LSU will kick off the 2024 season with its annual spring game.
The LSU faithful will finally get the chance to see the 2024 LSU football team on Saturday when the Tigers hold the National L Club Spring Game in Tiger Stadium at 1 p.m. CT.
The scrimmage will be streamed on the SEC Network+ and broadcast on KLSU Radio (91.1 FM).
“(Saturday) is about giving certain players that are in key positions the opportunity to compete,” LSU coach Brian Kelly said. “We want to see some of our front-line guys go out and compete and play, but they are not the most important players out there. We need to see the two running backs, we need to see the offensive linemen that are going to play key roles.
The scrimmage, which will feature the offense vs. the defense, will start at 1:15 p.m. and will consist of two 15-minute quarters in the first half with abbreviated quarters in the second half. The scrimmage concludes at 2:30.
The scoring format for the spring game is complicated to some but it’s unique. The defense will be awarded points for a turnover (7 points) or fourth-down stop (7 points), forcing a missed field goal (5 points), pass breakup (2 points) and sack or tackle for loss (1 point). There will be normal scoring for a fumble or interception returned for a touchdown or a safety. Normal scoring will be used for the offense and special teams.
Here are three things to watch out for during LSU’s spring game.
The Return of DBU?
If there has been one consistency with LSU’s defensive backfield the past few seasons, it has been either average or poor with no in-between.
However, with a new defensive play-caller in Blake Baker and the return of longtime defensive backs coach Corey Raymond, the secondary will be going back to its roots.
Although veterans Major Burns, Sage Ryan and Zy Alexander return along with the addition of former Texas A&M safety Jardin Gilbert, the group is relatively young.
Because of the absence of Alexander given that he is still recovering from his torn ACL from last season, the starting cornerbacks have been two underclassmen: sophomore Ashton Stamps and true freshman PJ Woodland.
Woodland has impressed his coaches so far because of his competitiveness and attention to detail and I’m pretty excited about what he can do in a game-like environment.
Behind those two aforementioned players are sophomore Javien Toviano and JK Johnson. Johnson was lost for the season during fall camp last season after transferring from Ohio State. Johnson will look to have a strong spring game to show his worth after missing out last season.
Burns has been the starter at the STAR position in Baker’s defense where he’ll be closer to the line of scrimmage. This is a good role for him as it fits his strengths better than his playing in deep coverage at the traditional safety position.
Gilbert and Ryan have been the starting safeties for LSU throughout the entire spring. Another player you should watch out for is true freshman Dashawn McBryde. McBryde has been working with the second team at the safety spot but he has been phenomenal throughout the entire spring and should get a lot of reps during the spring game.
The Backup QB Battle
It isn’t spring ball if you don’t have a good old-fashioned position battle at the quarterback position. However, it isn’t for the starting quarterback job.
With Garrett Nussmeier solidifying his position as the starter, the battle has been for the backup job. Those two candidates have been Vanderbilt transfer AJ Swann and redshirt freshman Rickie Collins.
Swann has a solid amount of starting experience in the SEC from his time in Nashville and has great size with a strong arm. However, he has to learn this offense, get chemistry with the receiving corps and play at the top of his game so he can win the job over Collins.
Collins has gotten the chance to have another spring to develop under offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Joe Sloan. He has gotten a large amount of reps with the second team. Although he may be the underdog to win the backup job on paper, Collins has improved practice after practice and has pushed Swann as of late.
If Swann doesn’t come out and show why his experience matters for the backup job, it will go more and more in Collins’ favor.
All Eyes on the Receiving Corps
During the spring game, one of the position groups that will be watched very closely will be the wide receivers.
There are several reasons why you should watch this group on Saturday. One, it will give you a close look at who Nussmeier has a good rapport with in various passing schemes. Two, the gamelike atmosphere the spring game brings would show who shines the lights are brightest. For the third and final reason, it will give people what the depth chart would look like after Saturday and who’s likely to enter the transfer portal if they do not think their current situation isn’t good for the long haul.
At wide receiver, the starting rotation has been Kyren Lacy, Aaron Anderson and Chris Hilton with Kyle Parker, CJ Daniels and Zavion Thomas rotating in.
That’s a pretty good lineup to have given that anyone one of those guys could be a starter almost anywhere in the country. Because of the amount of depth, it wouldn’t shock me if a name or two from the wide receiver room entered the portal.