10 burning questions as the Tigers head into the offseason

LSU went 10-4 in his first season under Brian Kelly.

It won the SEC West, but Georgia beat it pretty badly in the SEC Championship Game.

It recovered well enough to dominate Purdue in a 63-7 victory in the Citrus Bowl.

It lost some players to the NFL and the transfer portal, but fared better in that regard than some other teams.

The Tigers are very much still a program in transition as Kelly and his staff begin preparing for another season.

Here are 10 burning questions as LSU heads into the offseason:

1. Who is the starting quarterback?

OK, so this burning question isn’t exactly hell. Jayden Daniels is coming back for his senior season after a really good 2022 and looks to hold his position in 2023.

But Garrett Nussmeier battled Daniels for the starting spot last preseason camp before playing poorly in extended playing time during Southern’s early season.

Nussmeier played much better in the SEC Championship Game loss to Georgia and the Citrus Bowl win over Purdue. He’s a strong No. 2, and if he continues to improve, who knows?

2. Will all the quarterbacks return?

That seems more likely because Nussmeier seems more willing to return after taking advantage of some late-season opportunities.

Freshman Walker Howard is a redshirt and will have plenty of time to earn his opportunity, though incoming freshman Rickie Collins adds to the competition for a position on the depth chart.

3. Is Kelly shaking up her staff?

Towards the end of the season, there has been speculation that Kelly may make changes to his staff.

The special teams have been plagued by major disruptions at times, so coordinator Brian Polian, who serves as the recruiting coordinator, has been a primary target of outside criticism.

But Kelly was pretty blunt after the Citrus Bowl when he said he was happy with everyone on the staff. So the answer is no.

4. Will the Tigers miss Kayshon Boutte?

Not really.

He never returned to the form he had before suffering an ankle injury midway through the 2021 season.

Kelly criticized his training habits early on, but Boutte seemed to take the criticism in a positive way. After a poor start to the season, he contributed – but not dynamically – throughout.

Late last month, Kelly announced that Boutte would be unavailable for the Citrus Bowl but had committed to LSU for the spring. A few hours later, Boutte announced he was going to the NFL. So the Tigers won’t be sorry to see him go.

The wide receiver depth was on display in the Citrus Bowl, and there is a lot more talent coming to the position for 2023.

5. Can I remove my DBU t-shirt from the mothballs?

No.

For the second straight season, Kelly will have to lean heavily on newcomers to fill out the secondary. Four key defensive backs either sat out or ran out of eligibility, and this season’s impressive cornerbacks won’t be back.

LSU has 6 freshmen and 2 transfers in the secondary. The unit could turn out great – as it did for most of this season.

But DBs will not be the signing position for this team in 2023.

6. Do the Tigers have a defender?

No.

They have a good group of running backs in John Emery II, Noah Cain and Armoni Goodwin as well as 2 incoming 4-star recruits.

But it’s likely that relievers will be utilized in 2023 the same way they were in 2022 — a committee approach where multiple players can take on a starring role from week to week.

That’s not necessarily bad.

7. Who will wear No. 7 next season?

Wide receiver Malik Nabers made a compelling case during the Citrus Bowl.

He caught 9 passes for 163 yards and 1 touchdown and completed both 50-yard passes, including a 5-yard touchdown toss to Daniels.

As long as he handles the offseason and preseason as Kelly expects, it’s hard to imagine Nabers not being selected to wear the coveted jersey — though LB Harold Perkins Jr. could give him a run for his money.

8. Is there enough depth in the defensive line?

Not at this point.

The defensive line did not form as deep and effective a rotation as expected this season. This was due in part to the loss of star tackle Maason Smith to a season-ending injury early in the preseason.

Then BJ Ojulari, Ali Gaye and Jaquelin Roy left the Citrus Bowl to focus on the NFL Draft.

The return of the Smiths is significant, and Mekhi Wingo will be back. Younger players like ends Zavier Carter, Quency Wiggins and Saivion Jones, along with Jacobian Guillory, Tygee Hill and Bryce Langston should be able to handle expanded roles.

Between the freshman class and the transfer portal, 7 new linemen will join the Tigers.

That question may be answered differently in September, as one of the most important projects of the offseason will be developing a deep defensive line rotation.

9. Who are the defense leaders?

Good question.

A healthy Smith is sure to be on the list, as is Perkins. Safety Major Burns is eligible, as is linebacker Greg Penn III.

Others are expected to appear between now and the fall.

10. Who is the odd man out among the three young tackles?

Maybe no one.

The arrival of 5-star recruit Zalance Heard to join Will Campbell and Emery Jones Jr. — 2 freshmen who not only started, but thrived this season — creates one of the more intriguing storylines for the 2023 season.

Heard is confident and recently suggested he won’t be kept out of the starting lineup. Maybe he’ll be good enough to move one of the veterans in. Maybe hell can start on its own. Maybe Kelly and offensive line coach Brad Davis decide to essentially pick with three starters and rotate them.

But that trio and the return of experienced inside linebackers will produce a much better offensive line unit than Kelly began his tenure.