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Chris Low, ESPN Senior Writer
DALLAS — Despite losing Heisman Trophy quarterback Jayden Daniels and two NFL first-round draft picks at receiver, LSU coach Brian Kelly isn’t bracing for a drop-off on offense.
The Tigers led the country in scoring offense (45.5 points) and total offense (543.5 yards) last season, but Daniels was taken No. 2 in the NFL draft and his top two receivers, Malik Nabers and Brian Thomas Jr., were taken at No. 6 and No. 21 respectively.
That said, when Kelly was asked Monday by ESPN’s social media team at the SEC media days what he was most looking forward to in Tiger Stadium this season, he said confidently, “Scoring a s—load of touchdowns.”
That confidence starts up front with an offensive line Kelly says is “as good of an offensive line as we’ve put together as a group.”
Junior tackles Will Campbell and Emery Jones Jr. are ranked among the top 15 players in the 2025 mock NFL draft by ESPN’s Matt Miller.
“I think we have a Joe Moore-worthy offensive line [the Joe Moore Award goes to the best O-line in college football] in my estimation,” Kelly said. “I’ve had a Joe Moore offensive line and know what it looks like. I’ve had a lot of offensive linemen go to the NFL.
“I think we can control the line of scrimmage in the SEC.”
Daniels’ replacement, redshirt junior quarterback Garrett Nussmeier, will be in his first season as a starter. The Tigers won’t use him in the run game nearly as much as they did Daniels, which Kelly said makes having a strong, physical offensive line all the more important. He said the receiving corps is deep and talented even with the loss of Nabers and Thomas.
“I don’t know if we have a receiver like Nabers, but we have speed and we have experience at that position,” Kelly said. “I think we have two or three tight ends that are mismatch problems. It starts with Mason Taylor, and I think we’ve got enough running backs. I think we all have seen the running back position is really unique, capable and you need more than one. And I think that’s what we’ve got.
“So, with a running game that is not predicated upon the quarterback running it, that has to start with an offensive line. That’s why I feel confident.”
This will be Nussmeier’s fourth season in the program, and even though he had chances to leave and go elsewhere in the transfer portal, he said there’s a reason he came to LSU in the first place.
“I felt God brought me to LSU for a reason, and when it was time to make a decision last year, I didn’t feel like it was my job to just up and leave,” Nussmeier said. “I trust him and his timing and had to keep my head down and get better and it would all play out the way he wanted it to play out.”
Much of Nussmeier’s confidence also stems from his two tackles, who he said have set the tempo and pace for the entire offense ever since last season ended.
“They call themselves the bomb squad, and they have this nasty identity,” Nussmeier said of his tackles. “They want to outwork everybody, and they push all of us to catch them.”
Nussmeier has played in 18 career games and started in one. He was the MVP of LSU’s ReliaQuest Bowl win over Wisconsin to cap the 2023 season. His career highs of 395 passing yards, 31 completions and three touchdowns in that game whet the appetite of the LSU fans, Nussmeier’s coaches and teammates, and Nussmeier himself.
“Definitely, I’m ready. It’s been a long time coming. It’s been a long time waiting,” Nussmeier said. “I’ve never been more excited about anything in my life, to get out there on the field for fall camp and into the season.”
Kelly, who overhauled his defensive coaching staff, hasn’t lost sight of how porous the Tigers were on defense last season and how much they need to improve. They allowed 30 or more points seven times.
As Kelly got ready to exit the interview room Monday, he jokingly amended his initial comment about what he was looking forward to this season in Tiger Stadium.
“I should have said we should not be giving up a bleep ton of points,” Kelly said. “That would have been more accurate.”