Josh Williams not surprised by LSU's success this season

LSU entered the season unranked and underrated, with SEC West teams like Alabama and Texas A&M starting off the season ranked in the top 10 of the AP Poll. But the Tigers ended up getting the last laugh, finishing the regular season 9-3 and the champions of the division, who now have a date this Saturday with Georgia in the SEC Championship game. LSU running back Josh Williams spoke about the Tigers’ improbable journey to the title game under first year head coach Brian Kelly.

“If you would have asked me that back in December of last year, then I would have been surprised,” Williams admitted. “Right now I’m not really surprised because I know all the work that we put in starting whenever Coach Kelly got here in December.”

Turning programs around and making them winners isn’t a new thing for Kelly, who’s proven that at programs like Notre Dame and Cincinnati. But doing so in his first season in college football’s premier conference is impressive, which Williams attributes to the buy and work he and his teammates put in this offseason.

“I know the work we put in as a team. Looking back on it, I believe we deserve to be here. We put in the time and effort. We incorporated a lot of discipline aspects to the team. I believe that has paid off. So I think we deserve to be here,” Williams said.

Williams’ work has definitely paid off this season for the Tigers, establishing himself as the team’s workhorse, leading Tiger running backs in carries and rushing yards. He’s had a career season with highs in rushing yards with 481 and rushing touchdowns with six, as he’ll look to keep up his production against the nation’s top defense in Georgia this weekend.

Kirby Smart pinpoints reason Brian Kelly has been so successful in year one

It took Kirby Smart two seasons as Georgia‘s head coach to take the Bulldogs to an SEC championship game, and this weekend he will be facing a head coach that did it in just one. LSU head coach Brian Kelly has turned things around for his program fast, leading the Tigers to a conference championship matchup versus the Bulldogs in his first season at the helm.

Leading up to the game, Smart was asked how he believes Kelly was successful so quickly at LSU, and if the new ability to flip rosters has an impact.

“I don’t know what to attribute that to,” Smart admitted. “I would usually start with what did they inherit and who’s their quarterback.”

LSU quarterback Jayden Daniels has played big for the Tigers, helping lead them to a 9-3 record behind his arm and his legs. This season Daniels has been one of the most efficient passers in the SEC, ranking second in completion percentage, completing 68.8% of his passes, and only throwing two interceptions. He also leads all quarterbacks in the conference in rushing yards with 824 and ranks third among all players with 11 rushing touchdowns on the season.

“So much of the success is tied to that position as a whole, being able to make good decisions. Their guy has done an elite job of doing that,” Smart said.

Daniels will be facing a Bulldogs defense that is the top-ranked in the country, holding opponents to 11.3 points per game. It will surely be a critical point of the matchup this Saturday, as Kelly and Smart’s squads will face off in Atlanta this Saturday at 4 p.m.