With the first spring practice under new coach [autotag]Brian Kelly[/autotag] all wrapped up, we have a few months to reflect on what we’ve heard from practice and what we saw in the spring game before this team takes the field again in the fall.
The Tigers entered this offseason with a lot of questions after roster turnover forced them to be aggressive in the transfer portal. Some of its offseason acquisitions through the portal and recruiting are still yet to arrive on campus, but we are still starting to get a good idea of what this depth chart might look like in 2022.
ESPN’s Alex Scarborough and Chris Low broke down each SEC team’s spring practice, listing the things we learned during the spring and the questions that still need to be answered by the fall. Here’s what they said about Kelly’s squad.
What we learned this spring: Brian Kelly inherited a roster filled with holes, which is why he was so active in the transfer portal. But last month’s spring game was a reminder that LSU is not without talent. Defensive tackle Maason Smith is a star in the making, and freshman offensive lineman Will Campbell is as solid an anchor to build around as you’re going to find in the SEC. The running back room is well stocked with the return of John Emery Jr., and the receivers should fare well once Kayshon Boutte recovers from last year’s injury. The big question is at quarterback, but even then all of Kelly’s options — Myles Brennan, Jayden Daniels and Garrett Nussmeier — have experience and have shown they have the talent to compete at a high level.
What we need to learn by Week 1: It goes without saying that Kelly will have to quickly find his starting quarterback. Daniels is the most dynamic option given his ability as a runner, but Brennan is savvy and a good caretaker of the ball. Nussmeier, meanwhile, has a live arm but is unpredictable. Taking a step back, though, the overall roster still needs work between now and fall camp. There are a lot of positions that are too thin in terms of scholarship players, including cornerback, where Kelly focused a lot of his efforts by bringing in four transfers.
The quarterback battle is certain to dominate the discussion over the coming months, especially after inconclusive performances in the spring game. This is a battle that could be waged up until kick-off against Florida State in Week 1.
But there are certainly other questions, and while there aren’t many clear positions of weakness when it comes to the starters, there are several areas where the depth is a bit concerning, to say the least.
Kelly still has a lot to figure out heading into fall camp, but this is a talented roster with a higher ceiling than most Year 1 SEC coaches would normally have. The only question is how high that ceiling actually is.
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