LSU intends to replace Jayden Daniels with a committee of excellence

The excellence of Jayden Daniels was impossible to ignore last season. Daniels was a one-man band who won the Heisman Trophy even though LSU lost to Alabama, did not win the SEC, and did not make the College Football Playoff. This year, LSU has to be better at every non-quarterback position in order to compensate for Daniels’ exit to the NFL. Brian Kelly thinks his Tiger offense is in position to do exactly that and become just as productive as it was in 2023, if not more so.

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“I don’t know if we have a receiver like (Malik) Nabers, but we have speed and we have experience at that position,” Kelly said. “I think we have two or three tight ends that are mismatch problems. It starts with Mason Taylor, and I think we’ve got enough running backs. I think we all have seen the running back position is really unique, capable and you need more than one. And I think that’s what we’ve got.

“So, with a running game that is not predicated upon the quarterback running it, that has to start with an offensive line. That’s why I feel confident.”

LSU quarterback Garrett Nussmeier is confident about his offense because he thinks his offensive line is elite:

“They call themselves the bomb squad, and they have this nasty identity,” Nussmeier said of his tackles. “They want to outwork everybody, and they push all of us to catch them.”

LSU thinks it can replace Jayden Daniels with a full roster of quality players. USC will see if the Tigers’ new roster is up to the task on Sept. 1 in Las Vegas.

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