Myles Brennan Shines as Purple Beats White at 2019 LSU Spring Game

The LSU Tigers are already back on the football field and getting ready for what they hope will be a successful 2019 season. 

In their annual spring matchup, the Purple squad beat White by a 17-14 margin. Head coach Ed Orgeron has a talented squad loaded with returning talent and a deep crop of talented freshman to fill in areas of need. 

A total of 16 starters are back from 2018's 10-win team. Last year marked the first time since 2013 they reached double-digit victories in a season.

This is also the first time since 2010 that the Tigers are returning the same quarterback-offensive coordinator combination from the previous season.

Despite Joe Burrow's presence, though, he could be facing stiff pressure from Myles Brennan for the starting quarterback gig leading up to the regular season. 

According to 247Sports' Shea Dixon, Brennan looked more comfortable than Burrow through the first two drives of the game:

There did seem to be an emphasis to get both quarterbacks out from under center:

That strategy didn't necessarily highlight Burrow's strengths, though it did give true freshman cornerback Derek Stingley Jr. an opportunity to show Tigers fans what he's going to add to their defense:

Stingley was the crown jewel of LSU's fifth-ranked recruiting class. He comes to college as a 5-star prospect who was ranked as the No. 1 cornerback and No. 3 overall player, per 247Sports. 

LSU figures to feature Stingley a lot in the secondary this year with Greedy Williams departing for the NFL after last season. He's got the added pressure of being a hometown kid from Baton Rouge, but the early returns are very promising. 

One thing that wasn't a positive, which likely contributed to some of Burrow's erratic showing, was the offensive line. It was a significant issue in 2018, when the Tigers tied for 102nd in the nation with 35 sacks allowed. 

That offensive line took a hit during the game when tackle Badara Traore suffered a leg injury after running back Lanard Fournette landed on the back of his legs. Orgeron was asked about the senior after the game:

If the Tigers can't protect their quarterback, it doesn't matter whether Burrow or Brennan is under center. You can't have a leaky offensive line taking on Alabama, Florida, Auburn and Georgia and still compete for a national title. 

There were positives to take away on offense in this game. Sophomore running back Chris Curry could be poised for a breakout season if Saturday is an indication of things to come:

The game wasn't a complete look at what LSU is going to offer in 2019. Brody Miller of NOLA.com noted Orgeron expected it to be a very "basic" and vanilla presentation of the offense. 

It's apparent the strength of LSU's roster remains on the defensive end. If the offense can find a consistent rhythm, there is an enormous ceiling for the entire team this season.