LSU has a lot of questions that need to be answered in 2024 if this team is going to break through and make a College Football Playoff appearance.
The one most people are talking about is at quarterback, where [autotag]Garrett Nussmeier[/autotag] replaced [autotag]Jayden Daniels[/autotag], the 2023 Heisman winner. But while Nussmeier has just one career start under his belt, he’s seen enough action for there to be quite a bit of optimism about the potential quarterback play.
The bigger question will be his targets in the passing game as the Tigers lost a pair of first-round receivers in [autotag]Malik Nabers[/autotag] and [autotag]Brian Thomas Jr.[/autotag] There’s talent on the roster, but only time will tell if the unit can be that productive.
ESPN’s Mark Schlabach wrote that the receiving corps will be LSU’s biggest X-factor in 2024, and the success of that group could determine the success of the team as a whole.
Wide receivers. Few FBS teams have as much production to replace at wide receiver as the Tigers, who lost NFL first-round draft picks Malik Nabers and Brian Thomas Jr. The duo combined for 157 receptions for 2,746 yards with 31 touchdowns in 2023. Senior Kyren Lacy, who started his college career at Louisiana, seems next in line to become WR1. After that, the Tigers will be relying on newcomers CJ Daniels (Liberty) and Zavion Thomas (Mississippi State), as well as largely unproven returning receivers Chris Hilton Jr. and Aaron Anderson. Thomas, who will compete with Anderson for the slot receiver spot, has the potential to be one of the most explosive players in the FBS. He averaged 12.4 yards every time he touched the ball last season. He returned the opening kickoff 94 yards for a score in a 51-10 loss to Texas A&M. He has top-end speed to beat secondaries over the top. He should be even better in a much more efficient LSU offense.
Lacy seems poised for a breakout while Daniels comes in with a ton of hype after a 1,000-yard season at Liberty. If someone already on the roster like Hilton can also emerge, there’s the potential for this group to not only be solid but also a strength.
But if the Tigers struggle to replace Nabers and Thomas, it’s hard to imagine the offense will be nearly as explosive as it was last fall.
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