Three years, three strikes, and the scoreboard’s still reading “L.” Brian Kelly might want to start sleeping with one eye open because those ghosts from South Bend just packed their bags and moved into Baton Rouge. Spring ball’s wrapping up, the transfer portal is about to light up like Bourbon Street in July, and LSU fans? They’re twitching. After coughing up another 9-4 season, it’s not ‘how many games we win’—it’s ‘why the hell we ain’t in the playoffs?’ again. Well, this isn’t just another spring scrimmage story. Garrett Nussmeier’s future on line? And Kelly’s? His seat’s warmer than a crawfish boil.

LSU head coach Brian Kelly might be cashing checks like a Fortune 500 exec, but right now, it isn’t looking pretty. Three years deep into his LSU gig, and Kelly still hasn’t sniffed the College Football Playoff. And now? The 2025 season looms, and the SEC has no sympathy for washed-up glory.

LSU insider Matt Moscona didn’t hold back. On April 13th, the Baton Rouge native hopped on his mic and lit the candle on Kelly’s latest ghost story. “I want to remind you, last year in the spring portal window—so after spring practice, when the spring portal window opened in 2024—LSU had eight players go into the portal in that spring window. So, after spring practice: Jaxon Howard, Khai Prean, Connor Gilbreath, Joseph Cryer, Ryan Yaites, Jeremiah Hughes, Christian Brathwaite, and John Emery…And you added two—you added Jay’viar Suggs and then Blake Ochsendorf, the punter from Louisiana Tech. You added him late.” The math ain’t mathing. Matt Moscona gave a strong reminder to LSU fans. Look, losing 8 and adding 2 is a big time L.

Let’s go back a sec. In 2024, LSU watched Jaxon Howard, Khai Prean, Ryan Yaites, Jeremiah Hughes, and more hop in the portal like they just realized there were no playoff rings in Baton Rouge. The Tigers tried to patch the boat with two late pickups—one of them being a punter. No shade, but unless your kicker can throw 40-yard bombs, that isn’t fixing anything.

Moscona laid it bare: “The positions where you tend to have a lot of scholarship players and bodies is where guys can get buried and maybe get discouraged and leave for a better opportunity—a clearer path to the field. So you look at things like offensive line or wide receiver or defensive back. Are there guys that are maybe buried down in the depth chart? And you go through 15 spring practices and realize how far it appears you are from the playing field—especially in a year like this for LSU, where you brought in 17 guys via the portal. When you go so ham, you are adding players. In the first portal window—you had 19 enter the portal—when you go so ham in adding players, and those guys come in for spring, then you realize you have those guys ahead of you and the existing veterans ahead of you; sometimes your path to the field is even further.” And that, right there, is how a roster cracks from the inside out.

Let’s be blunt. LSU has already flopped three seasons in a row under Kelly. Zero playoff berths. L’s to open the year three times in a row. Last season, the Tigers walked out of 2024 with a 9-4 record and not an ounce of national relevance. If Kelly pulls that same stunt again? Tigers fans won’t need a podcast to air it out—they’ll riot in the comments and on the field. This isn’t 2022 anymore. The College Football Playoff is expanding, expectations are sky-high, and patience in Baton Rouge is paper-thin. Brian Kelly’s running out of time. And with spring ending and the portal gate about to swing wide open, the LSU sideline might look a whole lot different in a few weeks. But amidst the chaos, there’s one flicker of sunshine—and it’s shining straight outta No. 13’s jersey.

Matt Moscona keeps it real about Garrett Nussmeier heading into the 2025 season

If there’s one guy that Tigers fans can believe in right now, it’s Garrett “Big Arm” Nussmeier. While Brian Kelly’s on ghost patrol, Nuss has been cooking in silence—and now, he’s ready to serve. Matt Moscona isn’t just talking him up for clicks, either. “I believe he is the best quarterback returning in the SEC for 2025. I would take Garrett Nussmeier over anyone else.” And that ain’t no homer take—it’s facts. Nuss is coming off a monster season: 4,052 yards, 29 touchdowns, and ice in his veins. Word on the street: Garrett Nussmeier is about to make a Jayden Daniels-like 2023 jump.

Matt Moscona doubles down: “Garrett has gone through all the wars. He’s a 4,000-yard passer. He’s a fifth-year player long term maybe DJ Lagway, over the rest of his career, becomes a better player, but in 2025, give me Garrett Nussmeier over any other quarterback in the SEC. That’s not a home or take; He’s literally the leading returning passer in college football. That’s high praise, and it hits harder when you realize Nuss is the leading returning passer in all of college football. Not just SEC. Not just Power Five. All of it.

But Nuss is not just a stat sheet king. He plays with that crazy confidence—that Brett Favre “I see triple coverage, I’m still throwing it” energy. Sometimes reckless? Maybe. But when it hits? Fireworks. Now don’t get it twisted—folks stay hyped on Arch Manning like he’s the second coming.

But Moscona wasn’t buying the media darling narrative: “I understand the hype around Arch Manning, but Arch Manning has started two games in his career, and he has he’s got 60-some-odd pass attempts.” Arch is talented, no doubt. But the resume doesn’t lie. Nuss got starts, scars, and stats. Arch? Still got a VIP pass to Quinn Ewers’ shadow. And with matchups like Clemson, Alabama, and Texas A&M on the docket, LSU doesn’t have time to hope a QB might figure it out. They need one that’s already built for war.

Bottom line? Nuss is ready. LSU’s got the weapons. The schedule? low-key Brutal, but beatable. So what’s left? Just one thing: Brian Kelly needs to not screw this up. Because this season ain’t about development, it’s about delivery. Another 9-4 run ain’t gonna cut it. Not with Nussmeier throwing missiles, Harold Perkins doing Harold Perkins things, and half the SEC reshuffling their deck. So Kelly better light a candle, sprinkle some sage, and pray those ghosts stay in the graveyard. ‘Cause if Nussmeier balls out and LSU still misses the playoffs? It won’t be just the portal opening up. It’ll be the door out of Baton Rouge.