Almost everything LSU coach Brian Kelly said Monday about last week’s 65-17 shellacking of Southern was tempered with the knowledge that the Jaguars were severely outmanned in the affair.

Not that he was complaining.

All week he preached a faster start — and the Tigers’ 37-0 lead heading into the second quarter was the most points scored in an opening quarter in LSU history.

But it will be much tougher this week when the Tigers (1-1) open Southeastern Conference play against Mississippi State (2-0).

At least LSU should be at full strength and the struggling running game could get a boost with John Emery’s return.

Emery, who hasn’t played since the 2020 season, has served the additional two games of the academic suspension that also forced him to miss all of last season and will be ready to go behind the Tigers’ reshuffled offensive line Saturday against the Bulldogs.

“It’s been a long run for John,” said Kelly of the senior. “He’s worked hard to get back in this position. Now he gets an opportunity.

“He’s been off for a while, so let’s not put a lot of expectations on him in the first game (back). We’ve got other backs who have done well, but he will be part of the mix and, make no mistake about it, we’ve seen his capabilities in camp.”

But the big key for whatever back is in there will be the offensive line, and how the rearranging plays out against stiffer SEC competition.

“The way it graded out was what we were hoping for,” Kelly said. “Pleased with that starting five. I think you can expect to see that (lineup) moving forward. There’s some guys that distinguished themselves.”

The switching basically moved backup Charles Turner to center in place of Garrett Dellenger, who moved to starting left guard, where Miles Frazier moved to right tackle in place of Cam Wire, who is now a backup. Right tackle Anthony Bradford moved to right guard.

Wire will still play, Kelly said and freshman Emery Jones showed enough in his first playing time that “you’ll see more of him in the rotation.

“There’s still going to be a need to rotate guys in … It’s not going to be five for the whole game. I just think Emery Jones did some really good things on Saturday.”

LSU should be a near-full strength for the SEC opener.

The Tigers, who were missing three of their four starting defensive down linemen against Southern, will get all but sophomore star Maason Smith back for Mississippi State. Smith is out for the year after tearing and ACL in the Florida State game.

But Kelly expects to get back edge rushers B.J. Ojulari (who was held out last week with a minor injury) and Ali Gaye (who was out for the first half after a targeting penalty against FSU and wasn’t needed in the second).