LSU quarterback situation in dire state heading into Texas Bowl

The LSU Tigers have just 39 scholarship players available for the Texas Bowl, according to The Athletic, including zero scholarship quarterbacks. LSU’s 39 available scholarship players is less than half of the allotted amount.

LSU’s quarterback situation has been widely speculated about for much of the season. That included the back and forth on whether or not to redshirt freshman Garrett Nussmeier, a hot topic in the final weeks of the regular season. Ultimately, LSU opted to not play him in the final games of the year, preserving his redshirt.

Since then, starting quarterback Max Johnson has entered the NCAA Transfer Portal and transferred to Texas A&M. Myles Brennan withdrew his name from the portal, but he is still unavailable for the Texas Bowl. That leaves Nussmeier as the lone remaining scholarship quarterback. LSU was hoping to get a waiver passed to allow Nussmeier to play without burning his redshirt, but that does not appear to be happening.

“It’s been long assumed, but sources tell The Athletic that LSU is expected to play without a single scholarship quarterback,” The Athletic’s Brody Miller said. “After Max Johnson transferred to Texas A&M in December — and Myles Brennan returned but isn’t playing in the bowl — the Tigers hoped to get a waiver allowing freshman Garrett Nussmeier to play and still keep his redshirt. Nussmeier did not receive that waiver, and it was, in turn, up to him if he wanted to play a fifth game and burn a year of eligibility to play in this bowl. Sources say he is not playing Tuesday.”

LSU will roll with walk-on quarterbacks in Texas Bowl

With Nussmeier unavailable for LSU, The Athletic reports that walk-on quarterbacks Tavion Faulk and Matt O’Dowd will get the bulk of the work, and receiver Jontre Kirklin could be involved as well. On a depth chart LSU released on Sunday, Nussmeier and Faulk were the only two quarterbacks listed ahead of the Texas Bowl.

Not having Nussmeier available is not something that is a blindside for LSU. LSU interim head coach Brad Davis said that the team has been preparing for Nussmeier to play, but that there were contingency plans in place for if he was not able to suit up.

“So, the quarterback situation obviously is something everybody wants to know about. We’re put we’ve put together a plan here that we feel really great about,” Davis said. “You know we have a multitude of quarterbacks taking reps during practice, Garrett Nussmeier being one of them. We’re working through some things right now to be able to have him play for us and still maintain his red shirt.

“And so that’s something obviously that’s in process you know and if that were denied for whatever reason, we have some contingencies in place. We will be able to move the football with execute our offense.”