Greg McElroy calls SEC powerhouse's offense a 'work in progress' despite 3-0 start

Greg McElroy says LSU’s defense shines but offense still lags.

College football analyst Greg McElroy is concerned about the LSU Tigers' offense despite the team's 3-0 start to the 2025 season. | John David Mercer-Imagn Images

LSU’s defense carried the night against Florida, swarming the Gators in a 20-10 win that pushed the Tigers to 3-0. The victory extended Brian Kelly’s perfect start to the season, but it also reignited questions about an offense that continues to sputter.

College football analyst Greg McElroy addressed those concerns on his Always College Football show Sunday, noting LSU’s dominant defensive performance while questioning the state of the offense. “As far as LSU's offense is concerned, we'll hit this a little bit more on Monday's show. They are very much a work in progress, but right now something's just not adding up for me,” McElroy said.

The Tigers intercepted five passes, including two by Dashawn Spears, and smothered Florida quarterback DJ Lagway. The offense, though, finished with fewer than 100 rushing yards until a late burst, punted seven times, and gave away possession on a careless interception by Garrett Nussmeier.

LSU Defense Bails Out An Inconsistent Offense

McElroy highlighted how LSU’s defense flipped the game. “LSU’s defense was amazing, right? Amazing,” he said, praising Spears for baiting Lagway into costly throws. Even without preseason All-American linebacker Whit Weeks, who was ejected for targeting in the opening minutes, the Tigers forced mistakes and dictated the game’s rhythm.

Florida managed 287 passing yards but never established control. Each time the Gators gained momentum, LSU answered with pressure or an interception. Jack Pyburn, a Florida transfer, called joining LSU’s defense “the best decision I ever made,” describing it as “fast, violent, physical and aggressive.” That swagger kept the Tigers in front while their offense failed to put the game away.

LSU Tigers safety Dashawn Spears (10) collected two of the team's five interceptions against Florida. | Stephen Lew-Imagn Images

For Kelly, the defensive dominance justified his measured approach on offense. He pointed to field position and time management, punting on several fourth-and-short plays rather than forcing the issue.

McElroy agreed with the strategy, saying, “You don't need to have fireworks if the game doesn't require fireworks. The goal is to get to the finish line first and be victorious, right? And his team did that.”

LSU’s Offense Remains A Work In Progress

Even with McElroy’s praise for the defensive effort, he warned that LSU’s offense cannot continue at this pace. Nussmeier, who threw for more than 4,000 yards last season, has not found his rhythm with his new receiving corps. LSU also finished with just 96 rushing yards, half of which came on a late run by freshman Caden Durham.

McElroy said the Tigers “could do more” offensively and added, “I hope because it might be needed at some point in the future when their defense, for whatever reason, has an uncharacteristically bad night.”

LSU Tigers quarterback Garrett Nussmeier passed for 220 yards, one touchdown and one interception against Florida on Saturday. | SCOTT CLAUSE / USATODAY Network / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

He remains “optimistic about what we’ve seen from LSU,” but emphasized that the margin for error will shrink once SEC play deepens.

The Tigers’ path to Atlanta depends on whether their offense can catch up to the level of their defense. If it does, LSU looks like a contender. If not, the ceiling may be lower than expected. LSU will host Southeastern Louisiana next Saturday night in Baton Rouge.