LSU Tigers Football Offseason Preview

It was clear that last October, Ed Orgeron’s tenure as LSU head coach was going to come to an end. The man who won a national championship at LSU in 2019, with a team which tied the NFL record for the most drafted players (14), experienced a rapid fall from grace. It was fascinating to behold how the empire crumbled. Orgeron created a national champion, dramatically exceeding expectations and silencing his many critics who thought he was in over his head as LSU head coach. His failed tenure at Ole Miss gave a lot of people the strong belief that Orgeron would flop as a head coach if given another chance. The irony of his LSU tenure is that he knocked the ball out of the park and only then became the sloppy, wayward head coach everyone thought he would be in the first place.

Orgeron finally stepped down from the job, a champion but also humiliated after a messy exit.

That was only the start of a crazy offseason for LSU.

Brian Kelly was at the height of his powers at Notre Dame. He made the College Football Playoff in 2018 and 2020. He came extremely close in 2015 and then this past season. A successful Notre Dame head coach does not leave for other jobs. It just doesn’t happen.

Until this offseason, that is.

Kelly stunned everyone in college football by bolting from South Bend to take the LSU job. It was a move no one saw coming. Everyone was ambushed and blindsided. Kelly goes from Notre Dame, a school without a football conference, to the SEC, the toughest conference of them all. It’s a huge adjustment. Kelly has to beat Nick Saban and Jimbo Fisher just to win the SEC West. He has to then beat Kirby Smart to win the SEC championship and make the playoff. This is going to be a real uphill battle for Kelly, but he obviously wanted the challenge and the change of scenery at this stage of his coaching career.

Key Personnel Lost

The Orgeron-Kelly change is the headliner in Baton Rouge, but there are other changes to note as well.

Arkansas transfers Greg Brooks and Joe Foucha will help replace Derek Stingley, the elite cornerback who was a first-round NFL draft pick. Stingley made life a lot simpler for the LSU defense. The Tigers have to scramble to make sure they can compensate for his absence.

Guard Ed Ingram was a top-60 NFL draft pick, underscoring the need for LSU to get help on the offensive line in the offseason. The Tigers lost 10 players to the NFL draft, which is pretty remarkable given that LSU won only six games last season. Orgeron clearly didn’t know how to develop talent.

Important Incoming Freshmen

Will Campbell is a five-star recruit. At 6-6 and 300 pounds, he has an NFL body. The Tigers and Kelly hope to maximize his potential and find a solid, reliable performer on an offensive line which needs work.

Key Position Battles

The offensive line is where LSU has to develop players. The Tigers averaged under 27 points per game last season. That won’t get it done in the SEC, where Alabama has a high-powered offense and the margins are generally very small. LSU couldn’t score on UCLA, a team with a bad defense last year. The Tigers have to identify their best linemen and push them to be better.

The quarterback battle will also draw headlines. Myles Brennan has been with the program for a few years, but Jayden Daniels is a transfer from Arizona State who will compete for the starting job.

Biggest Offseason Goal(s)

The Tigers need a substantial makeover on offense. Brian Kelly has a lot of detail work to tend to in his first offseason at LSU. The Tigers need to beef up their offensive line and get the quarterback they feel is best for the program.