Garrett Nussmeier’s status this week clarified by LSU head coach Brian Kelly amid injury concerns
LSU Tigers quarterback Garrett Nussmeier has been battling a nagging torso injury since the preseason, but head coach Brian Kelly confirmed this week that the senior signal-caller is fully recovered and ready to lead the team against Southeastern Louisiana on Saturday.The injury, which stemmed from an intense summer throwing regimen, caused significant tightness in Nussmeier’s […]
LSU Tigers quarterback Garrett Nussmeier has been battling a nagging torso injury since the preseason, but head coach Brian Kelly confirmed this week that the senior signal-caller is fully recovered and ready to lead the team against Southeastern Louisiana on Saturday.
The injury, which stemmed from an intense summer throwing regimen, caused significant tightness in Nussmeier’s torso. Kelly noted that it limited the quarterback’s practice reps during the early weeks of fall camp, including two media-open sessions where he sat out throwing drills entirely. At the time, Kelly described these absences as strategic “load management” to protect his starter.
Despite the discomfort, Nussmeier powered through every offensive snap in LSU’s first three games of the season. The No. 3-ranked Tigers have leaned heavily on his arm, and he’s delivered: completing 65.1% of his passes for 689 yards, three touchdowns, and just two interceptions.
Nussmeier Overcomes Preseason
Setback, Poised for Full Workload
“We knew we had two, in particular, very, very difficult games with Clemson on the road and a charged up Florida team,” Kelly said. “So, we dialed back practice. We dialed back what we were doing to make sure that we protected him, but he’s now on the other side of it because we were able to do it.”
“I think he needs to play, and Garrett wants to play,” Kelly said. “He’s capable of playing. As I said, the torso injury slowed him up and it slowed up, in some instances, the development of the offense because we needed to be very careful with him.”
Kelly praised Nussmeier’s resilience and recent practice performances, calling him “on the other side” of the issue. “He’s practicing at a high level now,” Kelly said. The coach added that the team had scaled back on vertical passing drills over the past month to accommodate the injury, but they’ve ramped up intensity in recent sessions.
Data from Pro Football Focus shows Nussmeier is 4-of-13 on deep balls over 20 yards, a stat that’s expected to improve as he regains full strength.
Kelly doesn’t anticipate the injury lingering into the regular season, with the biggest boost coming during LSU’s open date the week of October 4. That rest period should allow Nussmeier to recharge fully before a grueling stretch.
The Tigers kick off non-conference play against Southeastern Louisiana at 6:45 p.m. CT on Saturday in Tiger Stadium. Victory there sets up a marquee SEC showdown with No. 13 Ole Miss the following week, followed by the bye and then three straight conference tilts. With Nussmeier at the helm, LSU looks primed to maintain its early-season momentum.
