WATCH: LSU football QBs during their team’s first preseason practice
LSU quarterbacks Garrett Nussmeier (13), Rickie Collins (10), AJ Swann (15) and Colin Hurley (16) work out during the first fall practice.
BATON ROUGE – The LSU football team began preseason practice two weeks ago.
Brian Kelly and his staff have completed 12 team practices, including Thursday morning, in preparation for the 2024 college football season, which the Tigers begin at 6:30 p.m. Sept. 1 in Las Vegas against the USC Trojans in a top-25 matchup in the Vegas Kickoff Classic ABC. LSU is ranked No. 12 in the preseason US LBM Coaches Poll, while USC is ranked No. 23.
As the Tigers prepare for a new season, the question arises: What have we learned about the team in the last few weeks?
Here are some insights.
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LSU football star linebacker Harold Perkins “nasty” on third downs in defensive coordinator Blake Baker’s scheme
Star junior linebacker Harold Perkins Jr. will play at the will linebacker position in new defensive coordinator Blake Baker’s base scheme. While Perkins struggled last season as an inside linebacker in Matt House’s defense, Baker’s scheme allows Perkins to move around quite a bit and is designed to give him space.
That can happen on third down and when the opponent is obviously in a passing situation. Perkins told reporters earlier in fall camp that he has “gotten nasty” on third downs and expects to do a lot of pass rushing.
Joe Sloan, offensive coordinator of the LSU football team, wants Garrett Nussmeier and the offense to play fast
One way LSU offensive coordinator Joe Sloan is trying to gain an advantage in the matchup is through the pace of play. New junior starting quarterback Garrett Nussmeier, as well as receivers CJ Daniels and running back Josh Williams, have all mentioned Sloan’s approach of wanting the offense to play fast.
What will be strikingly different about LSU’s offense in 2024
As Kelly told reporters on Wednesday, LSU’s offense is expected to be balanced this season.
Nussmeier’s skills and strengths are significantly different from Jayden Daniels’, and the players around the quarterback are different, aside from the return of four offensive linemen. Let’s start with this: LSU’s offensive linemen will pull more, come out of the corner to cover blocks and running routes to get more outside zone reads in the run game.
Expect a lot of misdirection in both the running and passing game. Led by star Mason Taylor, the tight ends will be more involved in all aspects. Fans will see a lot of both under screens for running backs and drag routes in the opposite direction for said tight ends.
What will be strikingly different about LSU’s defense in 2024
Baker prides himself on his defensive schemes centered around “attack” and aggression. Several defensive players have commented on Baker’s blitz packages and the creativity he uses to create problems for offenses.
As mentioned with Perkins, LSU will rely on its best playmakers on defense to impact the game. The defensive line’s mission will be to repel and attack blocks, not just eat the blocks of linebackers. Major Burns, who led the Tigers in tackles last season, will be used more heavily at the line of scrimmage and will stick his nose more into stopping the run.
The biggest change will be on the outside, as Baker’s scheme requires strong man coverage and one-on-one coverage by cornerbacks. Cornerbacks Ashton Stamps and Sage Ryan have performed well at times in preseason practice, and the hope is they will improve even more with reps before the season opener.
Kaleb Jackson reported to preseason training heavier and better prepared for his larger role as running back
When the now second-year tailback got the ball in games last season, Kaleb Jackson showed promise in terms of his running ability, his strength and the way he sought contact.
To better prepare for the full season load, Jackson gained 30 pounds during the offseason and got stronger. He adjusted his body to take more hits. Jackson also improved his pass defense and now knows better which holes to hit with the ball.
“All these different little things he was able to address in the offseason,” Sloan said of Jackson. “Now I think you can see that he’s a complete running back. He’s going to find himself.”
How the LSU football team plans to use headset communication and tablets on the sidelines
This college season, quarterbacks and middle linebackers will be wearing headgear that will allow them to communicate with their coaches via headsets for the first time. The NFL has been using this technology for several years.
How does LSU plan to implement this new rule?
Sloan said the offense plans to use the headset to attack the defense at different tempos. Having tablets on the sidelines allows LSU coaches to almost instantly review what they’re seeing from the opponent during the game and make course corrections and adjustments much faster.
Receiver Chris Hilton is as healthy as he has been in a long time and is ready for his starting role
Junior receiver Chris Hilton has struggled with injuries during his career at LSU, tearing the meniscus in both knees and tearing one of his labrums in over three years.
At the end of last season, Hilton said he felt healthy again and that helped his performance in the ReliaQuest Bowl game (three passes caught, 56 yards with a touchdown). Hilton was able to complete the entire spring practice and offseason completely healthy and has been able to train the way he has wanted since arriving on campus.
His health played a major role in capturing one of LSU’s starting receiver spots and paved his path to a new position for the 2024 season.
Sage Ryan plays cornerback, “cross-training”
The former Lafayette Christian Academy star made a name for himself as a safety for LSU during his first three seasons in Baton Rouge. Now, Ryan will play cornerback for the Tigers.
LSU needed more depth and experience at the position, and Kelly mentioned early in fall practice that Ryan was a good fit for the position switch. Ryan at cornerback gives the defense an experienced player for that role, but also provides depth at both the cornerback and safety positions.
“We’ve been wanting to play safety all spring and now we’re starting to cross-train,” Kelly said of Ryan’s move. “We believe he’s going to be the one player that can play both positions for us.”
Offensive lineman Garrett Dellinger makes a bit of an appearance at center during practice.
When Garrett Dellinger started at LSU, he played center. After some struggles early in his career, he moved to the right guard position and spent most of the last two seasons there.
But this training camp, he’s been shooting the football every day and taking some reps as a center. “Putting myself there wasn’t a big deal. I know all the decisions. It’s nothing crazy,” Dellinger said.
Freshman DJ Chester has taken the majority of practice snaps at center and this is likely a case of building depth at the position. But if LSU needs someone to take over center duties, Dellinger should be available.
Rising names to watch in LSU football during the 2024 season
Let’s take a look at some lesser-known players who could be important for LSU this year.
Jordan Allen: The second-year safety seems to have secured one of the top safety positions in Blake Baker’s defense. He has had really solid preseason practices and has consistently provided the defense with good plays.
Ashton Stamps: Brian Kelly said Wednesday that no defender had better numbers in passes defended or intercepted than Stamps in all of training camp. Stamps said press coverage suits his game better and it seems like everyone has noticed.
CJ Daniels: The Liberty transfer has all but secured a receiver position. His experience and confidence have helped Daniels transition to LSU almost seamlessly, and he has some of the more secure players on the team.
Dashawn Spears: Spears is showing his skills and is playing in practice almost every day. LSU needs some good backup at the safety position and from the way Spears, a freshman, has looked so far, he will likely be on the field sooner rather than later.
Gio Paez: LSU needed reinforcements on the defensive line, and Paez, the senior transfer from Wisconsin, has filled that role for the Tigers so far. He plays alongside Jacobian Guillory on the interior defensive line and has been a constant source of excitement in practice.
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Cory Diaz covers the LSU Tigers for The Daily Advertiser as part of the USA TODAY Network. Follow his Tigers coverage on Twitter: @ByCoryDiaz. Have questions about LSU athletics? Send them to Cory Diaz at [email protected].
