LSU Football Must Answer These Three Questions During Preseason Camp

The Tigers enter Fall Camp with several questions looking to be answered. Can LSU take that next step in 2024?

Jan 1, 2024; Tampa, FL, USA; LSU Tigers running back Kaleb Jackson (28) scores a touchdown against the Wisconsin Badgers in the second quarter during the ReliaQuest Bowl at Raymond James Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-USA TODAY Sports / Nathan Ray Seebeck-USA TODAY Sports

Brian Kelly and the LSU Tigers are inching closer to preseason practice kicking off on Thursday with the program looking to take that next step under Kelly in his third season in Baton Rouge.

After boasting America's No. 1 offense in 2023, all eyes will be on the LSU defense this season as they eye growth in 2024.

Kelly and his revamped coaching staff have an opportunity to continue developing with their sights set on the expanded 12-team College Football Playoff.

But there are questions that must be answered ahead of the 2024 season.

Three Questions That Must Be Answered:

No. 1: Who Will Step Up on the Defensive Line?

The lack of depth up front stole headlines during LSU's Spring Camp with only a handful of scholarship players on the roster.

Now, after retooling the position group, defensive line coach Bo Davis has a few weapons to work with leading up to the 2024 season.

Headlined by five-star freshman Dominick McKinley, the defensive line room will be one to monitor during preseason camp.

Jacobian Guillory can be penciled in as a starter, but who takes reps alongside him will be a piece to keep tabs on.

Will it be McKinley? Or will transfer additions Jay'Viar Suggs (Grand Valley State) and Gio Paez (Wisconsin) step up?

McKinley... The freshman phenom hovered around the 275-285 pound range during his senior year of high school with Acadiana (La.), but has bulked up significantly this offseason. McKinley is now listed at 6-foot-6, 316 pounds heading into his first season with the Bayou Bengals. He's worked alongside Davis after arriving as a summer enrollee and has the chance to take significant snaps in 2024. Will the program take time to let him develop or throw him into the fire early as a true freshman?

Suggs... The 6-foot-3, 282-pounder tallied 21 tackles, 7 tackles for loss, 3 sacks, 5 pass breakups and 1 forced fumble in 2022 with GVSU. The following season in 2023, Suggs remained consistent after logging 21 tackles, 7.5 tackles for loss and 5 sacks with 4 pass breakups and a forced fumble. Suggs has been a consistent contributor at the Division II level, but he's clearly ready to take it up a notch at a Power Four school. How will Davis and Co. utilize the impactful transfer?

Paez... Paez is from Los Angeles, California and redshirted his first season with the Badgers. In year two, he played in just one game, but it counted as the COVID season in 2020. Over the last three seasons, he’s played 32 games and logged 36 tackles. A small contributor with Wisconsin, it'll be intriguing to see his growth now that he's in Baton Rouge. Can he hit his stride and become a starter alongside Guillory?

No. 2: How Much Will The Freshmen Contribute?

Kelly and Co. have seen their 2024 signees make an immediate impact upon arriving in Baton Rouge with a trio of youngsters looking to compete for early playing time.

The first name that comes to mind: PJ Woodland.

One of the new faces in the cornerback room is true freshman PJ Woodland with the youngster already turning heads after skyrocketing up the depth chart during his first spring in Baton Rouge.

Woodland, a Mississippi native who enrolled early in January, took first-team reps during spring football on the opposite side of sophomore cornerback Ashton Stamps.

It's no surprise that Woodland is impressing so early. Ask defensive coordinator Blake Baker who summed it up best during the spring:

“Competitiveness. PJ Woodland is a competitor,” Baker said of Woodland.“He’s feisty, he’s physical, and he can run. More than anything, for a freshman, we’ve thrown him out there with the ones some and thrown him out there against our top receivers and he competes. That’s where it starts, but he has the physical tools. He has long levers, he’s physical and he can run, so I’ve been impressed with him. It wasn’t easy. Those first three days before spring break I guarantee you he was saying ‘what in the world did I do coming here early?’ but he’s been really impressive these last few days.”

Woodland will continue putting on size after checking in at 5-foot-11, 160 pounds once on campus, but the physicality and intangibles are certainly there. He's feisty as Baker said and continues taking that next step in a cornerback room that has players pushing for first team reps.

For most of spring practice, it was Stamps and Javien Toviano who handled the starting reps, but towards the end of camp, Woodland continued making a name for himself after earning first-team reps of his own alongside Stamps.

It's a different scheme than a season ago. LSU will work in a press coverage set for the most part under Baker and cornerbacks coach Corey Raymond where it allows the Tigers to be more physical.

“It’s based on personnel,” Baker said of playing press man. “If you got two guys you can put out there on an island it makes life a lot easier as a defensive coordinator. It comes down to who you have personnel wise, then really trying to present the same picture to the quarterback and the defensive coordinator pre-snap and giving those guys an opportunity to not have to sit there and play press man every single snap because it does get tiring. We’re going to play a lot of man, but I also know we’re going to do what’s best for our guys back there as well.”

As it stands right now, Woodland and Stamps are the first-team cornerbacks, but Fall Camp will bring a position battle in the secondary.

The other true freshmen to keep tabs on: Dominick McKinley (DT) and DaShawn Spears (S).

McKinley... It's plain and simple: True freshman defensive tackle Dominick McKinley is expected to take snaps during his first season in Baton Rouge due to depth issues and the Tigers have been pleased with his development so far. He hit the weight room with force during the spring on his own and carried his momentum once enrolling at LSU during the summer. According to a source, McKinley has been impressive this offseason and is gelling with his teammates quickly. The transition to SEC ball is challenging for any position group, but when it comes to the defensive line, it's a significant adjustment. For McKinley, he'll be expected to take significant snaps down the stretch of the season.

Spears... The true freshman safety ran with the second-team at times and impressed thoroughly during his first reps with a defense looking to take steps in the right direction in 2024. It'll be hard to keep Spears off of the field this fall. He's been a bright spot and has an opportunity to take impactful snaps if need be. After getting a firsthand look at the youngster during March and April, he was noticeably impactful. He's a long, athletic defensive back who was a fast-riser in the 2024 cycle. Now, Spears is carrying his momentum to Baton Rouge.

No. 3: How Will LSU Distribute Running Back Reps?

The main concerns for the Tigers come on defense, and it's for good reason, but there remain questions that need answers ahead of the 2024 season on offense as well.

LSU flaunts an embarrassment of riches in every way on offense. From returning virtually the entire offensive line unit led by Will Campbell to four wide receivers who can step in and take key reps this fall, it's a talented group.

On the outside, it'll be Kyren Lacy, CJ Daniels, Chris Hilton, Zavion Thomas and likely Kyle Parker competing for significant snaps this season along with youngster Shelton Sampson. Not to mention freshmen Kylan Billiot and Jelani Watkins also coming in with something to prove.

But the running back room will be a piece to monitor.

Sixth-year senior Josh Williams returns as the savvy veteran in the room. He's a high-IQ player who dominates as a blocking back with the occasional burst of athleticism here and there, but Kaleb Jackson will be the player to keep tabs on.

Jackson burst on the scene as a true freshman in 2023 after looking possessed at times. He has a physical presence that sticks out like a sore thumb and backs it up with explosiveness that this running back room will thrive off of.

In 2024, Jackson has the intangibles to be the go-to guy. He's a freakish athlete who provides a dominant one-two punch alongside Williams in the backfield.

The other name to monitor will be true freshman Caden Durham. The Lone Star State stud certainly will not back down from competition and will compete for snaps this season.

He arrived as a summer enrollee, but turned heads immediately. He looks to the part and adds a different element to the running back room with his impressive speed.

It's a good problem to have in the running back room: A ton of talent with limited reps.

Look for Williams, Jackson, Durham and returnee John Emery to lead a talented position group in 2024.

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