Goal For LSU Football Offensive Staff is to Put Five Best Skills Players on Field

LSU offensive staff going to be diverse with its playcalling as Tigers attempt to confuse opposing defenses

Regardless of positions or physical measurements, LSU offensive coordinator Jake Peetz has one goal. Put the five best skills players on the field. 

It's a strategy that the program used en route to a national championship in 2019 under Joe Brady. For the last year, Peetz has learned the Brady offense front and back and spent the first few weeks of his time in Baton Rouge meeting with every offensive player on the roster asking what can be the best way to utilize each one of their skills.

"Talking to our staff, we have ya know X, Y, Z, F, 0 whatever you wanna call that person, just take that out. Everybody can be everywhere," Peetz said at the Coaches Caravan. "And then the personnel groupings we can move in and out of 'em, cause who's our best five? It's no different than in a basketball game: put your best five out there. Like we have five eligibles, let's maximize them and let's stress the defense."

The next step is devising a scheme around this talented group. Kayshon Boutte, Jaray Jenkins, Trey Palmer, Deion Smith, Jontre Kirklin, John Emery, Tyrion Davis-Price and Kole Taylor are among the skills players still on the roster. 

Passing game coordinator DJ Mangas has seen what a few of these players can do as part of that 2019 team but admits it's a much different role and plenty of new players.

"Obviously I was here in 2019, been away for a year, don't know what's changed. Anytime you go to a new spot, you try to figure out what's changed so you can adjust and figure out your routine," Peetz said. "Guys are working hard, obviously Jake and I worked together in Carolina. We've matched pretty well so it's been good."

Mixing and matching the players they have will be important to keep the opposing defenses on their toes. Creating chaos with the speedy, athletic weapons is the ultimate goal and it's going to be put to the test for the first time starting next week during spring practice. 

"What we're talking about is we wanna create a nightmare. Their nightmare, our dream," Peetz said.