LSU’s Garrett Nussmeier has been dealing with a harsh reality all season long. He has been playing through an abdominal injury that’s been nagging him since fall camp. The Tigers are 6-4, their offense has been anemic, and their starting quarterback has been gutting through pain week after week trying to salvage a season. Now, with Western Kentucky coming to Baton Rouge, LSU interim coach Frank Wilson had to deliver some difficult news about his signal-caller’s status.

Glen West, a reporter covering the Tigers, posted an update Monday from Wilson’s press conference. “Frank Wilson asked if Garrett Nussmeier was playing through this injury throughout the course of the year,” West tweeted. “‘To say he played courageously throughout the season is an understatement…He pushed through an awful lot and I commend Garrett for that.’ Wilson says he’ll defer to the doctors in regards to Nussmeier’s status this week. Not sure if he’ll play or not against Western Kentucky.”

 Those words, “courageously” and “pushed through an awful lot,” carry weight coming from a coach who just watched his quarterback miss a game for the first time all season against Arkansas.​

Earlier in the week, Wilson had provided more detail about what happened to put Nussmeier on the sideline. “He reinjured himself the back end of this week in practice, just making a routine throw,” Wilson explained. “I don’t know if it was scar tissue or exactly what it is from a diagnosis standpoint, but it’s his ab area. It happened at the back end of this week.”

The injury Wilson was referencing is the same abdominal strain that’s been haunting Nussmeier since former head coach Brian Kelly first mentioned it publicly back in September. saying his quarterback had developed a torso injury from throwing too much during preseason camp. 

Wilson’s uncertainty about the diagnosis and prognosis wasn’t encouraging. “What is it going forward? I’m not quite sure,” he said. “We practiced up until yesterday to see if there was opportunity that was potential if we got in an emergency situation. And he was not able to do so. So we’ll continue to monitor him day by day, week by week to see his progress.” That timeline, day by day, week by week, doesn’t sound like someone who’ll be back soon.​

The most frustrating part of Nussmeier’s season is that he’s been playing well despite everything. He’s completed 194 of 288 passes (67.4%) for 1,927 yards, 12 touchdowns and just five interceptions through nine game.  

Those aren’t Heisman numbers like some predicted before the season. But they’re solid, especially considering he’s been dealing with patellar tendinitis in his knee and then the abdominal strain.

Now the question is whether Nussmeier will be available on Saturday when Western Kentucky visits Tiger Stadium. Wilson said Monday he’d defer to the medical staff. And his tone suggested he doesn’t have good answers yet. Backup Michael Van Buren started against Arkansas and is expected to start again if Nussmeier can’t go. This scenario seems likely given that Nussmeier couldn’t even throw in practice leading up to the Arkansas game.

Wilson’s verdict on Van Buren

Frank Wilson talked about Van Buren’s debut as LSU’s starting quarterback. It wasn’t perfect, but it was good enough when it mattered. Van Buren completed 21 of 31 passes for 221 yards and a touchdown in the Tigers’ win over Arkansas. He played turnover-free football and helped LSU dig out of an early 14-0 hole.

 “He started off a little slow, but he got going and he got comfortable. You know, that’s a huge responsibility for the quarterback of the LSU Fighting Tigers to go into that arena,” Wilson said after the game. That slow start was evident in the first quarter when Van Buren went just 5-for-9 for 42 yards while Arkansas jumped all over LSU. But Wilson saw something shift as the game went on. “He knew what was in front of him. He got comfortable and began to take control of the game of the football team and picked up huge yardage,” Wilson explained, showing how the sophomore transfer settled in after the rough opening.​

What impressed Wilson most was Van Buren’s dual-threat ability to make plays when LSU needed them. He showed the poise and athleticism that made him one of the SEC’s most intriguing portal additions this offseason. “I was proud of him. I thought he played admirably and got the game to a point where he was able to affect change and dictate for our football team,” Wilson said. Wilson didn’t need Van Buren to be spectacular, just steady enough to give LSU a chance. Van Buren might get another shot to prove he belongs against Western Kentucky. And Wilson’s already seen enough to know the Tigers can win with him under center.​