For a long time this offseason, it was assumed that Myles Brennan would finally get his opportunity to lead LSU football after five seasons either injured, on the bench, or at times both. Then, with the arrival of head coach Brian Kelly from Notre Dame, shortly thereafter came Jayden Daniels, a transfer from Arizona State. Thus, along with rising sophomore Garrett Nussmeier, it appeared to be a three-horse race in the spring.
It seemed as though Daniels and Brennan pulled ahead in the early stages of fall camp for the Tigers, but in a shock turn of events, Myles Brennan decided to call it a day and retire from football. There then exists a power vacuum, with Daniels and Nussmeier now head to head for the starting job. However, there's good reason to believe Jayden Daniels will come out on top, and here are two reasons why.
2 reasons Jayden Daniels should be LSU football's next starting QB
2. Power 5 Pedigree
As mentioned, Jayden Daniels arrived in Baton Rouge courtesy of Arizona State, where he played 29 games at a Power 5 level, tallying 6,025 yards, 32 touchdowns and 13 interceptions. That kind of game time at a high level is something Nussmeier can't claim, with the sophomore only appearing in four games in 2021, and even Myles Brennan only appeared in 18 games for LSU football.
Of course, it is worth mentioning that playing in the Pac-12 and playing in the SEC are completely different things, as there are different schemes, atmospheres and teams, but having a guy come into the LSU program with experience playing at a high level, especially in this transitionary season for Brian Kelly's staff, could be invaluable. It's not an easy schedule for the Tigers, with games against Tennessee, Alabama, Ole Miss, Arkansas, Texas A&M and Florida State. Poise is key, and someone like Daniels who has been there before should provide nice stability for the offense.
1. Camp Performance
It's no secret that Jayden Daniels has been the best quarterback on the roster in Baton Rouge even dating back to spring camp for LSU football. Good camp performances from transfers are hard to come by, especially as they have to adjust to life at a new school, with a new team, and new schemes to learn. For Daniels to be able to make that adjustment quickly enough to put himself at the head of the pack is impressive to say the least.
Now Brian Kelly and his staff must hope that he's adjusted well enough to compete at an SEC level. As said earlier, the Tigers do not have an easy schedule by any stretch of the imagination, and barely scraping bowl eligibility is a legitimate possibility for a program that hasn't finished with fewer than 8 wins since 1999. Everyone knows LSU football will find their footing under Brian Kelly, the million-dollar question is just how long it takes for them to do so.
If Daniels is up to snuff early on, they may continue that streak. If he's not, well you don't need me to tell you how LSU fans will react to a season that could end in as low a place as something like the Independence Bowl. A lot is going to rest on the shoulders of whoever winds up the number one guy, and LSU is one of the few programs in the country where fans hold the team to a higher standard than even the coaching staff. It's going to be an interesting fall for LSU football, that's for sure.
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