Brian Kelly shares how LSU offense will be different with new OC, QB

The LSU offense was arguably the best in the country in 2023, but several of the key pieces from that unit are now gone.

That includes Heisman winner Jayden Daniels, All-American receivers Malik Nabers and Brian Thomas Jr. and offensive coordinator Mike Denbrock.

Still, Tigers head coach Brian Kelly has a lot of confidence in the LSU offense entering the 2024 season. Kelly spoke with ESPN ahead of the spring game on Saturday about how the offense will be different but can still be successful in 2024.

“I think where you try to focus is the running game,” Brian Kelly said. “An outstanding offensive line, you return a great offensive line. Let’s lean on them. Let’s give them the opportunity to show their ability to control the line of scrimmage.”

LSU led the nation in total offense last season at 543.5 yards per game. However, the majority of those yards came through the air.

LSU was a solid rushing team, averaging 204.5 yards per game. But Daniels was the leading rusher with more than 1,100 yards.

Instead of relying on the quarterback to make plays with his arm and legs in 2024, the Tigers will be more balanced on offense, starting with the running game.

“I think we all know, the game of football hasn’t changed all that much,” Kelly said. “If you control the line of scrimmage you then can do things in terms of throwing the football, play-action pass. It opens up everything else.”

The good news for LSU is that it has another excellent quarterback moving into the starting role in Garrett Nussmeier. The rising junior appeared in seven games last season, including the bowl game against Wisconsin.

With Jayden Daniels opting out of the bowl, Nussmeier threw for 395 yards and three touchdowns in a win over Wisconsin.

Kelly loved what he saw from his QB to end last season and feels good about where he is heading into 2024.

“Well, I think that’s a day that for him put him over the top,” Kelly said of the bowl game. “You could see that with the way he handled himself in the spring. It was poise, it was confidence. And I want to see it out here today. He’s not going to play a lot today, because we’ve got a battle for that No. 2 position. But he needs to go out here, direct the offense, be deliberate, be decisive, And really run it like a veteran and we expect him to do that.”