LSU has talent and continuity along the O-line again in 2024 | LSU

An offensive line that can consistently create holes for the ground game and keep the quarterback upright are two things that help college coaches sleep better in the fall.

Consistency from tackle to tackle is another key element to a productive offense, something LSU has proven in back-to-back 10-win seasons under Brian Kelly.

When the Tigers face new quarterback Garrett Nussmeier on Thursday for the first round of preseason training camp, those essential players will be present in the form of four veteran players who have proven themselves in the game.

Left tackle Will Campbell, left guard Garrett Dellinger, right guard Miles Frazier and right tackle Emery Jones will be in their spots for the third straight year. Center Charles Turner completed his eligibility, so the only newcomer is redshirt freshman DJ Chester.

Campbell, Dellinger, Frazier and Jones have combined for 99 starts at LSU, including 51 a year ago when the Tigers went 10-3 and led the FBS in scoring, total offense and passing efficiency.

They were part of a group that was a finalist for the Joe Moore Award, given to the nation’s best offensive line, and helped Jayden Daniels win the Heisman Trophy.

Daniels has moved on to the NFL, so now they’ll try to put up big numbers with Nussmeier after he averaged 39.8 points and 496.6 total yards per game in the 2022 and 2023 seasons.

Burning question

With four of the starting five returning, it will be interesting to see if this group can be even more dominant than last year.

The short answer is yes, if you start with bookend tacklers like Campbell and Jones — both of whom were honored on the coaches’ All-Southeastern Conference teams — and move further inside.

Still, they may need some time to get used to each other, as they have a new quarterback in Nussmeier and a new center in Chester. At 6’10” and 300 pounds, he could be the linchpin of the offense. But they’ve done this before.

While it was a big question mark two years ago, the offensive line could be the team’s strongest line this year and possibly one of the best in the country.

A lot of that has to do with playing together, especially after missing just one start last year. Jones was held out of the Army game with a sprained ankle, but that foursome ended up starting 51 of a possible 52 games.

The O-line was impressive in 10 of the 15 spring practices that were open to the media. Kelly said after the game that the Tigers need to better balance their running and passing skills.

LSU specialized in big plays last season, with Daniels using his right arm and teaming with fellow NFL first-round draft picks Malik Nabers and Brian Thomas to frustrate opposing defenses time and time again.

While his team may need to be more methodical this season with its deployment of running backs like Josh Williams, Kaleb Jackson and others, Kelly knows where to start.

“If you can’t win the line of scrimmage with this offense, you’re not going to be explosive,” he said. “We can’t be a finesse five-wide (receiver), spread it out and do it that way.

“What’s most satisfying is we’ve got to start with the offensive line controlling the line of scrimmage through the running game. When we do that, you get the explosive plays.”

What to know

The presence of four established starters gives offensive line coach Brad Davis the opportunity to develop some depth — particularly for the future — in preseason training camp.

After the spring, the second roster consisted of left tackle Tyree Adams, left guard Paul Mubenga, center Coen Echols, right guard Christian Stamps and right tackle Bo Bordelon.

Bordelon is a redshirt sophomore, while Adams, Mubenga and Stamps are all redshirt freshmen. Echols is a true freshman who impressed the coaches in the spring.

Key statistic: 6,082

Snaps taken by LSU’s four returning offensive line starters over the past two seasons. Campbell leads with 1,687 snaps, followed by Frazier (1,607) and Jones (1,594). Dellinger, who was limited to six games in 2022 due to injuries, has taken 1,194 snaps.