LSU quarterback Garrett Nussmeier will return for 2023 season

LSU just went to the SEC Championship in year one with head coach Brian Kelly and in large part thanks to dynamic starting quarterback Jayden Daniels. He’s back in the saddle for one more ride with the Tigers, which means he’s the overwhelming favorite to take the first snap next fall.

While that scenario would scare some other QB’s off and into the Transfer Portal, On3’s Shea Dixon reports that LSU backup Garrett Nussmeier will instead stick with the team and continue to compete with Daniels.

It’s huge news for the Tigers, not so much for this coming year, but definitely for the future, as there was some concern they may lose Nussmeier to the portal when he is almost certain to take over the job once Daniels is gone. Alas, he’ll see it out in Baton Rouge, according to this report from Dixon on The Bengal Tiger:

“LSU quarterback Garrett Nussmeier did not enter his name into the NCAA Transfer Portal and will remain with the Tigers for the 2023 season, he tells The Bengal Tiger staff. Nussmeier, who will be a redshirt sophomore, will compete with returning starter Jayden Daniels this fall.”

A big day for LSU fans to have their future starter coming back and willing to likely backup Daniels one more year before taking over the job himself. Although, according to Coach Kelly, Nussmeier is not out of the race for the starting job this season.

On a recent edition of the Paul Finebaum show, Brian Kelly hopped on and explained that he sees two potential starters in LSU’s QB room at the moment.

“Two starters. Both can win in the SEC. Both have played at the highest level,” said Kelly of his options. “We’re blessed and fortunate. You know as well as anybody how difficult it is to have two. And, you know, I think it’s important that we continue to work both of them this Saturday with the first unit.”

Now, there could be wayward motivation for such quotes given the current landscape of college football.

Does Kelly actually believe Nussmeier could nab the starting job away from a wildly successful and popular incumbent in Daniels? Or, is Kelly just publicly stumping for Nussmeier and saying he could win the job as a way to keep him in the fold, so to speak. Regardless, he retains multiple years of eligibility beyond this season even if used as a backup.