LSU had encouraging news Wednesday about star quarterback Jayden Daniels.

Daniels, who has been in concussion protocol since he was knocked out of the Alabama game on Saturday, was set to return to practice on Wednesday after sitting out Tuesday’s work.

“If all goes well (Wednesday) he’ll be cleared for contact Thursday,” head coach Brian Kelly said on the Southeastern Conference coaches’ teleconference Wednesday morning.

Quarterbacks seldom take hits during practice, but being cleared for contact presumably would make him available for Saturday’s game against Florida.

Kelly said Daniels went through an early workout Wednesday morning that went well, with the quarterback running at 20 mph. That was the last stage, Kelly said, to clear Daniels for noncontact work.

“I don’t know what the specifics are,” Kelly said. “But it certainly triggered protocol for concussion. I don’t know what the medical bar is for that.”

If Daniels is unable to play, the Tigers will go with backup Garrett Nussmeier, who played most of the fourth quarter against Alabama after Daniels departed and completed 5 of 10 passes for 57 yards.

While missing Tuesday’s practice, Kelly said, Daniels has been doing film study for this week’s game.

“If he goes through (Wednesday’s) practice then we’ll decide what his preparation level is compared to Nussmeier’s and make a decision on who would start on Saturday.

“But I can tell you that he’s moved through these stages to the point that he worked out this morning and ran 20 mph.”