Both LSU\u2019s Brian Kelly and USC\u2019s 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\u2019 6-7 season.<\/p>\n
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\u2019s 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<\/a>.<\/p>\n Only Iowa\u2019s Kirk Ferentz and UNC\u2019s 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\u2019s easier to recruit there. Now entering his third year at the helm, it\u2019s time for the Tigers to become legitimate contenders.<\/p>\n Kelly is 20-7 at LSU, only one game better than Riley\u2019s 19-8 record at USC, but the job security conversations surrounding both are much different. Oddly enough, Riley\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n According to the 247 Composite rankings, Miller Moss<\/a> was a 4-star and the 12th-best\u00a0quarterback in the 2021 class. Garrett Nussmeier<\/a> was the 14th-best\u00a0quarterback in the same class. Both were noted as pocket passers with quick releases. Both are listed at 6\u20192\u201d, 200 pounds by their respective schools. LSU and USC’s quarterbacks’ recruiting profiles are remarkably similar.<\/p>\n 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<\/a>\u2019s 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.<\/p>\nThe Signal Callers<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Deficient Defenses<\/strong><\/h3>\n
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