Garrett Nussmeier awarded No. 18, becoming first LSU QB to wear it in over 2 decades
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Among the long lineage of great LSU signal-callers, Garrett Nussmeier is looking to put his name among the program’s greatest as he and the Tigers eye a College Football Playoff berth this fall.
And ahead of the one of the most anticipated seasons Baton Rouge has seen in some time, Nussmeier was awarded one of LSU’s highest honors when he became the first QB since Matt Mauck to don the vaunted No. 18.
The No. 18 is one of two numbers that have importance within the LSU program. While the No. 7 is given to a dynamic home-state product who is known for lifting others up, the No. 18 is awarded to the player who best epitomizes what it means to be a teammate through actions and sacrifice.
There are high expectations surrounding Nussmeier’s final season in Baton Rouge. The veteran quarterback has already compiled 5,772 passing yards and 40 touchdowns in his career, but both an SEC and national title have eluded him up this point. With an influx of high-caliber transfers and a strong cast returning around the QB, Nussmeier & Co. believe this can be the year LSU breaks through under Brian Kelly.
Last year, star offensive tackle Will Campbell and linebacker Harold Perkins Jr. represented the No. 7 while running back Josh Williams and linebacker Greg Penn III donned the No. 18s. Perkins will retain the No. 7 in 2025.
Mauck was the first to wear the No. 18 back in 2003, when the Nick Saban-led Tigers won the national championship over Oklahoma and finished with a 13-1 record.
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Current sports editor with the Enterprise-Journal in McComb, Ms. Mizzou grad '24 and college athletics enthusiast.
