SEC Media Days are underway in Dallas, Texas, and third-year LSU head coach Brian Kelly helped kick off the festivities. The Tigers have gone 20-7 with two bowl victories in his first two seasons, but they have their sights on more in 2024. What insights into the upcoming campaign did Kelly give during his time on stage?
Three Takeaways From Brian Kelly Talking at SEC Media Days
1) Garrett Nussmeier Is Ready To Take the Keys From Jayden Daniels
Redshirt junior Garrett Nussmeier has waited two years behind Jayden Daniels, but now it’s his turn to start under center. Across 18 games and one start, Nussmeier has completed 129 of 219 passes for 1,720 yards, 11 touchdowns, and seven interceptions.
While his numbers aren’t all that impressive on paper, Kelly is excited to see the Nuss Bus at the wheel.
“He’s been amazing and amazing in the sense of watching a player go from the No. 2 quarterback to the No. 1 quarterback,” Kelly said at Media Days. “I’ll give you this analogy: When you’re the No. 2, it’s not your car, so you’re a little reckless with it. You’re OK if it’s dented or if you run it off the road. That was him maybe getting a little careless with the interceptions.
“Now, it’s his car, and you can see the way he’s driving; he’s very, very proud of this car. The way he does things every day, you can see that leadership coming together as the starting quarterback, and it’s really fun to watch.”
The last time we saw Nussmeier on the field, he threw 395 yards and three TDs and led the Tigers on a game-winning TD drive over Wisconsin in the ReliaQuest Bowl, highlighting the skill set Kelly believes in.
2) It Will Be the Harold Perkins Show in 2024
This spring, Kelly touched on LSU’s inability to utilize star LB Harold Perkins properly last season — that won’t be the case this year. The true junior hit the ground running as a true freshman and has amassed 147 tackles, 26 TFLs, 13 sacks, seven forced fumbles, two INTs, and seven PBUs in two seasons, earning back-to-back All-SEC honors.
Yet, Kelly believes there’s another level to unlock. He said the LB is now over 220 pounds and that his “versatility will be important to what we do on defense.” Former Missouri DC Blake Baker, a longtime LBs coach, understands the position and will ensure Perkins is deployed properly, primarily as an inside linebacker.
But Kelly didn’t bring Perkins to Media Days just because he’s an elite athlete or defensive leader. “I brought him here because I wanted you to see him outside of football,” Kelly said, telling reporters that the LB is one of the team’s funniest and best students (owns a 3.65 GPA).
3) Renewed Emphasis on Defense
Perkins isn’t the only part of LSU’s defense that received attention at Media Days. In fact, Kelly put the unit’s play last year on blast:
“Clearly, being the No. 1 offense in the country isn’t good enough. … We had a 10-win season, and I fired my whole defensive staff. We have to get better.”
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Adding Baker was a significant step in the right direction, and it wasn’t a cheap one. Baker initially signed a contract extension with Missouri after turning the defense around from 113th in total defense in 2021 to 56th and 25th over the last two years.
However, just two weeks later, the Tigers lured him away with a three-year, $2.5 million contract, making him the highest-paid assistant in college football. Baker has the players at his disposal to right the ship, including EDGE Brayden Swinson, LB Greg Penn III, Perkins, and DBs Major Burns, Ryan Sage, and freshman PJ Woodland.
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