Garrett Nussmeier explains why 10 wins is not enough for LSU

Garrett Nussmeier knows there’s a new standard at LSU and just winning 10 games isn’t enough in the grand scheme of things.

The Tigers quarterback wants more out of the 2024 season following a successful year. It saw Jayden Daniels win the Heisman, but LSU did not get back to the SEC Championship Game or find itself in the playoff.

But, Nussmeier knows what has to be done in order to reach those lofty heights year to year.

“I think if you asked any of us that we’ll tell you, we don’t believe that’s the standard anymore, Nussmeier said. “You know, going into year three in this system and not even on the field, but off the field and how we do things on a daily basis, how we act, how we move around this building, how we do things outside of this building, it’s all changed. 

“And we hold ourselves to the standards where we believe like I said, 10 wins is not enough anymore. Now, I’m not going to sit here and say, ‘Hey, we have to win a national championship.’ That’s not how we think but it’s about the little things. It’s about doing little things the right way. And that leads to a championship culture.”

Nussmeier showed what could potentially be great quarterback play in 2024. When Daniels opted out of the bowl game, Nussmeier showed out against Wisconsin.

He finished the game 31-of-45 passing for 395 yards, three touchdowns and one interception.

The season is still a long way away, but Nussmeier isn’t worried about complacency with him or his team.

“I think Coach (Jake) Flint and the strength staff have done outstanding job of expressing that urgency to us,” Nussmeier said. “You can’t just start that in fall camp. That’s not how it works. You can’t just pretend that you’ve been putting work in all offseason at a standard … So it starts now. I mean, it started right after the bowl game …

“I think they had a sheet the other day of numbers of the amount of misses and the amount of different things that we’re supposed to do (daily). I think you guys have heard about our questionnaires and things like that. And if you look at our numbers now compared to what they had been, it’s unbelievable. And I think we’ve turned the page and that’s our focus.”