Where Does LSU Football Quarterback Myles Brennan Rank Among SEC Starters?
Entering his first full-year as LSU’s starting quarterback, redshirt junior Myles Brennan checked in at No. 6 in Lindy’s Sports’ SEC quarterback rankings.
The 6-foot-4, 210-pounder from Long Beach, Mississippi was also ranked the No. 22 quarterback in the country overall heading into 2020 behind Jamie Newman, Kyle Trask, Kellen Mond, KJ Costello and Bo Nix.
While the ranking doesn’t read like anything special, it’s hard to tell what Brennan’s future will look like with the limited reps we’ve seen. Every time he entered the game, it was usually mop up duty, late in the fourth quarter with the second and third team.
During his career in Baton Rouge, Brennan has seen live action in 17 games, completing 42-of-70 passes for 600 yards and two TDs. But the most valuable experience for him, perhaps, was learning under Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Joe Burrow for two years.
"I'm sure Aaron Rodgers got a lot from Brett Favre, sitting there watching him during his first couple years in the league," Linehan said on Brennan. "I think that'll benefit him in a great way. The fact that there's not a system change at all; he recognizes what we're doing and he's a really bright kid. Picks up stuff right away, the new things. Has a really good grasp of concepts. I'm impressed with how he throws it so I'm excited to see what Myles can do."
While LSU fans may plead for Brennan to hold a higher ranking than No. 6, there’s really no case you can make for a higher ranking over five quarterbacks who’ve all seen major game action. Who knows? Maybe Brennan becomes the best of the bunch. But right now there’s no concrete film to prove or make that argument.
During his appearance on the Tiger Athletic Foundation’s Coaches Caravan in May, offensive coordinator Steve Ensminger raved about Brennan’s potential, even calling for those not on board already to hop on his bandwagon.
"I am very confident that Myles is ready to lead this football team," Ensminger said. "Heck, join the bandwagon. Let’s go. We are tweaking our offense, but it’s not for the quarterback. We are tweaking our offense for our receivers and running backs."
Ensminger said Brennan’s demeanor at the line, his checks at the line of scrimmage, and his presence in the pocket was much improved from what he saw in the first few practices of spring.
The first five weeks of the season should tell us a lot about what to expect from the junior in 2020. LSU has a few cookie cutter matchups in the early going but home games against Texas and Ole Miss will be the two to watch before LSU hits the road for Florida.
If Brennan can build confidence and chemistry with his weapons in the early going, it’ll only help as the season becomes more rigorous.
