'We had iron vs. butter': Brian Kelly points to LSU's improved roster after lamenting previous fall camps

After dropping its last five season openers, No. 9 LSU faces arguably its toughest early season test in years. The Tigers travel to No. 4 Clemson on Saturday for a matchup that has early College Football Playoff implications. Coach Brian Kelly said Wednesday on the SEC teleconference call that his team got into a game-week routine earlier than in previous years, hoping to get players acclimated to game-day conditions. But perhaps more importantly, they upgraded the roster.

"Everybody talks about iron sharpening iron," Kelly said. "We didn't have iron all the time [in previous camps]. We had iron vs. butter. Butter doesn't like iron. So, from that perspective, the competition in [this] camp was so much different."

The metaphor -- unusual as it is -- shows how different this LSU roster is from past teams. With more depth, practices are tougher and players are pushed harder. In previous years, Kelly said, the team didn't have that kind of internal competition, and players weren't tested as much day-to-day.

"When you have the kind of depth that we have built here, and it's taken time, and we still have some work to do, I think that's probably the biggest difference," Kelly said. "There are some nuances in terms of our schedule. We got into a routine, a game-week schedule, earlier than I had in the past. But the other things are pretty similar."

Although LSU returns starting quarterback Garrett Nussmeier, a potential No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, only seven players who made at least six starts last season are back in Baton Rouge. The Tigers addressed those gaps with the nation's top-ranked transfer portal class, with Kelly revealing last week on his radio show that the team invested "just about $18 million" in the roster this season.

The influx of new talent has created a much deeper, more competitive roster, giving LSU the internal pressure Kelly says was missing in previous seasons. Coupled with an adjusted game-week schedule leading up to the opener, the Tigers have been able to simulate game-day conditions and get players acclimated to the routines they'll face on Saturday.

But will it be enough to finally reverse their opener woes?

"We're going to find out," Kelly said. "I mean, this was really about trying to get into a routine so game week didn't feel so unusual. And I think our guys really adapted well to understanding that even in camp each day of the week, which is part of our in-season routine, was laid out. So they knew what to expect even in camp in terms of what the practice was going to look like. And I think that allowed them to be a lot more intentional about their work each and every day. But, again, the proof is in how you perform. Our preparation has been really good, we have to go perform now."

Despite the optimism in Baton Rouge, oddsmakers see Clemson as the favorite. LSU is a 3.5-point underdog on the road at Clemson, according to FanDuel Sportsbook.