With the 2024 college football season now here, LSU is gearing up to play USC in Las Vegas on Sunday. The Tigers and the Trojans face off in Allegiant Stadium for one of the most highly anticipated week-one games.
Ahead of the matchup, head coach Brian Kelly spoke with the media in his first game week press conference on Monday.
Here’s what Kelly had to say about injury updates, USC preparation and growth from fall camp.
Injury update
The Tigers are going into the season opener with a relatively healthy squad and only two starters listed on the injury report.
Wide receiver Chris Hilton is considered questionable with a bone bruise on his ankle, and offensive guard Miles Frazier is considered probable.
“Chris will move around today with our trainers and we’ll get a better sense of his situation,” Kelly said. “We’ve got him listed as questionable because we haven’t seen him move around.”
If Hilton remains out, Kyle Parker would be the first to replace him at receiver.
“[Parker] has had a great camp,” Kelly said. “We feel really good about what he can do for us.”
Zavion Thomas is another possibility to replace Hilton.
Frazier is expected to practice on Tuesday, but if he is unable to play, Kelly has two options to replace him with.
“Tyree Adams has played a little bit of guard,” Kelly said. “Paul Mubenga is playing a little bit of guard for us, so those two guys would be naturally moving into that position.”
LSU and USC comparison
At the time this game was agreed upon, conference realignment had not occurred. Neither team knew what was in store for college football.
However, USC now being in the Big 10 and every game building toward the 12-team playoff didn’t hold back the Tigers from wanting to be a part of a large-scale season opener.
“You got two elite programs coming together, and that’s the reason why we wanted the matchup, and it was before the conference had obviously changed,” Kelly said.
The Trojans and the Tigers are in similar positions entering this season. Both have lost a Heisman-winning quarterback and usher in new starters who’ve been with the program for multiple years.
Kelly pointed out that both teams have also brought in new defensive coordinators. D’Anton Lynn enters his first season with the Trojans after serving as the defensive coordinator at UCLA.
Kelly said they’ve evaluated Lynn’s defensive style and head coach Lincoln Riley’s air raid offense. To combat explosive shotgun passes, LSU’s defense has built consistency with the pass rush during fall camp.
No season opener is predictable, Kelly said. This game will give the team knowledge on where it stands and what needs to improve.
Growth from fall camp
One of LSU’s main themes throughout fall camp was stacking good days. In a game week, that translates to one thing: consistency.
“Any good program that aspires to be great has to have a model of consistency,” Kelly said. “That’s why when we say stacking days together, we’re hoping to build elite habits.”
The Tigers aim to do this in all aspects of their lives, so it comes naturally when applying the consistent mindset to football.
Although many improvements and changes were made during fall camp, one of the most prominent ones was the defense. New defensive coordinator Blake Baker implemented new strategies and goals to help the Tigers prepare for the season opener.
“I know going in that we’re prepared defensively,” Kelly said. “Our guys are excited about playing for Blake. I expect them to play the level of football on defense that we’ve been accustomed to.”
Although it’s Garrett Nussmeier’s first season as a first-string quarterback, Kelly is convinced that the maturity and leadership throughout LSU’s roster will bring it success in the upcoming season.
“Winning and losing is such a fine, fine line. And a lot of the time it can be what the mindset of your team is and what’s the level of accountability and leadership and I think we have that,” Kelly said. “They’re gonna play this game right until the very end.”
