LSU, South Carolina, Ole Miss quarterbacks in spotlight
Will Garrett Nussmeier take the Year 2 LSU leap?
LSU quarterbacks have a history of taking an impressive jump from year one to two. Before spearheading two of the NFL's most dominant offenses, Jayden Daniels and Joe Burrow came into their own during their second seasons in Baton Rouge. Is it Nussmeier's turnn?
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Nussmeier finished the 2024 season with a 64.2 completion percentage and 4,052 passing yards for 29 touchdowns and 12 interceptions. Limiting turnovers is a big point of emphasis for Nussmeier approaching his final season at LSU.
'There's no hiding from turnovers,' Nussmeier said. 'As an anticipation player, there's going to be some interceptions. The ones I need to eliminate are the ones that don't need to happen, the ones where I'm trying to do too much, the ones where I'm trying to make a play when I don't need to.'
Nussmeier understands the stakes are high, especially given the history of year two success for Burrow and Daniels. More than ever, he's motivated to create his own legacy.
'Obviously with the track record that LSU quarterbacks have in the past, it's not a thing of disrespect. I have a lot of respect for Jayden, a lot of respect for Joe and what they were able to accomplish in their second years, and also respectively in their first years. But as I said before, I'm me,' Nussmeier said. 'I'm worried about improving myself, being the best I can be to lead us where we want to go.'
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The season opener is Aug. 30 at Clemson.
High hopes for LaNorris Sellers and South Carolina
South Carolina went 9-4 in 2024, the program's first nine-win season under coach Shane Beamer and just its second since 2013. The Gamecocks will have to replace most of their starting defense, but unlike plenty of SEC teams, they won't have to worry about turnover at quarterback.
Redshirt sophomore Sellers returns after a breakout season, accounting for 3,208 yards and 25 total touchdowns, saving his best play for the end of the season with 16 total touchdowns and only three interceptions in November.
'I think we're going to be better around LaNorris as well on the offense,' Beamer said. '(We have) more depth and competition at pretty much every position, I feel like that's going to help him. He doesn't have to be Superman for us.'
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South Carolina closed the regular season with five consecutive wins, and lost two games by a total of five points against LSU and Alabama. The success down the stretch last season combined with Sellers' return is the backbone of the optimism surrounding the Gamecocks and their chances of reaching the College Football Playoff after narrowly missing out last fall.
'We were four to five plays off,' Sellers said. 'That showed us a little bit of success, and showed us that we can make the playoff and make a run for the trophy.'
Ole Miss prepares for a massive change under center
Ole Miss has the challenge of replacing one the most successful signal-callers in program history. Lane Kiffin's Rebels went 21-5 over the last two seasons with Jaxson Dart under center. Now the offense belongs in the hands of redshirt sophomore Austin Simmons.
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Simmons appeared in nine games last season mostly late in blowouts, but he did lead one touchdown drive against Georgia when Dart briefly went out injured.
'I'm really just focusing on building my own legacy rather than just focusing on the past,' Simmons said.
Simmons is a total 180 from Dart. He was not a full-time football player until this year, also playing with Ole Miss baseball in the spring before transitioning to football full-time. He was a Kiffin recruit as opposed to Dart, who arrived in the transfer portal.
Kiffin isn't looking for another Dart.
'Austin has to make sure he doesn't try to be Jaxson,' Kiffin said. 'He'll be fine. He's got elite talent, does a great job, he's maturing and did a great job when he came in in the Georgia game.'
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Ole Miss went 10-3 last season, following an 11-2 mark in 2023. It was the first time Ole Miss has won double-digit games in consecutive seasons since 1959-60, and 2025 will be an opportunity to do so in three consecutive seasons for the first time.
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