As the April 2025 transfer portal looms, LSU HC Brian Kelly finds himself trapped in a numbers game. Kelly is all braced with a clipboard and a dream, confidently opening the floodgates of the transfer portal, positively hoping for some shiny new offensive players to come out of it. But there’s a major catch: the scholarship limit wouldn’t let him fulfill his dream of having a good offensive structure.

Kelly’s LSU Tigers’ aggression was a no-show in the last season. They wrapped up the 2024 season, with the Tigers finishing 8th in the SEC with a 9-4 record (5-3 in conference). Brian Kelly’s LSU displayed a strong passing game, ranking 7th nationally with 315.2 YPG. They averaged 30.9 points per game, tying for 45th in scoring offense. Garrett Nussmeier’s passing was effective, but LSU’s rushing game was unsatisfactory, resulting in a 108th national rank with only 116.4 yards per game.

“I also think they could pay, maybe take a look at offensive tackles as well, because there’s a bunch of inexperience at offensive tackle for LSU,” Greg McElroy says about LSU’s inexperienced offensive tackles on the ESPN College Football show. LSU’s offensive struggles in key games against Texas A&M, Alabama, and Florida led to losses from a lack of momentum. Their heavy passing focus made the offense predictable, disrupting Nussmeier’s rhythm easily. That will worsen, considering the inexperience in the O-line. The rushing game may not see desired improvements.

Now, let us come back to the scholarship limit fiasco. “Now, part of the challenge for Brian Kelly will be navigating the 85 scholarship limit, so they’d probably need to have some players leave because they are at 85 right now so in order for them to bring more players in, they would need to have a few guys leave,” McElroy said, giving a reality check to Brian Kelly and the LSU fans.

The SEC is all set to maintain the 85-scholarship limit for the 2025 season. Brian Kelly is busy finding a way to scooch offensive players into the LSU roster. Kelly needs to be very careful in his next approach to manage the roster format and fix the offense. Kelly, previously praising LSU’s aggressive NIL deals, now faces irony similar to the tight spot in the post-Florida upset.

Nussmeier leads a deep QB room

LSU’s current roster situation feels like trying to squeeze a dozen crawfish into an eight-piece boil. With Garrett Nussmeier leading the crowded room of five QBs. Freshmen Rickie Collins and Knox Dyson compete fiercely for playing time, resembling reality TV contestants. The offense faces growing pains like timing issues, miscommunications, and dropped passes as new players try to mingle with veterans.

Despite the lack of talented offensive players in the LSU program, the NCAA’s scholarship limit poses a huge challenge for Kelly. The spring practice is poised to be a high-stakes game of chess. Coaches evaluate players for their fit, and the athletes are busy showcasing their talent to find a spot on the roster. However, scholarship limitations force us to make tough decisions. During spring practice, Kelly is balancing a mix of player development and talent evaluation, creating a high-stakes period for growth.

The NCAA rules of going with an 85 scholarship limit have been an obstacle for certain high-profile college football programs. Kelly is one of the head coaches suffering through the pain of adding fresh talent to the roster without messing with the roster. Well, at this point, the Tigers’ talented, crowded offensive room faces high-pressure auditions due to scholarship caps and shaping each player’s future. Kelly solving this could revive LSU’s offense; if not, the Tigers face trouble from the start.