Forget chasing NIL; LSU has got a different kind of pipeline—they’re churning out elite quarterbacks like it’s their birthright. Case in point: Jayden Daniels. Heisman Trophy winner, a touchdown machine with 50 scores, and the nation’s top yard-gainer in his final college season. He barely hit the NFL turf before shattering Robert Griffin III’s rookie QB rushing record with a casual 820 yards, blowing past RGIII’s 815 like it was a Sunday stroll. So, what’s the secret sauce? Turns out, it’s the same cutting-edge approach that’s got LSU buzzing this season.

Jayden Daniels isn’t just another face in the NFL crowd right now. And his secret weapon? Forget fancy diets or endless film sessions. He’s tapped into the future, training with a VR simulator cranked up to 1.75 times real-life speed. The idea’s simple but brilliant: practice at warp speed, and game day feels like slow motion. He’s dissecting defenses in a blink, dodging blitzes before they even develop, and making pressure disappear. That AI-driven feedback tracks reaction times and brain drain? Apparently, Daniels didn’t need it.

He took a struggling Commanders team, who limped to a 4-13 record in 2023, and transformed them into a 12-5 powerhouse, leading them straight to the NFC Championship Game. And guess what? LSU’s borrowing a page from that playbook to supercharge their defense this offseason. Blake Baker spilled the beans about that during Thursday’s press conference.

Tigers defensive coordinator Baker elaborated on their VR strategy: “We’re looking at being able to do some blitz adjustment stuff off of it, so again, they’re playing the game without physically playing the game, and then eventually, like Whit, I know last year started speeding it up a lot, like Jayden, so now you’re seeing the game a little bit faster in the VR, now the game slows down on the field for you, so it’s been really cool.” This tech isn’t just about seeing things faster; it’s about building muscle memory, drilling complex plays until they’re second nature, and even cutting down on injury risks.

And Jayden Daniels himself is a big believer in this AI-fueled method, stating, “It moves faster within the VR than actual human beings,” Daniels told The Athletic in a recent interview. “Imagine your brain working at a 1.75x speed?” That’s precisely the kind of mental edge the LSU Tigers defense is aiming for this season, and that’s exactly what Blake Baker and the team are implementing with VR, including dialing up more blitz packages and aggressive man-to-man coverage.

“You can get a better feel of a coach, maybe if their keys are wrong or what they’re doing wrong from an electronic standpoint,” Baker also noted. Looks like, with this tech, LSU is all set to head in a different, winning direction under HC Kelly. It’s no wonder even Greg McElroy is singing the same tune.

Greg McElroy’s bold take on Brian Kelly’s future

Brian Kelly’s knack for racking up wins is undeniable. Over his impressive 35-year head coaching career, he’s amassed a stellar 313-108-2 record, making him the winningest coach in Notre Dame’s storied history. He’s hit the 10+ win mark a remarkable 12 times at the FBS level. Yet, despite this consistent success, there’s one glaring omission on his LSU resume: that elusive national championship ring.

But why the missing hardware? ESPN’s Greg McElroy cuts straight to the chase, explaining, “The guy’s won everywhere he’s been. Okay, he’s won at Notre Dame, he won at Cincinnati, he won at Central Michigan prior to that, and he’s now winning at LSU. Now is he winning with as much consistency as one would like? No. He hasn’t quite figured out the recipe yet on the defensive side.” Let’s face it, LSU’s defense was the Achilles’ heel behind their stumble last season.

The team’s final stats tell the story: a paltry average of just 115 rushing yards per game while coughing up a staggering 314.5 passing yards and a total of 429.5 yards per game. Bottom line? That kind of defensive generosity just doesn’t cut it for a championship contender.

Even Greg highlights this critical flaw, saying, “It’s taken him a couple of years. He’s been through a couple defensive coordinators. Here’s hoping that they take big strides in 2025 because if they do, they might have the offense that could lead to Brian Kelly’s first national championship. He’s just 29 and 11 in his three years at LSU, which is not ideal.”

However, let’s not paint Brian Kelly’s LSU tenure as a failure. He’s notched some significant wins, including producing a Heisman Trophy winner, landing the No. 1 transfer class for 2025, and consistently pulling in three consecutive top-10 recruiting classes. To address those glaring defensive woes from last year, he’s brought in some serious reinforcements, adding key talents like Ahmad Breaux, Dominick McKinley, Jacobian Guillory, and Shone Washington. So, with a Heisman-proven offensive blueprint and a revamped defense potentially powered by VR wizardry, can LSU finally break through and reach that next level this season?