Notebook: Brian Kelly Takes Center Stage at SEC Media Days
Brian Kelly took center stage during Monday’s SEC Media Day where he addressed the the Tigers offseason and where this program is ahead of his second season in Baton Rouge.
After exceeding expectations in year one down South, Kelly understands what the “outside noise” thinks of his program. LSU reached the SEC Championship Game in 2022, but now the next step for this LSU football program is to punch their ticket to the College Football Playoff.
Kelly harped on the what to expect of LSU, Jayden Daniels’ progression, the secondary and more during Monday’s SEC Media Day:
Expectations Within LSU’s Athletic Department
The LSU Athletic Department is coming off of a dominant year after winning two National Championships. With Kim Mulkey’s program taking home a title on the hardwood and Jay Johnson recently claiming a College World Series championship in Omaha, all eyes are on Kelly’s football program in Year 2.
"At LSU, all we can think about is championships, after what Jay Johnson did in baseball, Kim Mulkey in basketball, our success in gymnastics. I've got a big opportunity on my hands as well to continue the success," Kelly said on Monday.
Kelly understands the hurdles that need to be jumped to create sustained greatness. The Tigers achieved the unthinkable in year one, but it's about development a monster for the long haul.
Jayden Daniels’ Development
The entire offense starts with how LSU quarterback Jayden Daniels evolves. In 2022, week in and week out we saw Daniels take strides in the right direction, and all looks positive as he enters his second (and final) season down South.
Kelly discussed the improvement of Daniels, how this coaching staff began to understand him as a football player and where he must develop during the 2023 season:
"I think that [the coaching staff] was all a part of our learning curve with him. We knew [Daniels] as a person, but we really didn't know much as a football player and how he would respond to a new system of offense where he had to make a 180 in terms of what he was asked to do.
“So what does development look like for him? I think it would be the natural progression from the last game in which he played where he was aggressive, but he was under control. He ran the ball when he needed to but stepped up in the pocket and made the tight window throws.
“I think that was the progression from what we saw in the first week where he would step up in the pocket, and run or not make those tight-window throws. I think that's what we saw during the year was his natural progression of understanding the offense and being more confident. We want to see that in year two."
Revamped Secondary
Another offseason, another revamped secondary via the NCAA Transfer Portal. The Tigers hit the portal with force after having to reconfigure their cornerback unit, but how does Kelly feel about the fresh faces?
"When you have to dip into the transfer portal at one position, that's a concern,” Kelly said on Monday. “Because you don't know what you have... We are a team that needs to get off the field on 3rd down. That's something we weren't very good at last year. That starts with that group"
Teams converted 39% of third downs against LSU last year, which ranked 74th in the country. Moving forward, Kelly understands that Fall Camp will be where this program hits their stride and understands rotations.
Closing the Gap on Alabama and Georgia
LSU defeated the Crimson Tide in Kelly’s first season down South. It was a monumental achievement for this program to take down a powerhouse in Kelly’s first season in the SEC. The victory was a step in the right direction, but it wasn’t a National Championship.
For LSU, it’s about building sustained greatness. Both Alabama and Georgia have built dynasties and it’s what Kelly is looking to do in Baton Rouge.
"Based upon how we've recruited and how we'll continue to recruit, we'll have a football roster that will be able to compete against Georgia ... and then it's just a matter of getting it done on the field."
Quarterback Battle?
No quarterback controversy for LSU. Brian Kelly shutdown any outside noise surrounding Jayden Daniels and Garrett Nussmeier this season from a quarterback battle perspective.
"Jayden is the starter but he's gotta have a great camp. Garrett is getting better every single day," Kelly said. "They've got a great relationship but I think that's a really positive situation."
Kelly understands that Daniels is their guy, but moving forward, he’ll have to continue improving. Nussmeier has taken strides in the right direction as he fights for Daniels’ starting job and will be fighting for that spot every single practice.
The growth of Daniels has been a piece that Kelly has enjoyed most. The general of LSU harped on his QB1:
“What we saw during the year was his natural progression of understanding the offense and being more confident," Kelly said. "We want to see that in Year 2. We want to see the confidence that we saw at the end of the year continue to show itself.”
