6 things that will make or break LSU’s season

LSU kicks off its 2023 football season in less than a month.

The fifth-ranked Tigers will face the seventh-ranked Florida State Seminoles in Orlando.

LSU will begin the year where it ended 2022 — in Camping World Stadium.

It’s a rematch of last year’s opener, a game that LSU lost in the final seconds. That game also took place on a Sunday.

For Brian Kelly, it’s his third straight Sunday night opener against Mike Norvell and Florida State. His Notre Dame team began its 2021 campaign against FSU on opening Sunday.

Expectations are high for LSU this year as the Tigers are expected to compete for a playoff spot. Here are six things that could make or break LSU’s season.

The Jayden Daniels to Malik Nabers connection

Jayden Daniels went to Malik Nabers when it mattered most last year. Only five receivers in the Power 5 had a higher rate of their catches go for first downs than Nabers.

Hopes are high for Daniels and Nabers this year. For what they can be as individual players and the connection the two share in the passing game.

It’s not unfair to expect Nabers to be the SEC’s best receiver and both were first-team all-conference at media days last month. Nabers can take the top off a defense with his speed or catch and run with the ball in his hands. It’s up to Daniels to give him the chance to make plays.

Daniels is reportedly getting more comfortable taking shots down the field, something he struggled with last year.

Nabers is going to get open. If Daniels has the confidence to find him and let it rip, this offense will take off.

Offensive line health

LSU’s starting five on the offensive line are among the nation’s best. After the young guys found their footing last year, this unit looks primed to take off.

Will Campbell is expected to be one of the top left tackles in the country, and he’s joined by a hoist of blue-chip recruits.

But after LSU lost some contributors to the transfer portal, the depth is thin. LSU can’t afford to lose a guy like Campbell. The unit is still relatively young and it’s going to be tough to gel if the lineup is constantly shuffling.

If the offensive line stays healthy, the floor for the offense is high. If not, expect LSU to hit some road blocks.

How does the secondary come together?

LSU’s breaking in a new group of defensive backs again.

Last year, LSU ranked 17th in opponent completion percentage but allowed a few too many explosive plays in the passing game.

This fall, the group is more talented, but with less experience.

Denver Harris was a five-star recruit in 2022 and flashed that ability in limited time with Texas A&M. Duce Chestnut and Zy Alexander are the most experienced of the group, but Alexander is yet to play a snap at the FBS level.

There are questions here, but this group has too much talent to be considered a liability right now. If the expectations are met and they prevent explosive plays, LSU’s defense should see an improvement on the backend.

Maason Smith's return

LSU lost its best defensive linemen when Maason Smith tore his ACL early in the 2022 opener.

By all accounts, Smith was ready for a breakout year. Few defenders possess his combination of size and speed.

Smith is healthy now and ready to go. If all goes right, he’ll be a first-round pick when the NFL draft rolls around. He brings a new element to a defensive front that was already good last year.

Harold Perkins and Mekhi Wingo had breakout years of their own in 2022. Now they’ll be paired with Smith and LSU’s front seven could be good enough to keep the Tigers in every game.

Smith is the type of player that can take over games.

Both coordinators return

Kelly has both play-callers back.

Mike Denbrock helms the offense with Matt House dialing up the defense. Both coordinators have discussed a better understanding of their personnel this year. Both also mentioned a sense of the players better understanding too.

This should lead to more flexibility and improved game plans. The staff knows what works for each player now. There won’t be growing pains like the ones we saw in 2022.

Denbrock and House both garnered respect last year and both appeared in top coordinator rankings this offseason. Expect to see LSU get a little more creative while also improving on the fundamentals we saw last year.

We have to talk about special teams

Talking about LSU’s special teams is beating a dead horse at this point.

We know they were bad last year, and Kelly was forced to make a change this offseason. Bill Polian is out, and LSU’s coaching staff will take a committee approach when it comes to special teams, with John Jancek having an added focus on the unit.

LSU doesn’t need to have the best special teams in the country, but the glaring mistakes have to disappear. That could come naturally with more experience, but it’s a long way up from where the Tigers were in 2022.

The level of improvement here could determine LSU’s fate in close games.

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Story originally appeared on LSU Tigers Wire