Brian Kelly explains his reasoning for not naming a QB1 ahead of FSU game

Brian Kelly explained his reasoning for not naming a starting quarterback for the opening game of his LSU tenure.

According to the freshly-minted Tigers leader, it was simply too close to kickoff against the Florida State Seminoles for Kelly to choose between Jayden Daniels and Garret Nussmeier.

“When it was time to talk to the guys, we were so close to the game it didn’t make any sense for me to tip that off,” stated Kelly, via the SEC Coaches Teleconference.

Evidently, Kelly simply doesn’t believe in giving his opponents an advantage over the Tigers heading into Week 1. Confident in both quarterbacks, but Kelly is keeping the word mum on which one he’ll be starting the season off with.

Still, Brian Kelly has praised both quarterbacks throughout the summer, but only one will take the field first to lead LSU into battle. Whether it’s Jayden Daniels or Garret Nussmeier, the Tigers will be in good hands regardless.

Jayden Daniels or Garrett Nussmeier? Brian Kelly, LSU confident in both

Since arriving at LSU, Daniels hasn’t wasted time developing a rapport with LSU’s top playmakers. In fall practice, he hit star Kayshon Boutte on a deep ball that showed the potential for the 2022 LSU offense.

Daniels jumped into a busy quarterback room with Garrett Nussmeier and Myles Brennan. Brennan left the team during fall camp, leaving Daniels and Nussmeier.

“At the end of the day, everything is solely focused on us,” Daniels said during fall camp. “We look at it as, how can we help the offense. At the end of the day, everybody is prepared to play be position and prepared to be the starter. That’s what we worked on, that’s the relationship we built to go out there.”

Coming out of San Bernardino (Calif.) Cajon in the 2019 recruiting class, Jayden Daniels ranked as the No. 50 overall prospect and No. 3 quarterback nationally, according to the On3 Consensus. The On3 Consensus is a complete and equally weighted industry-generated average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies.

Coming out of Flower Mound (Tex.) Marcus, Garrett Nussmeier ranked on the On3 2021 Consensus as the No. 89 overall prospect and No. 12 quarterback nationally.