Brian Kelly reveals the areas he wants to see Jayden Daniels improve the most

LSU quarterback Jaylen Daniels decided to return for another season in the Bayou back in December, providing the reigning SEC west champions with their offensive engine for another season. With spring practice now underway for the Tigers, it’s a time for all players to develop and improve their game, even the elite. And LSU head coach Brian Kelly spoke on where Daniels intends on improving this offseason.

“When Jayden made the decision to come back I think there’s a number of things that are on the table for discussion and you start with the physical development right? Certainly looking at how we can put together a plan for his strength and conditioning,” Kelly said.

Daniels spent three seasons at Arizona State before transferring to LSU last offseason. Eligible for the NFL Draft and granted an additional season due to COVID-19, he was faced with a tough decision to make. And according to Kelly, a detailed program centered around his development and growth as a player was a key factor.

“Part of this is we had to recruit him back too, so we had to give him a comprehensive plan as to what we we’re going to do in the weight room, how we were going to continue to develop him technically as a quarterback, all of those pieces,” Kelly explained. “And then utilizing the resources that we have here, we have VR, we have the ability to train year round, having receivers here for him. It was really just having a comprehensive, year-round training program for him right here.”

Daniels threw for 2,913 and 17 touchdown passes last year while also rushing for 885 yards and scampering for 11 scores with his legs. He’s already established himself as one of the most lethal dual-threat quarterbacks in the country, and could take another leap based on his development this offseason.

“And then providing him the opportunity to do other things as well, as you know, he went out on the west coast and trained with other elite quarterbacks, providing him the contacts to do that. So I think more than anything else it was just really continuing the development of a quarterback that’s in that stage. And when we were able to meet he saw that we had a comprehensive plan, I think it helped him make his decision,” Kelly said.