re: A quick breakdown of the LSU portal class

That is really the only logical response.

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think Hilton will have a role but I don't think he's going to be a starter. Think there's constant rotation though

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He will get every chance to be a starter.

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Agreed with everything except this. Chadwick is going to be your punter.

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I didn't say he wasn't

I expect him to start but they'll let Todd try

Like Hilton, not a portal add, but Harlem Berry is going to be dangerous in the passing game. We have so many unique pass catching weapons, that no part of the field should be off limits. Their skill sets compliment each other very well.

A few things, though:

1) need to stay relatively healthy

2) Durham needs to be 100% by Game 1

3) If Lindsey isn’t an early enrollee, we’ve got to grab a Noah Cain type RB after the spring. We don’t have a Josh Williams in the room, and desperately need one. He doesn’t have to average 7 ypc or be able to bust 50+ runs, but he needs to be counted, competitive, smart, and able to put his head down and drive his legs for an extra 5-10 yards after contact on the reg. Can’t count on 2 true freshman or Durham to get those really tough, but necessary runs to either move the chains or keep us on schedule. Durham should be the #1 and getting his yards between the 20s unless he breaks one and takes it to the house from outside the 20. He’s not small—big strong legs—but I don’t think we can give him 20+ carries a game and then ask him to get punished inside the 5.

4) I expect Kaleb Jackson to enter the portal after the spring, but man, if the light ever comes on for him, look out. But I don’t think we should put ourselves in a position to count on it.

5) We’ve got to find a consisting running game. Not sure if it was the OL, the scheme, the RB’s vision, the timing of the calls, or whatever. But if Durham is healthy and takes that 2nd year jump we all hope him to and establishes himself as the #1, getting those yards inside red zone could take a cumulative toll.

6) Nuss needs to run more, but he’s never gonna just flip a mental script and turn in his 5th season. But if he could just pick up a couple off big 1st downs games a game, that would be awesome. It’s the one thing we know he can do if he just convinces himself of it. 3rd and 5 and nobody open? Take off and get that damn 1st down.

I think a big part is him not running is having a coach for a father. He was probably told to keep his eyes downfield his whole childhood, and kids would eventually get open.

Hard to settle for a 7 yard hot rout or even run for 3 yards when you feel like there’s a 50+ yard connection just waiting to come open downfield. And though I love that, especially with our WRs, it just leads to lost points and extra possessions when he misses.

The 1 thing I’m super optimistic with about with Nuss is just how little football he’s played since high school. Got a “start” against Arkansas that year, played a good bit, but you cant simulate an LSU/Bama game in practice So, hopefully he’s been using that simulation machine that helped Jayden so much.

Nuss should be SOO much better this year, knowing it’s his job and will be the 1st years he’ll have ever played consecutively on since ‘19 and ‘20 when he was at Lake Travis. And who knows how many games they ever played that year.

And, he knows this will be his final year, too. I can’t imagine him not sticking around all this time without busting his arse to get as much better as he possibly can.

ETA—and I’m not sure Thomas’s best position isn’t RB. He looks good with the ball in his hands. Made some plays in the bowl game, but didn’t show great hands most of the season anywhere past like 10 yards. Im not sure they don’t move him there in the spring to try it out. Could be that veteran who could pass block when needed and get the ball to him at the goal line. His skill set just seems too similar to some of the guys we got for that shifty slot who can make people miss and make a big deal lay. And he ran it a couple of times very violently between the tackles. Wasn’t always just horizontally. He could be a nice surprise there.

To add on Hilton, I think him and Brown are very similar so when I say "start" I mean be on the field for the first rep vs Clemson. Hilton is like WR3.5 in my mind and I legit see all four going for at least 600 yards.

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Any of these guys earn a scholarship or ever dream of playing for LSU as a youngster?

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Wut?

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We bought them

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Name of the game now. Get on board, or don't compete.

Honestly if we wouldn’t had to start a redshirt freshman or whatever he was he just wasn’t ready yet at center we would have won 2 more games and probably made the playoffs. The Nuss fumble right before halftime was absolutely on him, and you can’t blame a player that’s in over his head.

Offense will be fine, quit worrying about running game that’s on the coaches. If that can’t fix that they will all be fired in a year or two anyway.

We need significant improvement in overall defense, tackling, coverage, getting off blocks etc. They got much better as season progressed but they were never good and not near elite level and that’s totally on the coaches not addressing obvious shortcomings during offseason.

Defense will decide our fate

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Connor Moore and Monroe Mills told LSU/Brad Davis to frick right off.

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You can frick right off you brainless motherfricker. It’s hard to believe someone could know less about OL play and coaching than you do.

All it needs is an elite safety added to the mix.