LSU is set to open its 2020 season Saturday in Tiger Stadium with a matchup against the Mississippi State Bulldogs at 2:30 p.m.
The Tigers are coming off one of the best seasons in college football history, one that saw LSU finish 2019 as the undefeated national champion. But most of the key contributors for that team including Heisman Trophy winning quarterback Joe Burrow have departed, leaving several questions ahead of this year’s 10-game slate.
Here are the five biggest questions surrounding the Tigers as they begin the 2020 season:
What will Myles Brennan and the offense look like?
The former four-star recruit came to LSU as one of the top quarterbacks in his class and sat behind Danny Etling and Joe Burrow the past three seasons. The Mississippi native will finally get his chance to lead LSU. LSU head coach Ed Orgeron said Brennan has all the tools to lead the Tigers to a successful season, including “probably a stronger arm than Joe Burrow had,” and has been very accurate in the preseason scrimmages ahead of the opener.
“The only thing that we don't know, and I do believe that he's going to do very well, is how he's going to do in the fire,” Orgeron said. ”And the only way to know that is put him in the fire.”
Brennan will also start the season with a new passing game coordinator, Scott Linehan, and without LSU’s top two receivers from last season, Biletnikoff Award winner Ja’Marr Chase and first-round NFL draft pick Justin Jefferson. He does have talent in the receiving corps including top receiver Terrace Marshall Jr. who caught 12 touchdown passes last season despite missing four games, as well as true freshmen Arik Gilbert and Kayshon Boutte. Both players have drawn rave reviews from coaches and teammates throughout fall camp.
Will a single running back emerge?
Orgeron said sophomore running back Chris Curry will likely be the first running back in for the Tigers Saturday but that he felt Curry, Tyrion Davis-Price and John Emery Jr. were all starters. He expects the three backs to spilt touches but added that if one emerged LSU would ride the hot hand much like they did last season with Clyde Edwards-Helaire who finished 2019 with over 1,000 yards rushing.
Orgeron feels running back is a strength of this team so expect the three backs to see plenty of action.
What’s the LSU defense going to look like?
LSU switched to a 4-3 defense this offseason under new defensive coordinator Bo Pelini, after former defensive coordinator Dave Aranda became the head coach at Baylor.
Orgeron has spoken highly of the new LSU defense and players have describe it as aggressive. Adding to the intrigue is the fact that LSU returns very few starters on the unit from last season.
Only Glen Logan, Jacoby Stevens and Derek Stingley Jr. started multiple games. LSU does have several players, like Cordale Flott and Damone Clark who saw extensive playing time last year.
How will the defensive line perform?
The Tigers defensive line is possibly the position group with the least experience on the defensive unit. LSU is with out key players Rashard Lawrence, K’Lavon Chaisson, Tyler Shelvin and Breiden Fehoko.
Logan is the group’s only returning starter but Orgeron thinks the unit has significant talent between new starters Ali Gaye, Andre Anthony, Apu Ika and expected key contributors Joseph Evans, Travez Moore and B.J. Ojulari.
Can LSU repeat as national champion?
Possibly the biggest questions facing the Tigers is if they’ll be able to capture a second-straight national championship. LSU’s schedule of 10 SEC opponents is challenging and the Tigers will have to contend with the uncertainty on the COVID-19 pandemic. Orgeron said earlier this week that it will be hard to maintain the success the team achieved last year but that this year’s squad needs to focus on this season.
“You know, you gotta forget about it,” he said. “Gotta learn what we learned from it, forget about it, let it go. This is a new season. I don't want to put too much pressure on this football team because there's a lot of young players out there.
“We have a first-year quarterback. I remember when Joe was a first-year quarterback. Not everything was perfect all the time, and I don't think everything is going to be perfect…. So I think you'll find out a lot about yourself after the first game.”
