The To-Do List: Things LSU Football and Brian Kelly Need to Do This Offseason

After finishing the 2024 season with a 9-4 record in Baton Rouge, Brian Kelly and the LSU Tigers head into a crucial offseason.

Kelly made reference to the fact that losing four games in a single season is not the “LSU standard” after the regular season concluded on November 30 with a victory over Oklahoma.

After finishing with the top class in America with 14 additions to date, Kelly and the staff then slammed into the NCAA Transfer Portal.

In terms of roster construction, LSU is doing well. With the opportunity to improve the program in 2025, a number of pieces with immediate impact are traveling to Baton Rouge this offseason.

Before the upcoming season, which position group does the Tigers need to target in the portal? What is on Kelly’s program’s “To-Do List”?

The Bayou Bengals’ To-Do List:
First, cultivate a relationship between Garrett Nussmeier and Receiving Corps

Following the departure of Kyren Lacy and CJ Daniels from the program in December, LSU signal-caller Garrett Nussmeier will return to Baton Rouge for the 2025 season with a new receiving corps.

The focus will now be on who will be in charge of the wide receiver room in 2025 since the two starters are no longer involved.

Aaron Anderson is one returning player who will undoubtedly assume starting responsibilities. Everything came together for the highly sought-after wideout in 2024. With 61 receptions for 875 yards and five scores in autumn, Anderson put together a spectacular season.

For the 2025 season, Anderson will return to LSU along with Zavion Thomas and Chris Hilton Jr., but after that, it will be freshmen.

Nic Anderson and Barion Brown, two of the top five wide receivers in the NCAA Transfer Portal, were signed by LSU.

With ten touchdown receptions in 2023, the Oklahoma standout set the freshman record for the state. For a freshman, his 798 receiving yards that season rank second in Oklahoma history.

Anderson played in 17 games over his two years with the Sooners, including six starts in 2023 as a redshirt freshman. Due to an injury, Anderson missed the entire 2024 season.

In addition to Anderson, Barion Brown, who transferred from Kentucky in December, will join LSU’s formidable receiving corps.

Brown, who spent three years with Kentucky, comes to LSU with more than 120 career catches, more than 1500 receiving yards, and ten or more touchdowns.

With five kick return touchdowns during his collegiate career, Brown also holds the record for most kick return touchdowns in SEC history. In 2025, expect the veteran to play a key role in LSU’s success.

Step 2: Organize the Safety Room

The safety room is the position group that most urgently needs more players this offseason, according to the NCAA Transfer Portal.

Major Burns (2025 NFL Draft) and Sage Ryan (Transfer Portal) have already left Baton Rouge, and the safety room now primarily consists of Dashawn Spears, Jardin Gilbert, and Javien Toviano.

After spending his first two seasons in Baton Rouge playing both cornerback and STAR, Toviano moved to safety last month.

Mansoor Delane, a Virginia Tech transfer and the portal’s second-ranked cornerback, has joined LSU; nonetheless, his versatility is a crucial component of his addition. He can and has played safety in the past, and he was undoubtedly successful.

Blake Baker, the defensive coordinator, will enjoy spending time with Delane here. He is a flexible player who can play safety, boundary cornerback, and other positions.

It’s obvious that the Tigers will attack the portal to get assistance in the safety position in spite of this. When all is said and done, expect the program to add two safety features. Both general talent and competition are needed in this room. It increases the significance of the portal.

No. 3: Examine the Playcalling

It was clear that the LSU offense, which struggled in the run-game, remained dependable during the regular season. As a consequence, Nussmeier had a great deal of responsibility for the passing assault.

Defenses started attacking the Tigers, which became evident during the three-game losing run against Alabama, Texas A&M, and Florida, with the majority of the volume coming through the air.

Going forward, there will undoubtedly be adjustments made to the LSU offense’s setup as offensive coordinator Joe Sloan prepares to start his second season as the team’s head coach.

Kelly became more involved in the playcalling at the end of the 2024 season. Whether that holds true throughout spring training and beyond into the offseason will be determined.

No. 4: Determine the Accurate Rotation of the Offensive Line

LT Tyree Adams, LG Paul Mubenga, RG Bo Bordelon, and RG Coen Echols were among the newcomers who joined LSU’s offensive line in the Texas Bowl on Tuesday against Baylor.

Weston Davis, a tackle, was another young player who saw action. Although the Tigers have a new look, the next generation of players is expected to take over as four starters—Will Campbell, Emery Jones, Garrett Dellinger, and Miles Frazier—are leaving this offseason.

LSU has added Josh Thompson, a transfer from Northwestern, and Braelin Moore, a transfer from Virginia Tech, in addition to young players filling in.

Moore… After three seasons with the Hokies, the interior offensive lineman ranked #1 in the NCAA Transfer Portal is going to Baton Rouge. After being the offensive line’s primary supplier, the ACC stud became a crucial component of Virginia Tech’s offense. During the regular season, Virginia Tech’s running attack amassed nearly 2,000 yards thanks in part to the 6-foot-3, 303-pound player.

Thompson… Several programs showed a great deal of interest in the 6-foot-5, 301-pound player, who PFF ranked as the Big Ten’s second-best offensive tackle. He is now a versatile player who can play both guard and tackle when he gets to Baton Rouge.

With true freshman Carius Curne expected to compete for significant plays, LSU will have a plethora of weapons to work with in 2025.

With so many weapons at his disposal, offensive line coach Brad Davis will have his hands full, but it’s a wonderful problem to have.

No. 5: Catch up with Whit Weeks

After suffering a horrific ankle injury, LSU linebacker Whit Weeks left the Tigers’ Texas Bowl game against the Baylor Bears in the first half.

Weeks, the LSU defense’s mainstay, made his debut in 2024 after setting a record for the most solo tackles in the SEC.

Despite a slight setback in the program’s bowl game, he has rapidly established himself as a crucial component of the Tigers’ success on and off the field.

Weeks eventually sustained a severe ankle injury after becoming trapped behind a mound. Then, before the half, he was carried off the field.

A dislocated ankle with a fractured fibula is the diagnosis. Wilson Alexander of The Advocate reported that Weeks did not sustain any ligament damage during his surgery on Thursday to fix the break.

All focus will be on Weeks getting back up to speed going ahead, as he is scheduled to spend the next few months in rehab and fully recuperate.