LSU, Kansas St. face question marks at QB
Although LSU and Kansas State are uncertain who will play quarterback in the TaxAct Texas Bowl, both teams appear to be excited about playing in the Jan. 4 game at NRG Stadium.
“It will be a really great contest between two prestigious football teams, both who have proud histories, both who pride themselves on being physical and have a great support group across the country,” LSU interim coach Brad Davis said.
“Our guys relish being LSU Tigers. This is one of the premier football programs in the country, and it’s an honor to put on the purple and gold and represent the state of Louisiana.”
LSU and Kansas State have large followings that travel. For years, LSU has had a Houston presence on its roster. As a member of the Big 12, Kansas State plays regularly in Texas and will be making its third appearance in the Texas Bowl.
“It’s a great opportunity for us to showcase what Kansas State football is all about and what our fan base is all about and how important football is at K-State,” Wildcats coach Chris Klieman said.
A victory would be significant for either side and go a long way in preparation for 2022.
“For us, 8-5 sounds a lot better than 7-6,” Klieman said.
The Tigers of the SEC come in 6-6 after ending their season with a 27-24 victory over Texas A&M.
Both teams are facing challenges, from bowl opouts to transfers to injuries. Scouting the opposition is not easy. And both coaches are concerned with their own personnel.
Max Johnson, LSU’s starting quarterback throughout the season in his sophomore year, recently entered the transfer portal. Skylar Thompson, Kansas State’s sixth-year senior with 30 career starts, is on the mend from an ankle injury suffered against Baylor in the next-tolast game of the regular season.
“I don’t know who’s going to be our starting quarterback,” Klieman said Tuesday. “I don’t know who LSU’s quarterback is going to be.”
LSU is hopeful that true freshman Garrett Nussmeier, the only remaining quarterback on scholarship, will be able to play and retain his redshirt. He has played four games, and the Tigers have asked the NCAA for a waiver.
A contingency plan is in place. The Tigers have a multitude of quarterbacks taking reps, including walk-ons Matt O’Dowd and Tavion Faulk.
Klieman is hopeful as well that Thompson will soon recover from his injury and start to practice. If Thompson is not available, backup sophomore Will Howard will get the nod. Howard started most of the pandemic-shortened season in 2020 after Thompson got hurt.
LSU, whose staff is in transition, has seen its participation numbers drop with some players skipping the bowl for various reasons.
“I’ve never had any concerns as it pertains to our guys’ willingness to compete,” said Davis, who has been retained as offensive line coach by incoming Brian Kelly, who will take over the program full-time following the bowl.
“We won’t be a distracted football team. There won’t be any excuses made regarding our performance. We expect to execute, play fundamental football. And we certainly have a respect for the opponent we’re going to play, and we know they’re going to bring it as well.”
Monday was LSU’s first bowl practice, and according to Davis, it was spirited, competitive and electric. Kansas
State, which has finals this week and is fighting the flu, won’t begin prepping until Friday.
Neither team got the desired results it wanted on the field in 2021. Kansas State began its season in Texas, beating Stanford 24-7 at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, but endured a three-game losing streak to open Big 12 play, going 4-5 in the league. The Wildcats ended the season with back-to-back defeats.
LSU, which was displaced by Hurricane Ida and had five days of practice at NRG Stadium before its season began, had to win its final two games to finish 6-6 and will be playing in its 21st bowl in 22 years. The Tigers went 3-5 in the rugged Southeastern Conference.
Kansas State, like LSU and most teams around the country, has felt the effects of the transfer portal. But Klieman expects the Wildcats to give it their all at NRG Stadium.
“We’re going to play hard, we’re going to play fast, we’re going to be physical,” Klieman said. “We’re going to have guys that are going to be excited about playing the game. Everybody that’s getting on that plane headed to Houston wants to be here and expects to play at the highest level so we have the opportunity to be successful.”
LSU is playing in the Texas Bowl a second time. In 2015, the Tigers beat Texas Tech and Patrick Mahomes 56-27. Davis feels his team will play hard as well and play enthusiastic football.
“It should be a group that brings excitement,” Davis said. “Our guys love playing football. That’s something that I hope will jump off people’s TV screens watching at home. You are going to see a group of guys that are fired up to play for one another.”