Brian Kelly Discusses Potential of Adding a Transfer Portal Quarterback

The NCAA Transfer Portal officially opened for business on Monday, Dec. 4 with programs prepared to make significant changes to their roster ahead of the offseason.

For Brian Kelly and the LSU Tigers, there are several positions of need. It's no secret defense will be of the utmost importance over the next few weeks, but what adjustments will be made on offense?

The Tigers will lose Jayden Daniels, Malik Nabers and Brian Thomas Jr. more than likely to the NFL Draft. The trio, along with others expected to declare, puts the offense in a "bind" ahead of next season.

With Daniels off to the NFL, the LSU quarterback room will hold redshirt junior Garrett Nussmeier, redshirt freshman Rickie Collins and true freshman Colin Hurley next season.

Hurley, who's been pledged to the Tigers for over a year, will sign the dotted line during the Early Signing Period and enroll early in January. He will be in Baton Rouge in a little over a month.

With a trio of inexperienced signal-callers, it brings the question: Do the Tigers hit the NCAA Transfer Portal in search of another quarterback?

We've seen Brian Kelly dive into the portal in order to bring position battles to light. Once arriving in Death Valley, Kelly went out and added Jayden Daniels into the mix with several quarterbacks in the room.

Daniels joined Nussmeier and Myles Brennan at the time, giving this program one of the nation's most talented position rooms at the time.

Now, Kelly enters another offseason with an opportunity to bring in a quarterback.

Kelly's thoughts on the portal when it comes to a signal-caller:

"This is a world we live in that has to be handled with transparency. If not, you find yourself without the right personnel. If we do anything with a transfer QB, we are talking to everyone in the room. And recruits. We are talking to everybody. It's about transparency. It's about saying 'if we are doing that, here's why we are doing it'. And then making a decision and doing it. The most important thing here is what's in the best interest of LSU's football program, not what's the best interest of a singular person. Everyting we do in the portal is going to be to that end. It's the same as I mentioned with coaches. I know it has a personal end to it with families involved. They may have to pull their kids out of school and move, and that's difficult. But at the end of the day, the decisions I have to make are in the best interest of the LSU football program."

What will the LSU football staff do?

Option A: Hit the Transfer Portal with Force

Nussmeier has done his time in Baton Rouge. In an era where it's so easy to jump ship and head to another program after losing the starting job, Nussmeier did the opposite.

A Louisiana native, the Tigers' QB2 has waited his turn and has the chance to carry the torch once Daniels declares for the 2024 NFL Draft.

Despite this, the Tigers are one injury away from bringing in a freshman. With Collins and Hurley fighting for the backup slot, it provides this quarterback room with a lack of experience and depth.

With that being said, it's seemingly a given that the Tigers hit the NCAA Transfer Portal and bring in another signal-caller ahead of next season.

Whether LSU hits the free agency market during the first portal window or the second one after spring ball, it's no secret this program must add another quarterback.

For Nussmeier, nothing in college football is guaranteed. Kelly went out and added Daniels to a talented room and it ultimately became one of the savviest moves in LSU history.

Now, we could see Kelly do the same once again and add competition to the quarterback room ahead of next season.

Option B: Fall Back on the Youngsters

If the Tigers opt to sit back and roll with Nussmeier, Collins and Hurley, the talent is there, but inexperience certainly remains a concern.

Nussmeier has played meaningful snaps in just a handful of games, and has proven he has the arm talent to compete in the SEC, but after the redshirt junior it begins to look grim.

Collins, who is wrapping up his true freshman campaign, has worked tirelessly alongside quarterbacks coach Joe Sloan ever since his arrival.

He has an opportunity to take significant snaps down the line, but remains a player who will thrive in the development system of this coaching staff,

When it comes to Hurley, he'll arrive on campus at 16 years old. Originally in the 2025 class, he elected to reclassify into the 2024 cycle in order to hit Baton Rouge a year early.

Now, as he prepares to make that jump, he'll arrive on campus at a young age. He's proven he can compete, but will likely need time to allow his body to transform.

If the Tigers fall back on their youngsters, it could put this program in a difficult position moving forward.