LSU Tigers QB1 Garrett Nussmeier entered the 2025 season with the kind of expectations that keep a player’s name on nearly every major award watchlist. Three weeks in, that spotlight has burned more than it has shined. The offense has sputtered at times, the run game hasn’t carried its weight, and the chemistry with a partly new receiver group hasn’t clicked. Suddenly, what was supposed to be the year of Nuss has turned into a weekly debate about what’s wrong with LSU’s attack and how to fix it.

On Jacques Talk Jacques Doucet stated that to fix this, Garrett’s offense needs to go out and score like 5 touchdowns in the first half against an unranked Southeastern. Former Tiger Rohan Davey added on to what he wants to see against the Lions. “I mean, that’s what you would like to see. You would like to see a good showing going into this. And I don’t think you sit him because if that was the case and you wanted to sit him, then that means the injury is just that bad and it hasn’t gotten any better.” Score a few touchdowns, get him out, and sit back and sip some tea, is what Rohan implied.

That’s the vision. Garrett Nussmeier turning Death Valley into a fireworks show before taking a well-earned seat. Davey explained why it’s so crucial. “You want a good showing from him and from that offense just from the confidence standpoint. Like the last couple weeks, they’ve been beat down by having no confidence, and you can see it just how they move and their demeanor and everything offensively.” LSU’s problems go deeper than stats. They need to show their dominance against a weaker SLU instead of sitting Garrett out. But rest is also necessary as Garrett will desperately need it against the following week’s opponent, Ole Miss.

Brian Kelly shed some light on why the offense has been so hesitant. On Monday, he confirmed Nussmeier is “slowed a little bit with a torso injury,” adding, “He’s fighting through it, and he’s getting better… And I’m not saying that has [been the reason for] any of his troubles.” Which usually means an abdominal or oblique strain. Core muscles every throw depends on. That makes sense when you replay the INT he tossed against Louisiana Tech in Week 2, a ball that floated far short of its target despite a clean pocket. That’s not a miss a veteran like Nussmeier usually makes, and it showed just how compromised he might be.

It also explains the game plans. LSU has leaned heavily on screens and conservative third-down calls, clearly trying to protect their QB from overexertion. That’s logical if you’re planning for the long haul, but it runs counter to what fans expected from a fifth-year senior known for his big arm and willingness to take shots.

Not every struggle on Garrett Nussmeier’s shoulders can be pinned to poor execution

The numbers tell a different story. One that screams that QB1 may have been playing hurt. Last season, per PFF, Nussmeier attempted 86 passes of 20+ yards and completed 31 of them. This fall, he’s on pace for just 17 completions on 56 deep attempts, a staggering dip that points to more than just accuracy woes. Some of that decline might tie back to his torso injury, but Brian Kelly hinted there’s also a strategic element at play.

“I think [Nussmeier] is a symptom of what I just answered from Wilson, in that we’re not ripping it on fourth down, we’re taking some plays away from him as well,” Kelly admitted. The shift is evident in LSU’s play-calling sheet: in 2024, only 12.3% of plays were screens, while in 2025 that number has ballooned to 22.5%. It’s a safer plan meant to feed playmakers in space, but the expected fireworks have yet to ignite.

That’s why this weekend against SLU becomes a pivotal moment. It’s a chance for Kelly to trust his player, injury or not, and let him remind everyone why he was so hyped to begin with. At some point, though, playing it safe can do more harm than good. The Tigers need rhythm, and that comes from letting Nussmeier make the throws only he can.