Behind Enemy Lines: LSU insider offers thoughts on Tigers, Brian Kelly, matchup with FSU

NEW ORLEANS — In anticipation of the Florida State football team’s game here Sunday night against LSU (7:30 p.m. ET, ABC), Warchant exchanged questions and answers with The Bengal Tiger, the LSU site on the On3 network.

In this Q&A, LSU analyst Billy Embody discusses the rebuilding job Brian Kelly faces with the Tigers, how this showdown with Florida State will play out, who he expects to see at quarterback and more.

(ALSO BELOW: We have included our responses to questions about Florida State, which will run on The Bengal Tiger site.)

Q: There were a lot of questions when Brian Kelly was hired about how he would connect with players in the South. Have those concerns completely gone away? How are those relationships going?

A: I think a lot of those concerns were driven by the fact that he’s never been in the South, but I would say those concerns have gone away. What makes Brian Kelly fit so far is that he’s well-researched on everything he does, has high expectations while being fair to his players, and has the credentials to back it up. He’s also had a terrific summer in recruiting, which has quieted almost all concerns as of now. He’s done a terrific job embracing the culture in his way, which is a positive. He knows expectations are high and welcomes them, which you have to as the head coach in Baton Rouge. So far, he’s pressing the right buttons. 

Q: There was a lot of speculation early in camp that Jayden Daniels was going to win the starting quarterback job. Is that still the feeling for most? What have been the impressions of what he brings to the offense?

A: That’s the feeling we get from most everyone. While Kelly doesn’t hand players anything, Jayden Daniels wasn’t brought in with expectations to sit on the bench. If he does start, he’s certainly earned it. Word is he’s developed more consistency over the past few months and hasn’t made as many mistakes. Garrett Nussmeier is capable as well, though, and I do feel like he gave Daniels plenty of competition. Daniels brings a player who can run the ball when asked to and extend plays a good bit. If he can return to his freshman year form, that could be dangerous.

Q: The Tigers obviously underachieved last season, and there has been a lot of chatter about the way Ed Orgeron ran the program the last couple of years. In your opinion, will this be a quick fix? Or will it take some for Kelly to get the program where he wants it?

A: I do and I don’t. What I mean by that is I think LSU will have a solid floor this year of seven wins. I think the staff gels well, coupled with some difference-makers already in town along with an influx of transfers who should be reliable starters and add quality depth. If the staff keeps recruiting at this level, the cupboard for the future should be stocked well. That means SEC championships could be a couple years away. But LSU will be competitive in the meantime. There’s a lot to mesh together this year, so I’m very intrigued to see how it all comes together, but I do think LSU is back on track. And Kelly is pushing the right buttons for long-term success.

Q: Everyone here knows about Kayshon Boutte and the other wide receivers, and we’re aware that the secondary has been bolstered by some experienced transfers from other schools. How have those DBs held up against such a talented group of receivers in practice? And what do you expect from them in games?

A: It’s a tough ask to cover guys like Kayshon Boutte, Malik Nabers, Brian Thomas, Kyren Lacy and Jack Bech in practice, but I would say the secondary is now solid. They feel they’ve got a sleeper in McNeese State transfer Colby Richardson, who has reshaped his body. Ragin Cajuns transfer Mekhi Garner has impressed with his size and production. Power Five veterans Sevyn Banks and Jarrick Bernard-Converse bring a solid presence when healthy. Top to bottom, they’re just deeper and more physically imposing now. I don’t know if any of them are “island” shut-down guys, but it seems like they’ve fit in well with the new scheme.

Q: How do you see the game playing out. Will you be making a prediction?

A: It’s a tough call to make. I do think FSU is better than LSU fans are giving the ‘Noles credit for, but I still think LSU has a bit more to offer in terms of depth and coaching staff. Mike Norvell’s team really battled well last year against Notre Dame, but the talent — especially in LSU’s defensive line room — will be the difference. If that group plays up to its expectations, I feel the ‘Noles will have a tough time. I do think LSU’s offense will take a moment to get going with whoever starts at quarterback, and I have some run-game concerns as well. I’m starting to lean toward this one being a bit more of a struggle for both teams. I’m going LSU 28, Florida State 20.

Warchant responses to questions about FSU

Here are Ira Schoffel’s responses to questions from the LSU site about the ‘Noles. (Note: These responses were sent earlier in the week before some players practiced on Wednesday):

Q: What were the most important takeaways for you on both sides of the ball for the Noles after Game 1? Give us the good and the bad from that opener that you saw.

A: Offensively, the most encouraging thing was probably the way quarterback Jordan Travis operated. He looked much more confident with his throws in preseason camp, so it was a positive to see him carry that over to a game — even against an inferior opponent like Duquesne. It’s hard to find a lot of problems on offense because they averaged 8.4 yards per play, so I’d have to go with the injuries. WR Johnny Wilson went down with a sprained ankle and center Darius Washington left with an undisclosed injury, and both of those happened in the first quarter. Neither injury seems serious, but they could affect their availability this week.

On defense, the biggest positive probably was the play of safety Jammie Robinson. The South Carolina transfer was first-team All-ACC last season, and I thought he looked even better in the opener — especially in pass defense. And the coaches moved him around a good bit to try to get him involved in the entire defense. My only real concern was I thought the defensive front would have looked more dominant and disruptive. It’s hard to complain too much when you hold a team to 164 yard of offense, but I was hoping to see a little more in terms of tackles for loss.

Q: LSU’s wide receiver room is talented, but FSU’s is as well and brings experience. From what the FSU players said, there’s some confidence they can handle that group. How do you see Adam Fuller trying to slow them down?

A: FSU has a pretty experienced secondary, with four starters back and several other guys who have played a lot of college football. Even backups like cornerback Jarrian Jones and Jarques McClellion previously played in the SEC; Jones at Mississippi State and McClellion at Arkansas. So I don’t think they will be intimidated going into this game. At the same time, I really think the key to the whole game for FSU defensively is taking control of the line of scrimmage. The strength of the Seminoles’ defense should be its defensive front, and if those guys can limit LSU’s rushing attack and disrupt the quarterbacks’ timing, that could neutralize the Tigers’ edge at receiver. If they can’t, that could mean trouble for the secondary.

Q: FSU QB Jordan Travis is no stranger to a Brian Kelly team, but eventually rebounded to have a strong 2021 season. What are the keys to slowing him down and what makes him dangerous?

A: An effective approach some teams have used is stacking the box to limit his running ability, playing tight man coverage on the receivers, and daring Travis to throw the ball downfield. Last season, the Seminoles had a tough time making opposing defenses pay for using that approach. But an infusion of talent at wide receiver, along with potential improvement from Travis, could change that script. Travis’ greatest strength by far is his running ability. He not only is extremely fast, but he is elusive and has excellent vision as a runner.

Q: What type of defense does Fuller bring to the table and how much do you think having faced a Kelly offense helps him in this matchup?

A: Under Fuller, FSU has predominantly played a 4-2-5 defense, and last season the Seminoles didn’t have to blitz much because their front-four generated a great deal of pressure. But ACC Defensive Player of the Year Jermaine Johnson is off to the NFL, as is fellow defensive end Keir Thomas. So if new starters Jared Verse and Derrick McLendon can’t fill those shoes, Fuller might have to resort to bringing more pressure from the back end. In general, the Seminoles play a lot of man coverage, but they will mix in some zone on occasion. I think Fuller would like to be more diverse scheme-wise, but they had to scale things back some the first two years so the players could play faster.

Q: FSU looks like it got a little dinged up in the opener. How important is Amari Gainer to the Noles defense and what does his loss mean, if he can’t go? With Darius Washington nicked up, what difference would Maurice Smith make at center? If Johnny Wilson is back, how much does that help the receiver room?

A: Gainer is an active player who can really run, which is how he racks up so many tackles. But he actually wasn’t one of the Seminoles’ two starting linebackers in the opener, so I wouldn’t consider it a major, major loss. It’s more of a concern from a depth standpoint, but I still think they have at least two linebackers at each position that they feel good about. 

Maurice Smith coming back would definitely be a boost, not only because he’s their best center but because it would allow other players to remain at their usual positions. If Smith and Washington are unavailable, left guard Dillan Gibbons would likely move over to that position, and the Seminoles would have to move someone else to his spot.

Wilson is very important to the receiving corps. After transferring in from Arizona State during the spring, he emerged as a major target in preseason camp. He offers a huge target at 6-foot-7, which makes him an obvious weapon on third downs and in the red zone, and he could be a nice security blanket for Travis. If Wilson is unavailable, the Seminoles have several other options, but none with his unique physical skills.

Q: How do you see this one playing out on Sunday? Got a prediction for the game?

A: I think both offenses are going to have a tough time running the ball, so I think it’s going to come down to which quarterback is the most effective. And I’ll give Jordan Travis the edge simply because he has been in Mike Norvell’s offense for three years now. I’m going with the Seminoles pulling out a 28-21 victory.

Talk about this story with other die-hard FSU football fans on the Tribal Council.