Storylines that will define Brian Kelly's third spring practice with LSU football

New defensive coaching staff. New starting quarterback. New playcallers on offense.

Same old expectations for LSU football as it gets set to open spring practice Tuesday.

After a wonky season that featured a high-flying, jet-riding offense that culminated with Jayden Daniels hoisting the Heisman Trophy that was in stark contrast to one of the worst seasons on defense in recent program memory, LSU coach Brian Kelly and the Tigers begin the hunt for more consistency in all phases of the game for the 2024 season.

Despite some staff overhaul, Kelly and LSU ushered in a top-seven 2024 recruiting class, providing some offseason momentum.

But there are still plenty of holes to fill for the Tigers, who will hold 15 practices before the National L Club Spring Game inside Tiger Stadium on April 13.

Here are three storylines that will permeate throughout spring drills for LSU.

Garrett Nussmeier taking over at QB for LSU football after Heisman Trophy winner Jayden Daniels

You won't hear Kelly or his new co-offensive coordinators Cortez Hankton and Joe Sloan say that sophomore quarterback Garrett Nussmeier is replacing Daniels or that the expectation level in performance is going to be same.

That would be ludicrous, and remotely putting that kind of pressure on the signal caller would be a recipe for disaster.

But the talk about Nussmeier in March and April will be development, progressions and comfortability operating the offense in the starting role.

The coaching staff got a good look at him in the ReliaQuest Bowl to cap off last season, and Nussmeier performed brilliantly, earning MVP honors for the game. He went 31-for-45 for 395 yards and three touchdowns to help lead LSU to a 35-31 win over Wisconsin.

The ushering of different offensive, defensive schemes for LSU football

At least on the offensive side, it won't be a complete overhaul of what the Tigers did the last couple of seasons. But like any new coordinator change, whether in-house or not, play-callers put their own spin on things.

Sloan and Hankton will certainly want to do that, and the personnel will dictate what kind of splits between run and pass ultimately shape out for LSU's offense. With new skill players out wide and breaking in a first-time starter at quarterback, the spring will be utilized as a major evaluation tool on who's capable of doing what.

Blake Baker takes over as LSU's defensive coordinator, and there's already been a notable move. Kelly has said that standout pass-rusher Harold Perkins will shift back over to inside linebacker in Baker's system.

Baker has led a few former linebackers under his tutelage to the NFL, going back to Damone Clark during his previous stint at LSU and Shaq Quarterman while being the DC at Miami. Last season, while Baker led Missouri to a top-10 defense, he coached linebacker Ty'Ron Hopper to All-SEC status.

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There will be a multitude of questions stemming from depth that need to be answered along the defensive line and what combinations of defensive backs will put LSU in position to be most successful in 2024, but Baker has proven in the past that he gets the most out of his players.

Can questions marks at skill positions be answered?

The top returning running back on LSU's roster totaled 284 rushing yards last season. That was Josh Williams. The next guy was Kaleb Jackson at 181 yards.

At wide receiver, LSU does get Kyren Lacy back, who had a solid season wedging himself in there somehow between future NFL first-rounder Malik Nabers and Brian Thomas Jr., amassing 558 yards off 30 catches with seven touchdowns.

Who will complement these players at their respective skill positions in 2024? And how much closer can LSU get to answering those questions during spring?

The running back spot is incredibly thin with experience after Logan Diggs and Noah Cain exited the program. Trey Holley was suspended indefinitely following an arrest a few weeks ago, and this spring will be important for Jackson as well as Tre Bradford as they'll get significant reps.

Behind Lacy are a lot of young and unproven guys like Chris Hilton Jr. and Aaron Anderson. Those players can begin to carve out some roles for themselves with a solid spring, but it'll be intriguing to watch.

Cory Diaz covers the LSU Tigers and Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns for The Daily Advertiser as part of the USA TODAY Network. Follow his Tigers and Cajuns coverage on Twitter: @ByCoryDiaz. Got questions regarding LSU/UL athletics? Send them to Cory Diaz at bdiaz@gannett.com.