Questions for the LSU Football Offense Heading Into Spring Ball

Will Emery finally emerge as a lead back? Who will emerge as top offensive player?

LSU will be opening the doors for spring practice on Thursday with plenty of questions on the minds of how this team will look under a new regime. Those questions will certainly answer themselves over the next several weeks. 

But as spring ball begins, we took a dive into some of the more important questions we want answered from an offensive perspective.

Who Makes an Impact at WR Beyond Boute, Bech, and Jenkins?

With Kayshon Boutte returning from a knee injury suffered in 2021, the LSU wide receiver corps should be very good at the top. Combining Boutte with rising sophomore Jack Bech is a phenomenal one-two punch. Do not forget about Jaray Jenkins either.

Now, who’s going to step up behind those three? Here are the statistics for those three players in 2021.

Boutte (six games): 38 receptions, 508 yards, 13.4 average, and nine touchdowns.

Bech: 43 receptions, 489 yards, 11.4 average, and four interceptions.

Jenkins: 34 receptions, 502 yards, 14.8 average, and six touchdowns.

That’s a lot of production, but it’s still just three players. With so many young wide receivers returning to the Tigers roster and the addition of University of Louisiana wide receiver Kyren Lacy, there are options.

Lacy produced 22 receptions, 304 yards, 13.8 average and six touchdowns for the Ragin’ Cajuns. Beyond Boutte, Bech and Jenkins, several more LSU receivers that finished in the top 13 overall in receptions also return to Death Valley.

Will any of them take a big step forward or will this be a situation where there’s a primary group and several understudies?

Will LSU Feature The Running Game More in 2022?

Last season, it was hard to know what LSU’s running game would be like. Six of the 13 games resulted in less than 100 combined rushing yards by members of the Tigers. When LSU did run the ball well, like against Florida, it was incredible.

Maybe LSU will run the football more consistently this season. Considering the level of talent still in Baton Rouge, the running back stable will be able to carry the load assuming the offensive line works itself out.

Will it be much maligned running back John Emery finally fulfilling his potential? How about Penn State transfer and New Orleans native Noah Cain making a splash? There are a couple of sophomores to watch with Corey Kiner and Armoni Goodwin as well.

"If they're out on the practice field, they've passed a robust test of consistency with academics and day to day accountability," Brian Kelly said of Emery. "He is making the positive progress, he's above the line. The standards that we set for him, he's meeting them."

Indeed, the running back talent in Baton Rouge is very good. Now, can a revamped offensive line produce the holes, consistently mind you, to help those talented Tigers find holes to run through?

Out of the entire roster, one could argue that it’s most difficult to project what will happen with the offensive line.

Top Offensive Player to Emerge Will be?

Most are hoping the answer to this question would be quarterback and former Arizona State signal caller Jayden Daniels. While it’s certainly possible that he emerges and becomes LSU’s starter, he’s going to be in a battle with often-injured LSU quarterback Myles Brennan to be the point man for the Tigers.

"We're looking at the portal like a free agency board," Kelly said of bringing in Daniels. "There's internal discussions, is this somebody we want to bring in? Does he fit our culture? Does he fit our offense? I think he brings more than extending plays. We think there's a lot that hasn't been tapped into with his ability to be a dual threat quarterback. He's got arm talent, a high IQ and a talented runner of the football."

With Boutte out this spring, there are other candidates, such as the aforementioned Emery at running back, perhaps Malik Nabers from the wide receiver corps. There’s also the point of the big fellas to consider. 

Bold prediction: offensive tackle Miles Frazier is the best newcomer and makes a splash at offensive tackle for LSU. He transferred to LSU from Florida International. LSU needs offensive tackle help and he’s an athletic big body that should be the answer at one of the two offensive tackle positions.

Do not discount incoming freshman offensive tackle Will Campbell from eventually being a starting offensive tackle for the Tigers either. He’s young but comes to Baton Rouge as arguably the best offensive tackle in all of the 2022 recruiting class.