Garrett Nussmeier on LSU expectations: 'We expect to play football in January'

LSU quarterback Garrett Nussmeier has big expectations for the football team in 2025. If LSU is playing into January, then you know the QB fulfilled his promise.

Nussmeier and the Tigers finished 9-4 last season, winning the Texas Bowl 44-31 over Baylor. Sure, it was a solid ending. But not the one they wanted.

Rather than worry about his personal leap, Nussmeier is all about LSU. It’s about coming together as a team and getting to play very deep into the season.

“I think that I’m worried about doing the best I can to help LSU win a national championship,” Nussmeier said. “That’s the mindset, that’s the energy and intensity that I bring every single day. It’s not about me, it’s not about the transition or the Year 2 (jump), it’s about LSU football and Year 4 under coach Kelly, what are we going to do? And you know, we’re not afraid to admit it, we’ve set the standard of where we expect to be, and we expect to play football in January next year.”

Last season, his first as a starter, Nussmeier played pretty well for LSU. He threw for 4,052 yards, 29 touchdowns, 12 interceptions and a 64.2% completion percentage.

In three years at LSU, Brian Kelly is 29-11 with the Tigers, including winning 10 games in each of his first two seasons. While he’s 3-0 in bowl games, LSU and Nussmeier have bigger goals in mind.

Kelly was brought to LSU to win national titles with the resources at his disposal. But first, Nussmeier and the rest of the Tigers have to get to the College Football Playoff.

In preparation, LSU goes through the offseason and spring just like anyone else. However, the Tigers won’t hold a spring game this year and instead have an open practice.

“My reasons, more than anything else, is that my last couple years, and in particular last year, we started off, if you remember, you know, with some red-zone situational work. We haven’t got enough special teams work in those games. I wanted to include a bigger piece,” Kelly stated.

“So, as I looked at the spring practice itself and the game, I think what was more important to me, where we are as a football team, was to get all of our players an opportunity to get reps. Sometimes, you don’t get the equal amount of reps in a spring game. We have some young players that need some practice time. This will give everybody an opportunity.”