Nick Saban, retired from coaching, thinks LSU football will thrive in 2024

USC football meets LSU in Week 1 of the college football season. It’s one of the biggest opening-week games on the slate. Nick Saban didn’t make a USC-LSU prediction this week at SEC media days, but the now-retired coach is making his assessments of various SEC teams. He is more bullish on LSU than many others who follow the SEC. LSU Tigers Wire has the details on what the former national champion LSU head coach said:

Saban said he sees the Tigers as a sleeper team entering 2024. He spoke highly of quarterback Garrett Nussmeier and the receiving corps while also stating his belief that the defense is improving. Despite the heavy losses this offseason, he thinks the 2024 team could be the most complete under Kelly.

“I think that people sort of look at LSU having a first-round draft pick quarterback, two first-round wide receivers, they see these significant impact players leave the program,” Saban said, per On3. “But what I see at LSU is still a very good, talented receiver corps, I see a young quarterback who has tremendous potential and I see the defense getting better.

“So I think the squad, overall, is probably more balanced and a better squad than they had a year ago even though they don’t have those three significant players. So I think they’re still going to have a much better team than people may give them credit for.”

Visit our friends at Fighting Irish Wire, Buffaloes Wire, and Ducks Wire. Follow our newest sites, UW Huskies Wire and UCLA Wire.

Check out more NFL draft coverage with the USA TODAY Sports NFL Draft Hub.