It’s hard to believe that the storied football programs of LSU and USC have only met twice, but the striking similarities between the two tell a tale of kindred spirits. These are big brands attempting to get back on top of the college football world. Both fanbases have clamored for this matchup since the infamous split championship of 2003. The two head coaches involved are proven winners with no hardware to show for it. In one of the more pivotal games of week one, the homogeneous nature of the teams involved adds to the intrigue.
Head Coaches – Good or Elite?
Both LSU’s Brian Kelly and USC’s Lincoln Riley were hired by their respective programs at the end of 2021. They have the same agent, and Riley was even rumored to be an LSU target at one point. After an unfathomable 4-8 season, USC lured Riley from Oklahoma. Brian Kelly also chose to leave a proud program in Notre Dame to take over in Baton Rouge after the Tigers’ 6-7 season.
Riley is known for developing quarterbacks, as he was the head coach for three different Heisman winners at the position. A Mike Leach disciple, nobody questions Riley’s ability to construct a successful offense. His defenses, on the other hand, have been underwhelming at best. The pressure is on Riley to prove he can properly address the defensive side of the ball to be perceived as a championship coach.
Only Iowa’s Kirk Ferentz and UNC’s Mack Brown have more wins than Brian Kelly among active coaches. Although it seemed one could chalk up 10 wins to his Notre Dame teams every year, it never felt like they had a serious chance to win it all. Not to oversimplify, but Kelly came to LSU because it’s easier to recruit there. Now entering his third year at the helm, it’s time for the Tigers to become legitimate contenders.
Kelly is 20-7 at LSU, only one game better than Riley’s 19-8 record at USC, but the job security conversations surrounding both are much different. Oddly enough, Riley’s 11-3 record in 2022 brought so much excitement that it spiked expectations, making his 8-5 2023 even more disappointing. On the other hand, Kelly has lost two consecutive season openers. Both coaches are facing immense pressure to start 2024 off with a bang.
The Signal Callers
According to the 247 Composite rankings, Miller Moss was a 4-star and the 12th-best quarterback in the 2021 class. Garrett Nussmeier was the 14th-best quarterback in the same class. Both were noted as pocket passers with quick releases. Both are listed at 6’2”, 200 pounds by their respective schools. LSU and USC’s quarterbacks’ recruiting profiles are remarkably similar.
The paths to starting jobs for the two quarterbacks have also been comparable. In an age where quarterbacks transfer at the first sign of a bench, both chose to wait their turn to be the starter. Coincidentally, both waited behind Heisman-winning quarterbacks. Neither have enough stats to make it worth comparing them, but both have belief from their staff. Former five-star Malachi Nelson’s transfer from USC spoke to the direction the staff was going before they announced Moss as the starter. For an idea of how highly Nussmeier is thought of, many fans favored him to start over Jayden Daniels in the summer of 2023.
Deficient Defenses
Here’s where it gets ugly. In 2023, LSU was 105th in total defense and 78th in scoring defense. If you think that’s bad, USC had the 115th-ranked total defense and 118th-ranked scoring defense. Both defenses were unacceptable for programs with such resources and brought sweeping changes on the defensive side of the ball. The defensive staff of LSU and USC had unfortunate, similar fates of hitting the road after 2023.
Both LSU and USC replaced their defensive staff in 2024, starting with young, relatable defensive coordinators. USC poached its rival’s DC, D’Anton Lynn. His success in the NFL led UCLA to make him its highest-paid coordinator in history. Lynn’s UCLA defense with supposedly less talent than USC ranked 10th in total defense in 2023.
LSU hired Blake Baker away from the Tigers of Missouri. Baker previously served as the linebackers coach at LSU in 2021. He left LSU after he wasn’t retained by the new staff and quickly ascended the ranks from safeties coach to defensive coordinator. Baker transformed Missouri’s defense into a respectable unit and is now back in Baton Rouge.
Of all the common traits that these teams share, the defensive coordinator hires are currently the most important. Both of these teams will likely score points easily this year considering the talented skill positions and offensive minds involved. The defenses will decide the potential of these teams. More importantly, the defenses could decide the fate of these coaches.
