How LSU football greats Joe Burrow and Jayden Daniels helped rewrite the narrative around the Tigers’ offense

If I had told you 20 years ago that LSU would become a mecca for college quarterbacks and the home of two Heisman Trophy winners in five years, you would have thought I was as mad as the hat on Les Miles’ head.

Don’t get me wrong, the Tigers were a good program back then—they posted 10-plus wins in each of Miles’ first three seasons, including a national championship in 2007. But they were far from any sort of offensive juggernaut.

That is, until Joe Burrow arrived.

Before Burrow transferred to LSU from Ohio State, the Tigers had finished in the upper tier of the SEC in yards per game just once in the prior decade. They ranked right in the middle of the pack three times in that span, but finished in the lower half every other year.

Burrow’s competitive nature, calm demeanor and pinpoint accuracy ushered in a new era of offense at LSU.

“You can tell this year is really different,” Burrow told 225 back in 2019. “I think not only the team, but the fans are going to be happy with what they see come September.”

And he couldn’t have been more right.

Burrow went on to lead the Tigers to an unforgettable, record-setting 15-0 season that culminated in the school’s first national title since the aforementioned 2007 victory.

His name is etched into the LSU record books multiple times, and he left Baton Rouge as the most decorated player in LSU football history.

Burrow’s journey not only changed the narrative around LSU’s offensive dynamics but also paved the way for another Tiger transfer to take the nation by storm.

Two years after Burrow became the No. 1 overall pick in the NFL Draft, Jayden Daniels decided to follow a similar path and transfer to LSU from Arizona State.

Like Burrow, Daniels had a good first year on campus, which set the stage for a historic second season.

“I just wanted to come here and rebrand myself on the biggest stage to showcase my talents,” Daniels told 225 in 2023. “I know I can play at a high level. LSU is a platform [where] I get to play in the best conference in college football against the best competition to prepare myself for the next level.”

Daniels did just that.

He’s the first and only player in FBS history to pass for 12,000 yards and rush for 3,000 yards in his career, accounting for 124 career touchdowns and taking home the Heisman Trophy for his efforts.

Daniels also set records in his time at LSU, becoming the first player in FBS history to rush for 200 yards and pass for 350 yards in a single game. And he is one of only five players in SEC history to be responsible for 50 touchdowns in a single season.

He was drafted No. 2 overall in the 2024 NFL Draft, earning Pro Bowl honors and winning NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year last season.

This article previously appeared in the November 2025 issue of 225 Magazine.