Brian Kelly reveals characteristics he looks for in starting quarterback

LSU head coach Brian Kelly has a decision to make regarding who his starting quarterback will be before his team hits the field in early September. Before that, Kelly revealed what traits he looks for when choosing any starting quarterback.

“I think there are some musts, and I think one of them is is the ability to be accurate with the football,” Kelly said. “He’s got to have a high football IQ. He’s got to know the game. I think he’s got to have the leadership skills, and that’s just to name a few.

“I mean, today everybody’s looking at the quarterback that has the athletic ability. I like him to keep a play alive if he’s got escapability, if he’s got enough athleticism, that if he can keep plays alive, I think that that could be what most quarterbacks need to do today. They don’t necessarily need to run a 4.5 [40-yard-dash], that’s a bonus. But those are the kind of a couple of things that come to the top of my head.”

At LSU this season, four quarterbacks are vying for the starting job — Myles Brennan, Garrett Nussmeier, Walker Howard and Arizona State transfer Jayden Daniels. All four quarterbacks had a chance to play during the Tigers’ spring game, but the LSU offense never found their footing.

Last offseason, Brennan and Max Johnson were engaged in a battle for LSU’s starting quarterback job. But right before the season got underway, Brennan suffered a compound fracture in his non-throwing arm, and he was forced to miss the entire season. Now, Brennan is again fighting to earn the starting job at LSU and Johnson is off to Texas A&M.

Brennan has played in 18 games during his five-year collegiate career dating back to 2017. He has attempted 201 passes in his career, throwing for 1,712 yards and 13 touchdowns. He saw the most action of his career in 2020, completing 79 of his 131 pass attempts for 1,112 yards with 11 touchdowns and three interceptions.

Daniels brings experience to LSU’s quarterback room, as he was a three-year starter at Arizona State. He has thrown for over 6,000 yards, rushed for nearly 1,300, and has accounted for 45 total touchdowns. Nussmeier preserved his redshirt last season, completed 29 of his 57 passes in four games for 329 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions.

“You’re always looking for that guy that immediately has the ability to bring others along with him,” Kelly said. “You want your best leaders to be your best players because they’re gonna bring others and rise all ships. But the position requires a skill set, you know, and what that skill set is — I mean, every quarterback is a little bit different. Not everybody’s Tom Brady … beauty is in the eye of the beholder.”

Whoever Kelly intends to promote to QB1 for the first week of the season, LSU has the luxury of a deep quarterback room, and can fall back on any of the other three quarterbacks. When it comes down to it, Kelly will find his guy; it’s just a matter of who and when.