The Story of Myles Brennan: A True LSU Tiger
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Myles Brennan’s story didn’t quite have the fairytale ending many had hoped for. The skinny kid who came to Baton Rouge in 2017 faced challenge after challenge throughout his tenure with LSU.
Arriving as what many believed could be the answer to LSU’s quarterback situation, the Mississippi signal-caller had no idea the hurdles he would have to jump during his time in Death Valley.
A 4-star prospect out of high school, Brennan had lofty expectations upon arriving in Baton Rouge, but he had to wait…and wait… and wait…
Sitting behind the greatest quarterback in LSU history for two years, Brennan soaked up knowledge like a sponge, but to follow up the infamous 2019 season Joe Burrow put together was a situation not many could be prepared for.
But Brennan was prepared. He came into the 2020 season on a roll. Starting the first three games for LSU that year, Brennan passed for 1,112 yards and 11 touchdowns before a torn abdomen suffered against Missouri ended his season.
Related: LSU QB Myles Brennan Stepping Away From Football
Myles Brennan winds up to pass against the Missouri Tigers on October 10, 2020.
This wasn’t just any abdominal injury. It was an abdominal injury so obscure that the doctors were prepared to name the surgery after him. Sidelining him the remainder of the season, it appeared as though Brennan may have missed his chance to take over this program.
Coming into 2021, it was a two-man quarterback battle: Brennan against Max Johnson. Seemingly having the edge for much of the competition, the unthinkable happened. In a freak boating accident, Brennan slipped and broke his left arm. His 2021 season ended before it could even start. Another year on the sideline.
Hurdle after hurdle. Challenge after challenge. Brennan knew his window was closing, opting to enter the NCAA Transfer Portal last November. Ready to take his talent elsewhere to finish out his collegiate career, he began taking visits and looking at other options.
That was until head coach Brian Kelly came to town. Kelly arrived on campus and had a conversation with Brennan, wanting him to stay in Baton Rouge and compete for the starting quarterback position.
Related: Myles Brennan Speaks About Quarterback Competition
Kelly believed in him when many may not have been prepared to take a risk on a kid with no film. Just three starts under his belt, Kelly wanted to give him a shot.
Once spring came, Kelly and his staff spiced up the quarterback competition even more. Rather than a Myles Brennan versus redshirt freshman Garrett Nussmeier battle, LSU brought Arizona State transfer Jayden Daniels into the mix.
Daniels, a PAC-12 starter, gave the Tigers someone to fall back on. Someone with experience when this program had unproven signal-callers in their quarterback room.
The competition became that much more challenging, but Brennan still shined bright during spring camp. The sixth-year senior came in with a polished release. A veteran presence that no other player on this LSU squad attains.
Brennan battled and battled until he couldn’t anymore. An offseason where both Daniels and Nussmeier took the next step, Brennan simply didn’t look the part. As fall camp arrived, it was clear the direction this coaching staff was going in. And it didn’t involve Brennan under center.
Related: Notebook - Fall Camp Practice No. 10
Fast forward to Monday where Brennan was absent from practice and the rest is history. Deciding to hang up his cleats and prepare for the next chapter of his life, his career will go down as “What could have been…”
“It is time for me to start a new chapter in my life,” Brennan wrote on his social media. “I am announcing today that I will be stepping away from football. I am thankful for where this journey has taken me so far, and I am looking forward to where it takes me next.”
Though his playing career may not have gone as hoped, Brennan’s time in Baton Rouge brought him something even greater: Love.
Brennan met his fiancée at LSU, proposing to her in the middle of Tiger Stadium. There’s more to life than football and Brennan learned that during his time in Death Valley.
His playing career may have thrown him curveballs and his legacy may not go down as he had hoped for, but Brennan’s character and perseverance is what epitomizes an LSU Tiger. Rather than shying away from competition and turbulence, Brennan hit it head on with a mission to beat the odds.
His time in Baton Rouge may not have gone as planned, but Brennan’s legacy will go beyond the football field.
