LSU quarterback Garrett Nussmeier entered the season with high expectations, and early on he looked ready to deliver. His best moment came in a statement road win at Clemson, where he completed 74 percent of his throws against a tough defense in one of the ACC’s most hostile environments. That performance turned heads and built optimism that Nussmeier was firmly in the Heisman Trophy race.
But since then, things have gone the other direction. LSU’s offense has sputtered badly. In the 24-19 loss at Ole Miss this past Saturday, the Tigers converted just two of 11 third-down chances. The lack of a running game left Nussmeier constantly in obvious passing situations, and the Rebels took advantage by dropping extra defenders into coverage. For a quarterback with a gunslinger reputation, the results were troubling with misreads and questionable throws.
NFL evaluators remain intrigued but concerned. One scouting director told The Athletic that while Nussmeier has the tools, “there is a sense of overconfidence” and too many errors for a quarterback of his experience. Another scout see issues outside of his abilities. “Something’s off with him," he said. "He’s just not firing the ball the way he used to.”
All of this has added speculation about his health. LSU head coach Brian Kelly initially acknowledged Nussmeier was managing a torso injury, but later clarifying it as an abdominal strain that’s been slow to heal.
Kelly insists surgery isn’t on the table and maintains the quarterback is on the “back end” of recovery. However, the inconsistency has raised questions LSU has yet to answer on the field.
For now, the Tigers’ offense ranks near the bottom of the SEC in rushing and explosive plays. If Nussmeier can rediscover his early-season form, LSU could still find momentum. But with tough games ahead, both Nussmeier and his team are running out of time to get right.
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