Though he decided to withdraw from the transfer portal, quarterback Myles Brennan won't play in the upcoming Texas Bowl, instead returning to LSU at the start of the spring semester.
Brennan said Friday morning on WNXX, 104.5-FM he will rejoin the team in January. As he pointed out, he hasn't practiced since April — much less played in a game — because of the broken left arm he suffered days before preseason camp.
The decision allows Brennan to return when coach Brian Kelly officially takes over after the Jan. 4 bowl game against Kansas State, giving the fifth-year senior "a fresh start" with the new coaching staff.
"I know a lot of people wanted me to play in the bowl game, but when you think about it, I haven't practiced or played all year," Brennan said. "To try and get my body ready mentally and physically to be able to play in a game... for us to possibly go 7-6 — I know I have too much ahead of me to risk anything for that one game."
Former LSU sophomore starting quarterback Max Johnson will transfer to Texas A&M.
LSU will have to move forward with either freshman Garrett Nussmeier, a walk-on or someone else at the position. The school has asked the NCAA to let Nussmeier play without burning his redshirt.
Brennan entered the NCAA transfer portal in early November, which allowed other schools to contact him. With one more year of eligibility, Brennan needed to play a full season somewhere to give himself a chance of reaching the NFL.
"At the time, LSU was not a situation that I thought would best fit me and this opportunity moving forward with one year left," Brennan said. "That's why I went forward with the transfer portal to weigh all my options. I narrowed it down to a few schools. Then out of the blue it all came full circle."
Kelly called Brennan on Monday night to ask him about returning to LSU. As they talked, Brennan asked about Kelly's offensive philosophy. Kelly told him he will attend the quarterbacks' meetings and bounce ideas off the starter. Kelly intends to tailor the scheme to LSU's players.
LSU junior wide receiver Trey Palmer has entered the transfer portal, according to reports by Rivals and 247 Sports.
"When he said that, it was like there's no limitations to this offense," Brennan said. "It gave me a flashback to 2019 when there was no limit to what we could do."
With Brennan on the roster alongside Nussmeier and five-star freshman Walker Howard, LSU has three scholarship quarterbacks for the 2022 season. Having Brennan, who will be a sixth-year senior, may give the underclassmen time to develop.
"I feel like a weight has been lifted off my shoulders and I can take a deep breath now," Brennan said. "It's the place that I've always wanted to be. I didn't want to leave."
