What He Said: Brian Kelly Provides an Update on the LSU Football Program, 2024 Goals

Kelly and the Tigers continue working through the offseason, Fall Camp ramping up this week.

Brian Kelly has high expectations for his program heading into year three in Baton Rouge. He's retooled the roster, revamped his coaching staff and is piecing together what has been a standout offseason as he gears up for his third season as the head coach of LSU.

After bringing in several newcomers while seeing youngsters take that next step over the last few months, LSU is preparing for Fall Camp to see if it can all come together.

The Bayou Bengals kicked off preseason practice on Thursday, August 1st with the program getting back in a groove.

Following Day 1 of camp, Kelly addressed the media where he dove into a myriad of topics including Shelton Sampson's growth, expectations for Sage Ryan and his thoughts on five-star freshman Trey'Dez Green.

Here's what Kelly Said:

Day 1 of Fall Camp Thoughts

"I thought the leadership, the understanding of how important it is to compete even when you're not in a full equipment situation really resonated with me. I was really happy about the speed, the execution. By and large I was pleased with the competitiveness, the focus with how the group went through every drill."

Five-Star Freshman Trey'Dez Green Standing Out

"He certainly looks the part. Controls his body really well, has a great deal of confidence, he doesn't look out of place in any shape or form from a physical standpoint. He's picked things up very well for a guy who hasn't played this game very long, it's coming to him I don't want to say easy but it has not been a difficult transition for him. That all bodes well for players that are in their first year.

"I don't want to stand here and say he'll play in year one but my experience has told me that guys who transition quickly with his kind of physical attributes tend to show real quick and he certainly looks the part."

Sage Ryan on First-Team Defense at Cornerback

“We’re cross-training [Ryan]… We wanted the entire spring to be at safety. We feel like he’ll become that one player who could play both [cornerback and safety] for us.”

Kyren Lacy's Maturity as WR1

“I would say that he has embraced that [role]. Some guys don’t embrace it, they just continue to be who they are. He’s embraced that and wants to be that next great wide receiver at LSU. We have such a great tradition, so he wants to live up to that standard. “I’ve seen a great deal of growth… It’s been fun to watch that maturation.”

Expectations for Freshman Cornerback PJ Woodland

“I think we’re at a point in Day 1 where it’s truly about the consistency of performance. We like PJ and we love his competitiveness. But if you remember, he made a great play, and then the next play, we threw the ball over his head.

“With young players, we’re looking for consistency, and he has got a huge upside. And he is going to be a really good player in the SEC. But in the SEC, you make one play, they’re coming right back at you, and they’re going to test you.”

Javien Toviano Update

“Javien has been reinstated by the university. He is back in football activities. We will get him going again and back in the mix. He will be a competitive player for us. He played for us last year (as a freshman). We will get him going as he works through his legal matters.”

Getting DJ Chester Comfortable

"Our focus is really getting that center position solidified. Making the seamless transition in that there's four guys because they can really prop up that center position. He's got two guards with him that are gonna be able to pick up any issues he may have so that's really our focus."

Shelton Sampson's Growth in the Receiver Room

“I think that’s what we’re looking for from [Sampson], his ability to go up and get the football and compete for it. He was not a 50/50 guy last year, he was a 20/80 guy — he lost 80% of those. I believe he’s a 50/50 guy, he can go and get those balls.”

Scholarship Limit Increasing in College Football

"Where I think this impacts us the most is what does your recruiting look like if you have to go to 105 for 2025? It means you have to sign another 15-20 more players and that's where it gets a little risky. We've been recruiting this 2025 class for quite some time. Do you all of the sudden start throwing out 30 more scholarship offers?" Kelly asked.

"I don't know that I'm comfortable doing that. We have to be very intentional in how we do this. We haven't made a decision but to sit here at 85, there's gonna be a lot of schools in the SEC that are gonna go to 105 so we have to be competitive as well. All options vetted and be ready to move strategically when and if it moves to that final rule by the courts."

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