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MAILBAG: Clemson run D, baseball nattys and a QB of the future

Aug 18, 2025 | 8:00 AM

Jun 22, 2025; Omaha, Neb, USA; LSU Tigers head coach Jay Johnson hoists the trophy after winning the College World Series at Charles Schwab Field. Mandatory Credit: Dylan Widger-Imagn Images

By Hunt Palmer

We’re inside two weeks until gameday for the 2025 LSU football team. The basketball squad is in the middle of two weeks off before they come back to prepare for their season, and the baseball team is returning from summer assignments.

Classes begin a week from today, so it’s time to move forward with the 2025-26 school year. Let’s kick it off with a mailbag!

I’m not sure anyone has suggested Clemson will lead college football in rushing defense. Much of the trepidation on the LSU side about running the ball in the opener has to do with LSU’s inability to run the ball for three years. The Tigers ran for 116 yards per game last season. That was last in the SEC and 107th in the country.  The running game also hasn’t been consistent in the practices open to the media. Couple that with a pair of Clemson defensive linemen, TJ Parker and Peter Woods, that are receiving high NFL Draft grades, the concern feels well-placed to me. Yes, Clemson’s rushing defense stunk last year. Only 2-10 Florida State performed worse in the ACC. Your point stands, but so does my looming concern.

This is too black and white for me. Not all 9-3s are created the same in my mind. Let’s talk hypotheticals. If LSU goes 9-3 with blowout losses to Clemson, Alabama and Florida while beating two backup quarterback against Ole Miss and Texas A&M and escapes Vandy on a blocked field goal, ok that’s a massive underachievement with a fifth-year starting quarterback and an expensive, old roster. If LSU loses that third game like the Florida State game in the Superdome three years ago or the ball bouncing off Chris Hilton’s facemask as it did in Oxford two years ago (take the defensive ineptitude out of it and call it 30-28), those losses are different kinds of losses. I can’t judge a program on losses by three inches. I can on complete blowouts. The expectations on this team are clear. The playoff is the goal. Falling short would be a tremendous disappointment. However, I do believe Brian Kelly has a really good staff in place and loads of talent on the way. They need to address quarterback post-Nussmeier, but I’m not willing to cancel the football program the second a third loss shows up this fall.

You’re talking about a fight that involves a pair of former NFL players and some journalism nerds? I don’t need Jimmy Ott to handicap that one.

I truly think he will at Clemson. In my opinion, LSU’s defense is its stronger unit. I would much rather that group out there on the road rather than LSU’s offense against that Clemson front. Offenses are often trying to find their groove in the opener. Let the defense try to go out there and cause some havoc. If he wants to put the offense out thee at home against Florida, I’ll disagree but accept. I genuinely hope he puts the defense out there against Clemson.

I ranked the position groups a couple of weeks ago. We have seen two weeks worth of practice since then. To me, the edge players on defense and the wide receivers are still the best two units on the team. You can rank them either way. The floors are so, so high for both units. Biggest concern is the offensive line, and I don’t have a close second.

I do not. Michael Van Buren was a really good addition for this team. Getting a backup with SEC starting experience was a really nice find. He’s got a lot of developing to do to be a championship quarterback. LSU frees up a lot of payroll after this season. I would think quarterback ranks high on the expense list come December.

Jay would have to win five more for a total of seven to get there. That just seems like a tall mountain to climb. First of all, our perspective here sucks. And I say that with the utmost amount of gratitude and respect for Skip Bertman, Paul Mainieri and Jay Johnson. Winning eight of nine finals is nearly impossible at any level of baseball. I absolutely believe Johnson will be back to Omaha a number of times and will win more titles. He’s the best coach in the country. He would have to equal Bertman’s career from this point forward to get there. Say that out loud. For me to forecast that would be more than optimistic.

DJ Thomas will be the point guard. I think Ron Zipper, the Israeli guard, will man the two spot. Mississippi State transfer Mike Nwoku will be the five. I feel good about those three. Jalen Reed still isn’t practicing at full speed coming off the ACL injury, but he’s a good bet to be in there by Christmas. That leaves the three where I like Rashad King from Northeastern. Max Mackinnon can really shoot it and will be an option, but I’ll go with King.

I realize this is a sensitive subject. There is a large portion of the LSU fanbase than has moved on from this basketball era for the time being. I get that. The sport plays third fiddle in Baton Rouge, and they went 3-15 last year. I’ll say this. Last year LSU playing in the SEC was like the Sacramento Athletics playing against the Dodgers, Yankees, Phillies, Padres and Mets. It showed. The talent levels were nowhere close largely due to the payrolls being…nowhere close. This year, only two players from that team are back, and Reed didn’t play after Christmas. So, it’s an entirely different roster, and this one is more like Mariners, Astros, Giants or Cardinals. It’s not at the top of the league in spending, but it competitive. How it’s developed, coached and performs will tell the story. I’m not telling you they’re making the tournament. I am telling you they’re going to field a team that isn’t overmatched by finances, size and talent the way they were last year.

Because of his draft profile, high expectations were put on Schmidt by the fanbase. That happens in Baton Rouge. The LSU coaching staff never saw it that way. They eased him along, and there were some awesome results. He struck out seven in four innings against North Dakota State. He struck out eight in four shutout innings against Nicholls. He struck out seven against Southeastern in 3.1 innings.  Against DBU in the Regional he struck out three in a perfect inning. His stuff was really good all year. He also walked 11 in two SEC innings. To me, that nerves and pitching away from contact. He only walked 11 more in 30 innings of non-conference ball. Pitching “like a first rounder” is a tall order. Anthony Eyanson went in the third round. Can Schmidt take a nice leap forward in the fall and into the spring, absolutely. And suggesting he will isn’t even overly optimistic. That’s how good he can be.

Depends how I read the question. If I get to pick one and the other is a wild card? I easily take the strong running game. If the other is assured to be poor, I’ll take my chances with the defense that gets off the field and a 4,000 passer on the other side of the ball with another bad running game. If I’m assured the defense can’t get third down stops, you can’t win. Since I think you mean, pick one and let the other play out, I’ll take the running game. If LSU runs the ball in the top half of the SEC, the Tigers will make the playoffs.

Hunt Palmer

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