LSU football: Biggest x-factor for Tigers in 2020

Myles Brennan has a lot of his shoulders in 2020 as the LSU quarterback replaces Joe Burrow.

While the end of Les Miles’ tenure at LSU still saw the tigers bringing in some of the best high-school talents in the country, the dismal quarterback play prevented them from getting a ton of chances at both the SEC Championship and the national title. That all changed when Ed Oregon took over and Joe Burrow was put in the role, as they guided LSU to their first title since Matt Flynn was the main man in Baton Rouge.

Now that Burrow is the future of Cincinnati Bengals, the reigns will be handed over to Myles Brennan, who has backed up Burrow and Danny Etling during his time in Baton Rouge. The junior is eyeing a breakout campaign in 2020, and he’ll need to have one if LSU wants to prevent Alabama, Auburn, and Texas A&M from leapfrogging them in the SEC hierarchy.

Myles Brennan will need to make up for the loss of Joe Burrow and 14 NFL Draft picks.

Brennan’s first year as a starter after three years holding the clipboard will come on a roster that lost most of their big names on his side of the ball. Six Tiger starters on offense were picked in the 2020 NFL Draft, while tight end Thaddeus Moss and wide receiver Derrick Dillon signed contracts as undrafted free agents.  In addition, Joe Brady, the passing game coordinator who created LSU’s futuristic offense, left to join Matt Rhule’s Carolina Panthers and was replaced by Scott Linehan.

While Linehan is remembered for the disastrous end to his stint as Dallas Cowboys offensive coordinator, he did set records with Calvin Johnson and Matthew Stafford when he was the offensive coordinator with the Detroit Lions, so the potential for a breakout season is there. As good as Ja’Marr Chase is, they need a steady hand at the quarterback position to prevent all these new guys from falling apart, and Brennan needs to figure out what to do soon.

Myles Brennan has the arm talent to become a star

A former 4-star recruit who surprisingly chose LSU over favorites Oklahoma State and in-state option Ole Miss, Brennan stands 6-foot-4 and a lean 210 pounds after adding a lot of weight in college. While he did throw for 353 yards and a touchdown last season, only so much can be gleaned from 40 pass attempts against backups. Facing a fully-loaded Alabama defense might be a touch more challenging.

Brennan has some flaws Linehan will need to coach out of him, namely his unusual sidearm delivery and a lack of speed that could restrict Linehan’s playcalling. Having said that, his natural arm talent is a major bonus, and LSU should feel confident running a vertical offense with him under center.

His best performance slinging it around came in the LSU spring game in 2019, as his ability to float passes deep down the field and squeeze the ball into tight windows really stood out. While he doesn’t have the intermediate accuracy and pocket mobility Burrow had, his arm strength and accuracy down the field are as good as you’ll see in the SEC. If he managed to put it all together, expect the NFL to come calling.

While no one is asking or expecting Brennan to replicate arguably the greatest single-season performance a quarterback has ever had, LSU is still a viable national championship contender, and the only way that they’ll get to the promised land is if Brennan produces. Brennan needs to be in the top three in most statistical categories in the SEC for the Tigers to get a shot at the national title.

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