A major strength of the 2025 LSU Tigers is depth. The team is loaded with wide receivers.
Thanks to the transfer portal and several returning players, there are plenty of options to fill out the defensive secondary.
Last year, when defensive tackle Jacobian Guillory suffered a season-ending injury, the coaching staff scrambled to fill his position. If a defensive lineman goes down this year, another one is ready to step up.
There’s good competition at the offensive guard position; solid backups are in place at linebacker.
LSU has three tight ends they really like. You probably wish there was a veteran running back on the team, but the coaches feel good about the young talent at that position.
At quarterback, Michael Van Buren was brought in to be Garrett Nussmeier’s primary back-up. Van Buren is a good insurance policy.
However, no disrespect to Van Buren, who started eight games as a freshman at Mississippi State last season, if there’s a serious injury to Nussmeier, LSU’s dreams of playing in the college football playoff will likely fade away.
A big reason why LSU is ranked Top 10 in the preseason is because Nussmeier returns for his senior season after throwing for 4,000 yards last year.
LSU fans for a brief time on Wednesday were presented with the nightmare scenario of a significant injury to Nussmeier.
A rumor spread on the internet that Nuss suffered a serious injury towards the end of Wednesday’s practice and was carted off the field.
But rest easy, Tiger fans, it did NOT happen! It is true Nussmeier did not finish Wednesday’s practice, but it was only precautionary. A source told me that Nuss tweaked his lower leg.
Thursday is a recovery day, so no on field practice today and the feeling around the LSU team is that Nussmeier will be fine for Friday’s practice.
Everyone can take a deep breath.
But that does bring us to the question, how is Van Buren and third-string quarterback Colin Hurley performing at camp?
Coach Brian Kelly was asked that very question on Tuesday.
“They are talented players, both of them can play in the SEC,” Kelly said. “But talent is just one thing, you got to be able to not have those moments where the ball is on the ground, or you throw a pick six, I just want them to limit the big mistakes.”
Kelly likes the quarterback room; he just doesn’t want to test his depth at QB. LSU fans would prefer that too.
