitors to win the starting job in 2022, decided to retire from football.

That decision was later confirmed in a release by the Tigers.

Brennan saw a pair of season-ending injuries during the last two campaigns that limited him to just three games in that span, all of which were starts. Brennan faced competition from Arizona State transfer [autotag]Jayden Daniels[/autotag] and redshirt freshman [autotag]Garrett Nussmeier[/autotag] this offseason, and now, Daniels appears to be the favorite to win the job.

The news took the college football world by storm, and LSU fans — in addition to the national media and other outside observers — were taken aback by the decision.

Here were some of their reactions.

LSU confirms Myles Brennan’s retirement from football

Brennan is officially ending his football career, the Tigers announced on Monday afternoon.

[autotag]Myles Brennan[/autotag] is officially ending his football career, LSU announced in a release on Monday.

On Monday morning, news broke that Brennan would be stepping away from the game after he was informed that he would not win the starting job, as was first reported by WWL’s Kristian Garic.

“We are grateful to Myles for everything he has done for LSU football,” coach [autotag]Brian Kelly[/autotag] said in the release. “Myles is a great leader who made a tremendous impact on this program, and he has earned the respect of everyone here through his commitment and love for LSU.”

“Myles has always embodied the traits required to fulfill our mission to graduate champions, and we have full confidence those traits will help him succeed at every step in his journey as he moves forward.”

Brennan, a native of Bay St. Louis, Mississippi, appeared in 20 games during his time with the Tigers with three starts. After three seasons as a backup, he was named the starter entering 2020. But he hasn’t appeared in a game since Week 3 of that season after two successive year-ending injuries.

He threw for 1,712 yards, 13 touchdowns and six interceptions during his five seasons in Baton Rouge.

Arizona State transfer [autotag]Jayden Daniels[/autotag], who comes in with three years of Power Five starting experience, is now expected to win the job, though redshirt freshman [autotag]Garrett Nussmeier[/autotag] remains in the mix.

[mm-video type=video id=01g9k1zff4bq9pc57j06 playlist_id=01eqbz5s7cf4w69e0n player_id=01eqbvp13nn1gy6hd4 image=https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/video/thumbnail/mmplus/01g9k1zff4bq9pc57j06/01g9k1zff4bq9pc57j06-be23944232a282f50b095d1d49716cbe.jpg]

[listicle id=55911]

[vertical-gallery id=50933]

[pickup_prop id=”21372″]

Contact/Follow us @LSUTigersWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Louisiana State news, notes, and opinions.

Follow Tyler to continue the conversation on Twitter: @TylerNettuno

BREAKING: LSU quarterback Myles Brennan reportedly walking away from football

Brennan is reportedly retiring from football after being informed he will not win the starting job for the Tigers.

We’ve been waiting for a major domino to fall in LSU’s tight quarterback battle this offseason, and that news came on Monday.

According to a report from WWL radio host Kristian Garic, sixth-year quarterback [autotag]Myles Brennan[/autotag] — who some considered the favorite to win the starting job — is walking away from the game of football after two injury-plagued seasons.

Garic reports that Brennan was told by coach [autotag]Brian Kelly[/autotag] that he will not win the starting job. We are still awaiting confirmation from Brennan or LSU of the report’s veracity.

With Brennan’s departure, it would seemingly open the door for Arizona State transfer [autotag]Jayden Daniels[/autotag] to win the job. Daniels was Kelly’s hand-picked transfer portal option after three years as the starter in Tempe.

After two productive seasons in which he tossed 22 touchdowns with only three interceptions, Daniels struggled a bit in 2021. He threw as many interceptions (10) as touchdowns, and his yardage total dropped significantly from his first season as the starter despite playing in more games. He did, however, register a career-high in completion percentage (65.4).

Daniels still faces at least nominal competition from redshirt freshman [autotag]Garrett Nussmeier[/autotag], who saw some action last fall and impressed this spring.

For Brennan, this decision marks the end of a long and winding career that didn’t go exactly as planned. After three seasons as a backup — two of which were spent behind the best passer in school history in [autotag]Joe Burrow[/autotag] — Brennan entered the 2020 season as the starter.

After a strong start to the season, an abdominal injury in Week 3 ended his campaign. He was expected to retain the starting job entering 2021, but he suffered a non-football arm injury right before camp, which cost him his season.

Brennan initially entered the transfer portal after the season, but he chose to stay at LSU, even after it added Daniels. After a solid spring game, he appeared poised to compete for the job, but it seems he is choosing to move on to endeavors that don’t include football.

Update: LSU confirmed Brennan’s retirement in a release that included a statement from Kelly.

Brennan later released his own statement.

[mm-video type=video id=01g9k1zff4bq9pc57j06 playlist_id=01eqbz5s7cf4w69e0n player_id=01eqbvp13nn1gy6hd4 image=https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/video/thumbnail/mmplus/01g9k1zff4bq9pc57j06/01g9k1zff4bq9pc57j06-be23944232a282f50b095d1d49716cbe.jpg]

[listicle id=52296]

[vertical-gallery id=50933]

[pickup_prop id=”21372″]

Contact/Follow us @LSUTigersWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Louisiana State news, notes, and opinions.

Follow Tyler to continue the conversation on Twitter: @TylerNettuno

Latest buzz surrounding LSU’s neck-and-neck quarterback competition

It doesn’t seem that the Tigers are particularly close to naming a starter.

As the Tigers progress through fall camp and inch ever closer to the beginning of the 2022 season, there’s still one question that’s on everyone’s mind: Who is going to be this team’s starting quarterback?

LSU doesn’t have a shortage of talent at the position, as it returns a veteran in [autotag]Myles Brennan[/autotag] while adding a player with three years of Power Five starting experience in [autotag]Jayden Daniels[/autotag].

You also can’t ignore [autotag]Garrett Nussmeier[/autotag], a redshirt freshman who saw some action last fall and had arguably the most impressive spring game of the trio.

Still, none of the three was able to separate themselves from the group during spring camp, and it seems that after a week of fall practices, coach [autotag]Brian Kelly[/autotag] isn’t particularly close to naming a starter.

On3’s Jesse Simonton broke down the remaining SEC quarterback battles, and he included some of the intel he’s heard about the competition in Baton Rouge.

Buzz: Of the four open competitions in the SEC, the Tigers appear the farthest away from determining who will start their Week 1 opener against Florida State.

All three options are intriguing. All three quarterbacks are quite different, and all three quarterbacks are receiving first-team reps in camp.

Brian Kelly has never hesitated rotating quarterbacks, so that remains a real possibility the deeper we get into training camp without one guy emerging from the pack.

Arizona State transfer Jayden Daniels was Kelly’s hand-picked option out of the portal, but the former Notre Dame coach also convinced Myles Brennan to not transfer and return to the program. Meanwhile, Garrett Nussmeier was the talk of spring practice. The redshirt sophomore recently tweaked his ankle in camp, and though the injury isn’t considered serious, any significant missed time only further opens the door for Daniels or Brennan to grab the job.

This one is too close to call for now, but as new Tigers offensive coordinator Mike Denbrock said recently, “There comes a line of demarcation where we’ve got to get ready to win game one and who gives us the best opportunity to do that. We’re not anywhere close to that yet but those decisions will be made by Coach Kelly when the cutoff happens and hopefully it’s an easy decision.”

Based on that, it seems that Tigers fans hoping the passing depth chart would be cemented well ahead of the season will be disappointed. However, it does sound like Denbrock and Kelly don’t have much interest in rotating quarterbacks to begin the season and plan to have a starter in place before the season opener against Florida State.

In the meantime, we’re left to question whether the lack of separation between the quarterbacks is a good or bad thing.

[mm-video type=video id=01g9k1zff4bq9pc57j06 playlist_id=01eqbz5s7cf4w69e0n player_id=01eqbvp13nn1gy6hd4 image=https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/video/thumbnail/mmplus/01g9k1zff4bq9pc57j06/01g9k1zff4bq9pc57j06-be23944232a282f50b095d1d49716cbe.jpg]

[listicle id=52296]

Contact/Follow us @LSUTigersWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Louisiana State news, notes, and opinions.

Follow Tyler to continue the conversation on Twitter: @TylerNettuno

Earning Seahawks’ starting QB job ‘means everything’ to Geno Smith

For returning veteran quarterback Geno Smith, earning the Seattle Seahawks starting QB job “means everything.”

The quarterback competition is underway at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center in Renton between veteran Geno Smith and newcomer Drew Lock. Although a starter likely won’t be officially named until right before the season opener, the quarterbacks are busy preparing mentally for the job.

“It means everything, It really does,” Smith told reporters during his press conference on Monday. “It’s an opportunity for me again to continue my career to lead the charge and be the guy again. That’s what you want. It’s what I’ve been working for. I’m extremely excited, very thankful, very grateful. I’ve been working my butt off. I’ve been working. I feel as though it is something I deserve and I just to have go out there and continue to be me.”

Offensive coordinator Shane Waldron said there is a plan in place regarding the quarterback situation but that the Seahawks will keep it “in-house” for now. Regardless, Smith feels in command of his game.

“When I’m out there, I feel like I have complete control over what I am seeing,” Smith explained. “When I’m going through my reads, we talk about it when we go in the classroom and watch film. I feel like my reads and getting the ball out on time, being early and decisive, all those things you know you want to do, I feel like I’ve been doing them. Obviously, sometimes you wish you can have a play back here and there, but that’s the reason for practice.”

The QB competition continues Friday when the players return to the practice field at 1:30 p.m. PT.

[mm-video type=playlist id=01eqbycpfe4qgv9nf6 player_id=none image=https://seahawkswire.usatoday.com/wp-content/plugins/mm-video/images/playlist-icon.png]

[lawrence-related id=92008]

[listicle id=91871]

Could Seahawks be in play if 49ers release QB Jimmy Garoppolo?

The Seattle Seahawks could be among a number of teams to express interest in quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo if he’s released by the 49ers.

The start of Seattle Seahawks training camp is now just a week away and will feature a quarterback competition for the first time in a decade.

Currently, Geno Smith and Drew Lock are the only two serious contenders on the roster, but there has been continued speculation about whether or not the team would add San Franciso 49ers QB Jimmy Garoppolo to the mix.

NBC Sports Bay Area’s Matt Maiocco joined Seattle Sports’ Bump and Stacy Show on Monday and gave his thoughts on the scenario.

“I don’t think the Seahawks would trade for him,” Maiocco said. “In fact, at this point in the offseason, I have a really difficult time trying to figure out what team would trade for him and trade for that $24.2 million salary he’s scheduled to make.”

But just because the Seahawks likely wouldn’t pull the trigger on such an expensive trade doesn’t mean the veteran QB couldn’t land in Seattle after all.

“Where I think the Seahawks come in to play would be if the 49ers decide there’s not going to be a trade that lines up and they can’t afford to keep Garoppolo on the roster at his salary with Trey Lance ready to take over as the starter,” Maiocco continued. “And maybe Garoppolo even says, ‘Hey, I’ve been a good teammate here, do me a favor and cut me free now and let me go find a place before we get too deep into training camp.’

“If the 49ers decide to release Garoppolo, then I could definitely see Seattle come into play. I could see Seattle, Cleveland, and probably the Houston Texans as the three teams.”

Only time will tell whether or not this scenario actually plays out, but for now, Smith and Lock are set to continue the Seahawks QB competition when camp kicks off next Tuesday.

[lawrence-related id=91397]

[listicle id=91410]

Where does LSU’s projected starting QB rank among SEC passers?

247Sports’ Brad Crawford ranked Myles Brennan as the No. 11 quarterback in the SEC.

If you know anything about this year’s LSU team, you’re probably aware of the ongoing quarterback competition that appears to have three players vying for the starting job: [autotag]Myles Brennan[/autotag], [autotag]Jayden Daniels[/autotag] and [autotag]Garrett Nussmeier[/autotag].

The former two bring a lot more experience to the table, while Nussmeier is a redshirt freshman former blue-chip recruit who has shown flashes despite limited opportunities.

That battle went unresolved during the spring and will likely spill over into fall camp, perhaps even into the season. That fact makes it a little difficult to include an LSU passer in any potential SEC quarterback power rankings, but that didn’t stop 247Sports’ Brad Crawford from trying his hand.

Crawford projects Brennan, a veteran whose last two seasons were marred with separate year-ending injuries, to win the job. As the de facto incumbent, many consider him the favorite to start the season opener against Florida State in New Orleans.

The projection isn’t particularly optimistic for Brennan, however, and Crawford ranks him just 11th among the league’s passers.

2021 statistics: 79-of-131, 1,112 yards, 11 touchdowns, three interceptions

2022 outlook: The odds-on favorite to start for the Tigers is Myles Brennan or Arizona State transfer Jayden Daniels, but ask anyone closely-tied to LSU football and they’ll all tell you the same thing this summer — keep an eye on Garrett Nussmeier, who has continued to impress Brian Kelly and the offensive coaches this offseason. Remember, this ranking consists of projected starting quarterbacks, and by the end of the season, it would not be a surprise to see Nussmeier as LSU’s best option at the position.

Note: Brennan’s 2020 stats are mistakenly listed by Crawford as his 2021 stats. Brennan suffered a non-football injury prior to the start of last season and didn’t appear in any games.

Even Crawford entertains the possibility that Brennan isn’t starting by the end of the season, but after no one seized the reigns in spring, penciling him in as the projected Day 1 starter makes sense.

Still, Brennan has shown impressive flashes and was off to a nice start in 2020 before an injury ended his campaign. Other passers on Crawford’s list may be more established, but whoever wins the job in Baton Rouge has the potential to end up much higher on this list.

[pickup_prop id=”24928″]

[mm-video type=video id=01g5sn82rjjs5cstkaaa playlist_id=01eqbz5s7cf4w69e0n player_id=01eqbvp13nn1gy6hd4 image=https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/video/thumbnail/mmplus/01g5sn82rjjs5cstkaaa/01g5sn82rjjs5cstkaaa-0db9a9e4189e5f7650a3df8fbb5d6a7c.jpg]

[listicle id=52296]

Contact/Follow us @LSUTigersWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Louisiana State news, notes, and opinions.

Follow Tyler to continue the conversation on Twitter: @TylerNettuno

K.J. Wright on Seahawks QB competition: ‘I’m team Geno all day’

Former Seattle Seahawks linebacker K.J. Wright is “team Geno all day” when it comes to the team’s starting quarterback competition.

The Seattle Seahawks are roughly a month away from the start of training camp and the battle for the starting quarterback is still underway.

Geno Smith and Drew lock have been dueling it out all offseason with no new signal-caller added to the mix . . . as of yet. But the Baker-Mayfield-to-Seattle rumors continue so a three-way competition is not out of the question.

Former Seahawks linebacker K.J. Wright has his favorite already.

“I’ll tell you not Baker Mayfield,” Wright told I Am Athlete Tonight on SiriusXM. “Not Drew Lock. We ain’t gonna play those games. I’m team Geno all day.”

Wright was still with the Seahawks when Smith served as Russell Wilson’s trusted backup and knows what he brings to the table.

“Geno was good. He was scout team quarterback. The dude has a cannon for an arm. He’s intellectual, you know, having those two-minute drills during practice throughout the week, the man can play.

“Just trust him, just trust Geno.”

The Seahawks’ quarterback competition will be elevated to a whole new level when the players report to training camp on July 26.

[lawrence-related id=90747]

[vertical-gallery id=90749]

LSU’s quarterback room could be one of the nation’s best this fall

The Tigers have three passers with Power Five experience and a talented true freshman.

The Tigers have quite the quarterback conundrum this offseason, but their problem is a good one to have.

It’s unclear which passer will emerge to win the job at this point between [autotag]Jayden Daniels[/autotag], [autotag]Myles Brennan[/autotag] and [autotag]Garrett Nussmeier[/autotag]. But all have their strengths, and LSU fans should feel good about any one of those three being thrust into action.

We’re past the transfer portal deadline, so any further attrition at the position seems unlikely before the beginning of the season. With a group of three players that all have high-level playing experience — plus a true freshman who could be the future at the position in [autotag]Walker Howard[/autotag] — the Tigers have one of the most talented groups in the country.

In a recent quarterback room ranking from CBS Sports’ Shehan Jeyarajah, LSU was listed at No. 5 in the nation behind Alabama, Ohio State, Michigan and Georgia. Here’s what Jeyarajah said about the group.

The Tigers don’t have a proven starter after losing top passer Max Johnson to the transfer portal, but the collection of signal-callers currently in Baton Rouge ranks among the deepest in the nation. LSU added former Arizona State starter Jayden Daniels, who posted more than 3,000 yards of total offense in 2021, while Myles Brennan returns after missing most of the last two seasons with injuries. Down the pipe, Garrett Nussmeier and high four-star recruit Walker Howard have the tools to compete for playing time right away. New offensive coordinator Mike Denbrock will have his selection of a dynamic, diverse group of passers in his first season. The ceiling depends on whether any of the four jump up and take the job.

After an inconclusive spring game, we’ll have to keep a careful eye on the competition once fall camp begins next month. In the meantime, LSU fans should be able to rest easy knowing coach [autotag]Brian Kelly[/autotag] and offensive coordinator [autotag]Mike Denbrock[/autotag] have a talented quartet of signal-callers to work with.

[pickup_prop id=”25278″]

[mm-video type=video id=01g5sn82rjjs5cstkaaa playlist_id=01eqbz5s7cf4w69e0n player_id=01eqbvp13nn1gy6hd4 image=https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/video/thumbnail/mmplus/01g5sn82rjjs5cstkaaa/01g5sn82rjjs5cstkaaa-0db9a9e4189e5f7650a3df8fbb5d6a7c.jpg]

[listicle id=52296]

Contact/Follow us @LSUTigersWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Louisiana State news, notes, and opinions.

Follow Tyler to continue the conversation on Twitter: @TylerNettuno

Veteran LSU guard breaks down offensive line, quarterback competitions

Anthony Bradford provided some insight on the Tigers’ biggest question marks.

The Tigers have a lot of potential this fall, but they have more unanswered questions in June than fans may be used to.

With a new coaching staff under [autotag]Brian Kelly[/autotag] and a number of crucial position battles that are still yet to be resolved, there will be a lot to watch for when fall camp begins later this summer.

One of the biggest question marks surrounds the offensive line, where the Tigers are tasked with replacing four of five starters from a year ago. Luckily, they return a number of veterans with at least some experience. One of those players is junior guard [autotag]Anthony Bradford[/autotag].

Bradford played in six games last season, starting five at left tackle before an injury ended his season. He will likely slide back to his natural position on the inside this season, where he will face stiff competition if he wants to retain a starting spot.

Speaking to On3’s Bengal Tiger Podcast, Bradford elaborated on where he stands right now. He said he remains in the mix at right guard and that he doesn’t worry about competition from players like redshirt freshman [autotag]Garrett Dellinger[/autotag] and East Tennessee State graduate transfer [autotag]Tre’Mond Shorts[/autotag], who may be the favorites to start at guard this fall, stating that “iron sharpens iron.”

Bradford also offered his take on the quarterback situation, which doesn’t seem much closer to an answer after the spring game. [autotag]Myles Brennan[/autotag] is the technical incumbent, but he hasn’t played in a game in nearly two years. [autotag]Jayden Daniels[/autotag], meanwhile, has three generally positive years of starting experience, and [autotag]Garrett Nussmeier[/autotag] lacks the experience but has impressed with his arm talent when he’s had the chance.

“I feel like the quarterback situation, everybody’s getting better together,” Bradford said. “They take a piece of the game for each other. I feel like this quarterback room is really special to me. I’m excited to see what they do when they compete in fall camp.”

That may not provide much insight into who will win the job, but it seems to reinforce the idea that LSU has three options with their own strengths who have the talent to start in the SEC.

While we aren’t all that far away from the 2022 team taking the field, we will have to wait a while longer to have answers to some of these questions, including what Bradford’s role will be on this team. Regardless, it sounds like Kelly has done a good job of getting buy-in from veterans like Bradford.

[mm-video type=video id=01g26ap7n0jhrayh42wb playlist_id=01eqbz5s7cf4w69e0n player_id=01eqbvp13nn1gy6hd4 image=https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/video/thumbnail/mmplus/01g26ap7n0jhrayh42wb/01g26ap7n0jhrayh42wb-52bd6fabe56060dbf9fbc2912bc171c5.jpg]

[listicle id=50697]

Contact/Follow us @LSUTigersWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Louisiana State news, notes, and opinions.

Follow Tyler to continue the conversation on Twitter: @TylerNettuno