LSU Tigers: 2022 College Football Preview
What an offseason it was for LSU athletic director Scott Woodward who made arguably the splash hire
of the coaching carrousel when he lured new head coach Brian Kelly away from Notre Dame. Kelly
enters his first year as LSU head coach in a state that lives and breathes high expectations. What does
2022 hold for Kelly and his LSU Tigers? Here’s three things to watch for with LSU as the college football
season nears kickoff.
The Quarterback Situation
It has certainly been an interesting summer in Baton Rouge for the quarterback room at LSU. Myles
Brennan enters the transfer portal, then later decides to stay. Then he watches as Kelly, the man who
talked him into staying brings in Arizona State transfer quarterback Jayden Daniels, who undoubtedly
was offered a chance to win the job, to the most recent news from the quarterback room in Brennan’s
decision to leave the LSU football program and essentially walk away from the game of football.
What does that change? Realistically, not much other than depth. Whispers around camp were that
Brennan was lagging behind both Daniels and redshirt freshman Garrett Nussmeier who have been the
top two performers during camp. Daniels came here with full intention of earning that starting job and
as the final weeks of camp draw near the job is likely his to lose.
A Real Test in Week One
Every time there is a coaching change fans always look for that first real litmus test to see where their
program is under the new regime. Tiger fans won’t have to wait long as they’ll get their first real test
when the Tigers head 80 miles East to take on Florida State at the Caesars Superdome. Don’t get any
misconceptions, New Orleans is far from a neutral site and will be packed with screaming Tiger fans
ready for some new juice in the program.
Mike Norvell is entering his third year at Florida State boasting an 8-13 record and will bring his Florida
State squad to New Orleans with a lot to prove in what could be his make-or-break season for the
Seminoles. The line currently favors LSU at -3. In a marquee matchup with two of college football’s most
prominent programs, this game will set the pace for both programs in 2022.
Game of the Year
No, it’s not Alabama… As optimistic as LSU fans might want to be, let’s temper those expectations for
the time being. The game I feel will really be a true telling point for where the Tigers are will be in
October when they head to the Swamp to face off against their cross-division rival Florida.
Both teams enter 2022 with similar situations. Both programs have new head coaches and a team total
that sits at seven for each team as both programs look to rebound from 2021 campaigns that don’t
match the respective expectations in both Baton Rouge and Gainesville. This game very well could be
the game of the year that defines the season for both teams and gets one of them over that seven-win
total.
