Three Things We Hope to Hear From LSU at SEC Media Day

LSU head coach Brian Kelly is set to make his first appearance at SEC Media Day on Monday with the Tigers taking over the first slot at 10:00 AM. LSU will get things rolling with Ole Miss and Missouri following to round out the first day.

The three players joining Kelly in Atlanta, Ga. will be sophomore wide receiver Jack Bech, senior linebacker Mike Jones Jr. and junior defensive end BJ Ojulari.

Here are three things we hope to hear from Kelly and the Tigers Monday:

Who will be LSU’s quarterback?

Yes, it’s the question that everyone wants answered, including Kelly, but it’ll be a battle that goes deep into fall camp. The Tigers have three options here: sixth-year senior Myles Brennan, Arizona State transfer Jayden Daniels and redshirt freshman Garrett Nussmeier.

But what is the plan for the rest of the summer heading into camp? How will this coaching staff divide reps? Each quarterback provides a different skill set, therefore, how does the playbook differ for each of the three?

The Tigers quarterback competition will take some time to work itself out, but getting a greater perspective from Kelly along with sophomore wide receiver Jack Bech will be a piece that goes a long way. Bech is honest, almost too honest at times, with the media, so it will be interesting to see how he feels about the quarterback battle.

Is depth an issue? How will the fresh faces within this program mesh?

Kelly took over an LSU program that had an incredibly thin roster. With less than 40 scholarship players suiting up for the Texas Bowl, it showed how brutal of a place this roster was in.

Insert Kelly, who came into a difficult spot and began rebuilding this roster to compete in the SEC. Signing 15 transfers to attack positions of need, Kelly and his staff brought in a myriad of players to round out a team full of newbies. With a mix between his 2022 high school class and transfer portal class, it’s safe to say there are a number of fresh faces within this LSU program.

So the question arises: How will they mesh and does he feel the depth of the roster is there?

Kelly hired nine new on-field coaches and replaced the majority of the support staff, making it a complete rebuild of the program. Can this new coaching staff get this roster meshing before the Sept. 4 season opener against Florida State?

What’s the plan with the linebackers?

With Mike Jones Jr., Greg Penn and Micah Baskerville looking to be the leaders in the linebacker room, what’s next? Thin at the position, could we see snaps from true freshmen Harold Perkins and DeMario Tolan?

To gain a better understanding of who this defense will be built around at the linebacker position will be key to hear from Kelly. LSU attains one of the top defensive lines in the SEC, so it’s important to see what the plan is at the second level with the linebackers.

Defensive coordinator/linebackers coach Matt House inherited a defensive line that has tremendous depth and talent, but getting the most out of his position group will be what makes or breaks this team.

Final Thoughts

Kelly has proven to be transparent with the media his entire career, making it an exciting time for him to speak at SEC Media Day. With a number of questions hoping to be answered, this is the first step as the 2022 college football season inches closer.

The Tigers have begun their new era of LSU football. With Kelly at the helm, it's clear the organization, accountability and discipline will be the main pillars in what makes this program so successful.

Notes:

LSU will be the first team to meet the media Monday as the Tigers have the 10:00 AM.-2:30 PM CT slot.
Kelly’s appearance at the podium in the main room takes place at 11:35 AM CT and can be seen on the SEC Network.
Kelly will also appear on the SEC Network set at 1:10 PM CT.