What the Departure of QB Walker Howard Means for LSU
LSU quarterback Walker Howard will be taking his talent elsewhere for the 2023 season after entering his name into the NCAA Transfer Portal.
With his departure after just one season in Baton Rouge, what does this mean for the LSU quarterback room? Bringing in 2023 signee Rickie Collins as an early enrollee this spring, the Tigers will have three scholarship signal-callers on roster.
A dive into the significance of Howard leaving Death Valley:
Is it time to panic?
The quick answer is no. Long-term, to have a 5-star safety net at your disposal would have been crucial for this program, but at the end of the day the Tigers still have depth moving forward.
With Jayden Daniels returning for the 2023 season, Brian Kelly’s program returns a 10-win starter who has shown tremendous growth during his time in Baton Rouge. Sure, it was supposed to be a one-year rental where he declared for the 2023 NFL Draft, but Daniels evolved as the season went on into one of the top quarterbacks in the SEC.
With Daniels, Garrett Nussmeier and Rickie Collins in your back pocket, LSU has the talent to compete for the foreseeable future, which is why now isn’t the time to panic.
Does this mean Garrett Nussmeier is here to stay?
This is where things get tricky. Nussmeier will be a redshirt sophomore in 2023, and will likely sit behind Daniels once again next season, making it something to monitor as spring ball begins in the coming months.
The Tigers must keep their foot on the gas to keep Nussmeier in Death Valley. There are two ways to look at it:
- Does Howard leaving mean Nussmeier is prepared to wait until 2024 to take starting duties while sitting behind Daniels?
- Could the Tigers run a two-quarterback system in 2023?
All signs point to Nussmeier being prepared to take over as the Tigers’ starter in 2024, and with the first transfer portal window closing on January 19th, Nussmeier will compete this spring. But there’s always the second transfer portal window from May 1-15.
It’s imperative the Tigers remain locked in with Nussmeier through the spring to keep him on the roster come next season.
As for a two-quarterback system, which many have inquired about, head coach Brian Kelly has stated loud and clear that will not be the case for his program. He was asked about it throughout fall camp and continued to be adamant about a two-man system not happening.
So, what now?
Currently, the Tigers have Daniels in 2023 with Nussmeier and Collins locked in for the foreseeable future, but there’s another big fish heading to town next year in the 2024 class: 5-star Colin Hurley.
Hurley, who already bleeds purple and gold, is locked in with the Tigers and looks to be a key piece to this program for the long-term after Nussmeier and/or Collins.
It’s not time to panic. The Tigers have depth at a position this program traditionally has not had depth at before. Howard, an LSU legacy, certainly had next, but Kelly’s squad is in good hands for quite some time.
