Kade Phillips and Bryce Underwood gave a jolt from the blue to Brian Kelly at the very last moment. Now, it seems he has been proactive in mapping and rectifying the damage done. Hauled in 16 transfers from the portal and ended up with a first-ranked transfer class. Moreover, freshman talent seems to be brimming in Kelly’s 2025 class, as he still managed to secure two 5 stars and 23 total commits. That’s impressive for a coach who had a 9-4 season and looked out of touch in various departments. But how about the existing veterans in the squad?

Several veterans are returning for LSU’s 2025 season. Still, the major focus will be on the ace linebacker Harold Perkins Jr. LSU’s defensive coordinator, Blake Baker, provided an exciting update on Harold. “Perk is extremely locked in,” Baker said. “I said this when it happened, and I didn’t mean it in a negative light, but in some ways, being hurt might have been the best thing that ever happened to him. Kind of just sit back and let the game unfold from a mental standpoint in front of him.”

Baker also praised the work that Harold Perkins is “putting in with Jack Marucci downstairs with the (virtual reality)” and said that the player looked extremely “locked in.”

Well, Perkins will have a lot on his shoulders in the upcoming season. He is returning after a long injury he suffered in September 2024 against UCLA. This forced the player to the sidelines for the remainder of the season. A prospect of the 2022 class who was ranked 9th overall and 1st in his position with a rating of 98.41 on On3. The future looked optimistic for Perkins as he immediately stepped into the starting role in his true freshman season. He became one of the leading forces in defense and garnered 39 solo tackles and 72 total tackles with an impressive 7.5 sacks. His second season in 2023 also ended on a similar note, as he finished with 74 total tackles and 5.5 sacks (most in LSU’s defense). However, the injury put a halt to that impressive run. Did injury affect his spirits? Not really.

Matt Moscono, an LSU insider and host of ‘Locked on LSU,’ provided an update on the work the player is doing even when he is injured and can’t practice. “What Baker is saying there is, look, Harold can’t go get these reps on the field, so we have one hour a day film study, and he could come to that and then bounce, and that’s it. But he (Harold) isn’t just doing the one-hour film study. He’s doing all this VR (virtual reality) training. So effectively, they’re simulating the game and game scenarios for Harold through virtual reality that he can’t get on the field.”

Well, that looks to be the classic case of sheer determination and perseverance to get back rolling. Perkins is eyeing All-American honors. However, in his absence, there are several players still in the LB room looking to provide that depth. For instance, West Weeks, Davohn Keys, and Ty Singleton. All of these players have the potential to step up. Keys had 31 tackles last season, whereas Whit Weeks led the defense with 120 tackles and 3.5 sacks last season.

Garrett Nussmeier’s destination to the New Orleans Saints confirmed?

LSU players vying for NFL glories have finally completed the Pro Day. But you know who emerged out of the shadows and delivered a performance that had the scouts buzzing? Garrett Nussmeier. The player undoubtedly is returning to LSU’s camp for his final season. However, when you can throw those inch-perfect passes to bullet-fast receivers and showcase your flair one year prior, what’s the harm, right? Well, it did ring some positive bells, and now it seems a $4.4 billion franchise is knocking on Nussmeier’s door.

What better story than the son of a legendary quarterback donning the same colors as the father once had? The New Orleans Saints are looking to execute a similar story. NFL Insider Ross Jackson dropped a compelling theory in that regard. “Obviously, like, you know him, and the New Orleans Saints are going to be a part of a bunch of consistent conversations over the course of this year because the future at quarterback has big question marks for New Orleans right now. Doug (Nussmeier) was a quarterback here in New Orleans, drafted by the New Orleans Saints back in the ’90s,” he pointed out. “It’s gonna be a cool story, and so I think a lot of people are going to be watching for that.”

This looks to be a full-blown recipe of glamor and hype. The New Orleans Saints haven’t quite sorted their QB room since Drew Brees retired in 2020. They have needed someone to fill that hole for some time now. Who better than their famed QB’s (Doug Nussmeier) son, who also happens to be their offensive coordinator right now? The recipe looks to be perfect, and the sauce is brewing in that direction. Garrett’s last season, when he produced 4,052 yards for 29 touchdowns, speaks about his talent. Coincidentally, the Saints also posted a recent video. That has Garrett on their X handle. Could this all be brewing towards Garrett’s future with the Saints?