LSU needed to change a quarterback who received the Heisman Trophy closing season.
USC needed to change a quarterback who used to be taken No. 1 total within the NFL Draft within the spring.
However each groups nonetheless have prime hopes as they get ready to fulfill of their season opener Sunday night time in Las Vegas.
The Tigers are ranked No. 13 within the AP ballot even after Jayden Daniels left for the NFL and used to be drafted No. 2 total by way of the Washington Commanders. The Trojans are ranked No. 23 even after Caleb Williams used to be taken by way of the Chicago Bears with the highest pick out.
Daniels’ successor is Garrett Nussmeier, a three-year backup who has made only one get started, however in it he handed for 395 yards and 3 touchdowns in a victory in opposition to Wisconsin within the ReliaQuest Bowl in January.
That victory gave the Tigers 10 wins for the second one time in as many seasons below head trainer Brian Kelly, who hopes his 3rd group can open the season with a victory after his first two groups opened with losses to Florida State.
“Openers are tough,” Kelly stated. “You apply such a lot — spring apply, preseason apply — after which you have to turn it to efficiency the place it is your first efficiency and you’ve got to execute at a prime degree for your opener. I believe each and every trainer has that uneasiness within the opener as a result of they do not know precisely what you will get.”
The Tigers must be explosive once more on offense with a number of proficient ability avid gamers and an skilled line that includes 4 avid gamers with a mixed 111 begins.
“We are going to run the ball,” LSU take on Will Campbell stated. “That is not one thing we are hiding.”
Daniels used to be the group’s main rusher every of the previous two seasons and the highest rusher amongst working backs closing season (Logan Diggs) transferred to Ole Leave out.
Kelly attempted to improve the protection, which used to be some of the worst at school historical past closing season, by way of hiring former Missouri coordinator Blake Baker.
Baker’s protection gets a powerful check instantly from the Trojans, led by way of Miller Moss, the successor to Williams at QB (who preceded Daniels because the Heisman winner in 2022), and flexible playmaker Zachariah Department.
“I’m looking to keep growing larger, quicker and more potent,” Moss stated. “I wish to throw the ball additional, tougher and throw higher at the run. I have grown so much emotionally this offseason. That is my largest house of enlargement in transitioning to a brand new position of management.”
Moss, like Nussmeier, has made only one get started and it used to be an excellent efficiency in a bowl sport closing season as he handed for 372 yards and 6 touchdowns in a victory in opposition to Louisville within the Vacation Bowl.
Just like the Tigers, the Trojans modified coordinators after a deficient defensive efficiency closing season. The brand new coordinator is D’Anton Lynn, who used to be at UCLA closing season.
The USC-LSU sport is certainly one of 3 video games between ranked groups this weekend.
“Those video games are a laugh,” Trojans trainer Lincoln Riley stated. “They are nice since you sit up for all of it offseason. Within the first sport, there may be at all times a way of recent pleasure and ready to peer what you actually are and what the opponent actually is.”
–Box Degree Media
