How LSU’s offense will look different with Garrett Nussmeier under center
LSU will look different in various ways this upcoming college football season, particularly on the offense with quarterback Garrett Nussmeier filling in the shoes left behind by Heisman Trophy winner Jayden Daniels along with a new cast of playmakers.
Not many posses the same traits that Daniels did as the best dual-threat quarterback in college football last season, but The Bengal Tiger‘s Shae Dixon recently shared what he believes Nussmeier brings to the table under a new offensive coordinator on the On3 Roundtable.
“Joe Sloan takes over as OC, he had been the quarterbacks coach. So he’s worked with Daniels, worked with Nussmeier plenty,” Dixon said. “And I think that when you see what Nussmeier did in the Wisconsin bowl game and then saw him in big spurts.”
“Look, he played against Georgia in the SEC Championship game when Jayden Daniels could only play that first half and couldn’t go for the second half and then the fourth quarter at Alabama and you saw a little bit of him. But Wisconsin was his first start in that bowl game.”
In Nussmeier’s first career start, he was named the MVP of the ReliaQuest Bowl after completing 68.9% of his passes for 395 yards and three touchdowns. Leading LSU to a 35-31 win over the Badgers in a performance that served as a promising sign for the Tigers moving forward.
“LSU fell behind and he just sort of kept them in it. Kept them in it, made some big throws, game managed well, didn’t turn the ball over but once on a play that wasn’t really his fault and that’s what you want to see,” Dixon explained. “Look, he is a gunslinger. We saw it in the SEC Championship game when he came in, he threw it all over on Georgia down the field and that’s what he loves to do.”
“But operating within this offense I think is what he’s really put his focus on this offseason now that he is QB1. There is no doubt about it, he will be LSU’s starter, and barring any injury he will be starting every game for them this year. So I think not shedding the gunslinger mentality, embracing it, but also playing within this offense, not turning the ball over. Those are things he’s going to focus on.”
Nussmeier may only have one career start under his belt in his college career, but has appeared in 18 career games for the Tigers. Entering the season as a much more than just a typical first year starter, but a talent gunslinger who Dixon believes will catch some people by surprise this upcoming season.