Can Brian Kelly Fix LSU This Season?

Originally posted on Mike Farrell Sports
By Mark Pszonak | Last updated Sep 30, 2025 2:24 PM ET

Expectations were through the roof at LSU during the offseason. Quarterback Garrett Nussmeier was a legitimate candidate to win the Heisman Trophy, and the Tigers had done well in the transfer portal. They looked poised to make a run for both the SEC and National Championships.

Fast forward to the last week of September and there are realistic concerns that this season has the potential of derailment. And that is because the offense for No. 13 LSU (4-1) has yet to materialize despite Nussmeier and the portal additions.

LSU quarterback Garrett Nussmeier (18) walks across the field during a college football game between Ole Miss and LSU at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium in Oxford, Miss., on Saturday, Sept. 27, 2025. Ole Miss defeated LSU 24-19. © Ayrton Breckenridge/Clarion Ledger / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

While the Tigers average 27.0 points per game, those numbers are much more troubling against FBS and P4 opposition. Against four FBS opponents the offense is averaging 19.7 points and against three P4 opponents, the average is 18.8 points.

So, what is wrong with the LSU offense and can head coach Brian Kelly figure it out before the losses mount? There are three remaining games, all at home, that should be victories. Those are against South Carolina (3-2), Arkansas (2-3) and Western Kentucky (4-1). However, the other four is when the Tigers will need a more proficient offense if they don’t want the fanbase to revolt.

At home the Tigers play No. 6 Texas A&M (4-0), while there are road trips to No. 16 Vanderbilt (5-0), No. 10 Alabama (3-1) and No. 5 Oklahoma (4-0). LSU fans have good reason to panic, and part of the reason is because this issue has lingered longer than just this season.

If you look back at 2024, the Tigers averaged 30.5 points. But once again, if you take a deeper dive, there were issues. If you take away games against Nicholls State and South Alabama, when the offense averaged 43.0 points, during the remainder of the regular season the Tigers averaged 26.6 points. During regular season games against P4 opponents the Tigers didn’t score more than 37 points once and scored less than 25 points four times.

This isn’t the Joe Burrow, Ja’Marr Chase, Justin Jefferson offense from 2019. It is far from it. And while the Tigers don’t need that level of domination, they need better than they have. Chip Kelly has failed in accomplishing that, which is why the Tigers will finish with another 9-3 type season.

While that is a huge success for many programs, in Baton Rouge it will just raise more doubts that Kelly is the right head coach.

This article first appeared on Mike Farrell Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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