What is wrong with Garrett Nussmeier?
As No. 13 LSU tries to regroup from last week’s 24-19 loss to Ole Miss and figure out how to resurrect an offense that ranks 80th nationally in scoring, the big question is at quarterback. LSU’s future NFL draft pick has not looked like the same player he was a year ago.
Nussmeier is completing 67.3% of his passes, up from 64.2% last season, but everything else is trending down. He’s averaging fewer yards per pass attempt, he’s on pace for fewer touchdown passes, and he ranks 31st in Total QBR after finishing 10th nationally last season (79.6).
A preseason favorite to contend for the Heisman Trophy and go early in the 2026 NFL Draft, Nussmeier has seen his stock tumble a bit. ESPN’s Jordan Rodgers went on Get Up Wednesday morning to talk about why.
“We’re down on Nuss, and I was the one that was probably leading the bandwagon, right, saying he was gonna be the Heisman hopeful,” Rodgers said. “What we haven’t seen is the deep ball, and I just think he’s not 100%.
“When you watch Garrett Nussmeier, it looks like every throw, he’s throwing about 75%. You never really see him step into one and rip it like we saw last year. That was his superpower — under pressure with guys in his face, he could create a great amount of velocity and accuracy. Every ball just seems to be fluttering toward the perimeter. The downfield throws … are not what they were last year, and that’s just not being inaccurate, those balls aren’t driving and landing downfield. They’re coming up short. It doesn’t look like he’s 100%. … Brian Kelly has said he’s healthy, to me he just doesn’t look it.”
Ahead of LSU’s game against Southeastern Louisiana on Sept. 20, there was speculation that LSU could sit Nussmeier for the game and let him rest. Coach Brian Kelly said that week that a “torso injury” limited Nussmeier in practice to begin the season, forcing LSU to adjust Nussmeier’s weekday regimen and impacting the offense’s development, but Kelly stressed that Nussmeier needed to stay on the field.
Two weeks later and, following the loss to Ole Miss, Nussmeier was again asked about his health.
“I’m not going to answer any questions about my health,” Nussmeier said after the game.
LSU is on a bye week this Saturday. The Tigers return to action on Oct. 11 when they host South Carolina.
Derek Peterson does a bit of everything, not unlike Taysom Hill. He has covered Oklahoma, Nebraska, the Pac-12, and now delivers CFB-wide content.
