It can be difficult to make assessments this far in advance in college football these days, especially with the roster volatility that the transfer portal brings. But with the second transfer portal window getting slower and slower, we now have a pretty clear picture of what rosters will look like next fall.
With that in mind, ESPN’s Mark Schlabach updated its college football Top 25 rankings after spring ball and introduced some changes. For LSU, however, this meant no movement. Coach Brian Kelly’s team ranked 14th in January, and that continues to be the case in this ranking.
Here’s what Schlabach had to say about the Tigers.
Spring Update: The Tigers will have a new-look offense as Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Jayden Daniels and leading receivers Malik Nabers and Brian Thomas Jr. Quarterback Garrett Nussmeier picked up where he left off in the bowl game, completing 7 of 7 passes to 187 yards with two touchdowns in spring game. With quarterbacks coach Joe Sloan calling the plays, Nussmeier looked more than comfortable. Transfer receivers Zavion Thomas (Mississippi State) and CJ Daniels (Liberty) showed they are ready to produce this season. LSU coach Brian Kelly brought in former Missouri defensive coordinator Blake Baker to turn around a unit that ranked 81st in scoring defense (28 points) and 118th in pass defense (255.9 yards) in 2023. The Tigers are still looking for defensive line help after Mekhi Wingo and Maason Smith left for the NFL. Defensive end Gabriel Reliford, an early enrollee, was a bright spot in the spring. The Tigers signed defensive tackle Jay’viar Suggs (Grand Valley State) last week for added depth. The secondary continued to be flawed in the spring game.
The Tigers lost a lot of pieces, and while it wasn’t exactly a prolific gateway class, it featured some good replacements for draft losses, like Daniels at receiver. LSU hopes that will be enough to compete for a playoff spot in Year 1 of an expanded SEC.
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