The college football landscape can change so much from year-to-year.
Rules may get tweaked. Some coaches will be fired while others are hired. Even the off-field dynamics like NIL deals and the transfer portal have major on-field impacts.
So it’s never truly fair to compare two football teams from two different seasons—especially when one of those squads is considered by many to be one of (if not the) greatest team in the history of the sport.
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But while delving into the makeup of LSU’s 2023 roster, I noticed several stark similarities to the 2019 national title-winning Tigers.
I know, I know. Stick with me here.
Let’s go ahead and get the obvious out of the way: No team is going to replicate what we watched Joe Burrow and co. put together during that glorious championship run.
That group broke countless records, won what felt like every award under the sun and have since gone on to become household names in the NFL. An undefeated season with that kind of production likely won’t be reproduced for quite some time.
But let’s set aside those lofty goals and expectations for a second and have a little bit of fun.
The striking similarities
1. Coaching consistency
One of the factors that made the 2019 national title run feel so seamless was the foundation the coaching staff established prior to that season.
Both offensive coordinator Steve Ensminger and defensive coordinator Dave Aranda had been with the program for multiple years, while Ed Orgeron was entering his third full season as head coach.
As we head into 2023, the Tigers will not only return head coach Brian Kelly, offensive coordinator Mike Denbrock and defensive coordinator Matt House, but the team will carry over 10 of the 12 coaches from last year’s SEC West champs.
That may feel small. But don’t underestimate the benefits of consistency and camaraderie.
It’s also fun to note that two of the three major coaching hires athletic director Scott Woodward made since his arrival in 2019 have won national titles in their second year.
2. A grad-transfer quarterback
This one is probably the most obvious. Burrow and current LSU quarterback Jayden Daniels are very different players with their own styles, but they had similar paths—transferring to LSU from a Power 5 school, winning the starting job in the preseason and leading the Tigers through an encouraging first season.
Their first-year numbers at LSU even look similar. In 2018, Burrow completed 219 of his 379 passes (57.8%) for 2,894 yards with 16 touchdowns and five interceptions. By comparison, Daniels finished last year 266-of-388 (68.6%) for 2,913 yards with 17 touchdowns and three interceptions.
We saw what Burrow did the following year. Can Daniels, who currently has the third-best Heisman odds on most sportsbooks, channel his inner Joe this fall?
3. Stacked wide receiver room
It’ll be hard to top the output from the 2019 group that finished No. 1 in the nation in total yards and No. 2 in passing yards. But ironically, this 2023 crop of talent has earned more preseason recognition than that record-setting group did four years ago.
Digging back through old articles from summer 2019, you won’t find a ton of pundits hyping up Ja’Marr Chase, Justin Jefferson and Terrace Marshall. For example, sports analysis site Athlon Sports had the Tigers’ receiver room as the 11th best in the nation that preseason, while Bleacher Report left them off its list altogether.
On the flip side, LSU lands toward the top of most wide receiver lists heading into the fall. Recruiting site On3 has the team as the third best unit in the country and CBSSports also put LSU in its top 10.
Led by last year’s SEC catch leader Malik Nabers, University of Louisiana at Lafayette transfer Kyren Lacy and uber-athletic junior Brian Thomas Jr., the Tigers’ receiver room is as chock-full of talent as 2019’s group.
4. Key returners in pivotal positions
As good as LSU’s skill position players are, the foundation of any successful team comes from the more under-the-radar guys who make up the bulk of the squad. It’s these player who push a team to the next level.
And it helps when they have experience.
Heading into 2019, LSU returned left tackle Saahdiq Charles (10 starts in 2018), right tackle Austin Deculus (12 starts) and center Lloyd Cushenberry III (13 starts).
This fall, the Tigers bring back left tackle Will Campbell (13 starts in 2022), right tackle Emery Jones Jr. (12 starts) and center Charles Turner III (12 starts).
Four years ago, tight end Thaddeus Moss emerged to catch 47 passes for 570 yards and four touchdowns, many of which came in crucial moments of marquee games.
Rising sophomore tight end Mason Taylor is already a year ahead of the curve heading into the fall after hauling in 38 catches for 414 yards and three touchdowns, most notably snagging the game-winning two-point conversion against Alabama.
Punter Zach Von Rosenberg anchored the 2019 special teams unit as a fifth-year senior, averaging 45.7 yards on 51 punts.
Similarly, fifth-year senior punter Jay Bramblett is back in 2023 after booting 49 punts for an average of 44.5 yards per punt a year ago.
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About our expert
Mark Clements is an award-winning journalist who has covered LSU football for over a decade.
This article was originally published in the 2023 Tiger Pride issue of 225 magazine.