Brian Kelly and the LSU Tigers enter a critical offseason in Baton Rouge with all eyes on the program heading into the 2025 season.
After a subpar 9-4 year in 2024, Kelly and Co. enter a stretch where it’s “College Football Playoff or bust” for the program.
Garrett Nussmeier returns to Death Valley in 2025 where he looks to build off of a productive first season as the starter with the Tigers.
Now, with a new-look group alongside him in the journey to a National Championship, the program is receiving significant buzz already in the first official week of the offseason.
Why can LSU make a College Football Playoff run this upcoming season?
The Garrett Nussmeier Effect: Back for Year 2
Nussmeier will be back in the mix as the starter for the LSU Tigers after a productive first year under center in 2024.
He waited his turn and was patient until finally being named QB1 for LSU as a redshirt junior. Now, he comes back to Baton Rouge for year five into the purple and gold.
With the chance to develop, improve as a decision-maker and work on his processor, Nussmeier has the chance to explode in 2025 with the Bayou Bengals. National analysts have already given him praise after coming in with the No. 1 odds to win the Heisman Trophy.
247Sports has Nussmeier as they No. 2 quarterback in College Football in their “Way-Too-Early” projections. He sits behind only Clemson’s Cade Klubnik.
With Nussmeier back and several weapons around him, expectations are at an all-time high for the signal-caller.
The 2025 Projection: 344-of-499, 3,899 yards, 35 touchdowns, 9 interceptions.
“When he’s on, Garrett Nussmeier has No. 1 overall pick potential. When he’s off, the quarterback who once backed up Jayden Daniels can get in his head a bit leading to mistakes,” Crawford said. “Consistency trumps all with Nussmeier, who was elite in the fourth quarter in wins over Ole Miss and South Carolina, but struggled during losses to Alabama and Texas A&M.
“Brian Kelly and LSU quarterbacks coach Joe Sloan hopes he’s Heisman-level in 2025 and the Tigers have done all they can to ensure his weaponry is top-end around him. Three portal wideouts should help.”
The Newcomers: No. 1 Transfer Portal Class in America
Kelly and Co. entered the offseason with the goal of bolstering the depth of the roster and adding immediate impact players via the NCAA Transfer Portal.
With that in mind, the program went out and secured the No. 1 Transfer Portal Class in America with eight Top-100 players signed to LSU.
– Florida State EDGE Patrick Payton: No. 3
– Oklahoma WR Nic Anderson: No. 14
– Kentucky WR Barion Brown: No. 22
– Virginia Tech CB Mansoor Delane: No. 47
– Florida EDGE Jack Pyburn: No. 54
– Virginia Tech IOL Braelin Moore: No. 61
– Northwestern OL Josh Thompson: No. 74
– Florida CB Ja’Keem Jackson: No. 91
With Nic Anderson and Barion Brown adding to the weaponry for Nussmeier at the receiver position along with seasonred veterans in the trenches with Thompson and Moore in the mix, it’s put LSU in an efficient spot offensively.
2025 Outlook via ESPN: “The Tigers enter Year 4 under Brian Kelly needing to rebuild an offensive line that loses multi-year starters Campbell, Dellinger and Jones. But other than that, LSU appears in great shape with returning offensive stars like Anderson, Durham and Nussmeier, the latter of whom ranked second in the SEC with 4,052 passing yards and 29 touchdowns in 2024. Kelly was also quite active in the transfer portal, adding DEs Patrick Payton (FSU) and Jack Pyburn (Florida) and star WRs Nic Anderson (Oklahoma) and Barion Brown (Kentucky).”
New-Look Defense: Tigers Retool the Group
LSU defensive coordinator should have fun with his unit this offseason as he looks to piece together the perfect rotation in Baton Rouge.
It’s a puzzle for the Tigers that Baker will be in charge of putting together with a myriad of versatile players to choose from.
LSU added a trio of edge rushers in Patrick Payton, Jack Pyburn and Jimari Butler to wreak havoc up front, but the defensive backfield additions are what will have significant intrigue.
It starts with cornerbacks Mansoor Delane and Ja’Keem Jackson and rounds out with safety Tamarcus Cooley.
LSU will have a multitide of weapons to choose from with the new-look defense heading to Baton Rouge. Not to mention the return of Harold Perkins, Whit Weeks, Ahmad Breaux, Ashton Stamps and Dominick McKinley, among others.
USA Today‘s Take: “Brian Kelly became a pundit’s favorite punching bag throughout this postseason, but upon closer inspection, two truths could operate simultaneously: Notre Dame thrives under Marcus Freeman, Kelly’s successor, but LSU is far from roadkill under Kelly.
“Garrett Nussmeier returns as the SEC’s most proven quarterback, and he’ll enjoy familiar weapons in running back Caden Durham and wide receiver Aaron Anderson. LSU crushed it in the transfer portal, adding key gains at wide receiver, offensive line, defensive line and cornerback.
“The defense must improve in its second season under coordinator Blake Baker, but considering the additions, like Florida State defensive end Patrick Payton, that’s possible. We’ll quickly learn whether LSU is legit or fraudulent, after its September games at Clemson, versus Florida and at Mississippi.”
LSU will begin Spring Camp in March with all eyes on the new-look roster in Baton Rouge with several critical components ready to lace up their cleats for the program.
LSU Adds Commitments From Seven Top-100 Transfers in the Portal
LSU Dishes Out Offer to No. 1 Quarterback in America
Nick Saban Calls LSU Quarterback Garrett Nussmeier a “Sleeper” Ahead of 2024 Season
Follow Zack Nagy on Twitter: @znagy20 and LSU Tigers On SI: @LSUTigersSI for all coverage surrounding the LSU program.
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