GLENN GUILBEAU, Tiger Rag Editor
In case you haven’t heard, LSU offensive coordinator Joe Sloan is still at LSU.
Word was if he lost the commitment from Bryce Underwood, the nation’s No. 1 high school quarterback last recruiting season from Detroit, he would be out of a job. Not so.
Underwood committed to LSU in January of 2024 and flipped to Michigan last November, and Sloan remains at LSU.
“Well, you know, I think things happen, right?” Sloan said at a rare football coach press conference that did not include head coach Brian Kelly on Tuesday in the football facility. “Things happen in college football. Obviously there are some external factors, but we can’t worry about things we can’t control.”
Underwood remains at Michigan – just 45 minutes from Detroit.
“You deal with what’s best for the program and make your decisions that are best for the program,” Sloan, 38, said. “And you rock ‘n’ roll forward. We couldn’t be more excited how everything worked out.”
With a disappointing 8-4 regular season at LSU last year after a 6-1 start and No. 8 ranking in addition to the Underwood loss, LSU rolled into NCAA Transfer Portal mode like it never has before. And Sloan and other assistants helped head coach Brian Kelly land the No. 1 portal class in the nation, which includes sophomore quarterback Michael Van Buren, who transferred from Mississippi State.
Van Buren is no Underwood as he was only the No. 15 quarterback in the portal. But he could be a quality backup for returning senior starter Garrett Nussmeier. Van Buren started eight games last season and played in 10.
“We just got to continue to recruit to the best of our ability with our relationships,” Sloan said. “Talking about LSU, talking about Coach Kelly’s program, talking about the tradition of this place. And that’s why you continue to see excellent players committing to LSU.”
LSU currently has the No. 1 recruiting class in the nation for 2026 by On3.com – next to that No. 1 transfer class for 2025 by 247sports.com. The Tigers jumped from No. 3 to the No. 1 spot this week with addition of five-star wide receiver Tristen Keys of Hattiesburg High in Hattiesburg, Mississippi, and four-star WR Jabari Mack of Destrehan High near New Orleans over the last week.
“That’s what we’re going to continue to focus on, and that’s been working pretty good,” Sloan said. “In today’s world of recruiting, every day’s a new day. You just keep attacking that day.”
Van Buren completed 140 of 256 passes for 1,886 yards and 11 touchdowns with seven interceptions last season at Mississippi State. He also rushed for five touchdowns, and LSU needs scoring punch in goal-line situations – a glaring weak spot last season.
“I think Michael’s done an excellent job,” Sloan said. “I couldn’t be more excited to have him and what he’s done. And just all the different pieces that we have here, I couldn’t be more excited about the future of the offense.”
Sloan’s pass offense returns starting wide receiver Aaron Anderson, who led the team last season with 61 catches for 884 yards and five touchdowns, Chris Hilton Jr., who played just the last six games after a leg injury and caught nine passes for 243 yards and three touchdowns, and Xavion Thomas, who caught 23 for 218 yards and two touchdowns. Also back is tight end Trey’Dez Green, who caught 13 passes for 101 yards and four touchdowns.
Then the portal additions really make things interesting with No. 3 wide receiver Nic Anderson of Oklahoma, No. 11 wide receiver/kick returner Barion Brown of Kentucky and No. 7 tight end Bauer Sharp of Oklahoma.
“It’s not just the guys we brought in, but the guys who are back,” Sloan said. “We have a ton of talent. I couldn’t be more excited about the receiver room, tight ends when it comes to the weapons and the skill-type players. All the new guys really have done an excellent job picking up the playbook. We’ve got a lot of new faces. At times, we can have a lot of offense.”
Brown gives LSU two dangerous deep threats with Hilton.
“I’ve been really excited about Barion’s speed, but he’s been an all-around receiver,” Sloan said. “Nic has play making ability. All the pieces are fitting together really well in that room. I’m excited about the receiver room. Garrett is, too.”
Sloan’s philosophy involves simplicity with confusion in the run and the pass.
“The whole thing is simplicity – showing the same pictures to the offense, and then letting them execute in those situations,” he said. “That’s where you bring out their physicality. If we can continue to build that way and be confusing for the defense, but simple for us, then our guys can go play fast. We’re trying to create that.”
Sloan agrees with many fans about Nussmeier.
“We’ve got to be multiple in the run game,” he said. “Garrett needs to run more. He knows that. That’s something that we’ve talked about. But Garrett’s not going to go run for 1,000 yards. We need to be able to attack people in different ways, yet keeping it simple for our guys as we get more multiple.”
First things first, though, Sloan knows he needs to improve the running game and the red zone offense.
“We’ve got to make sure that we create a balanced offense,” he said.
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