Inconsistencies in his form have not helped Garrett Nussmeier‘s case this season. While he had a good showing against Clemson, his dip against Florida and Ole Miss is a sign of worry. His passing and decision-making abilities have lacked quality recently. Some analysts think he is not a first-round NFL draft pick, while others believe he’s too ‘overconfident’. The NFL scouting directors, though, are leaning towards the latter statement.

Garrett Nussmeier’s lackluster performance against Ole Miss gave him a bad rep. In a post on X, Bruce Feldman shared his and the NFL scouting directors’ thoughts on Nussmeier’s performances. Talking about the showing against the Rebels, Feldman called out Nussmeier for making “too many bad decisions for a very experienced quarterback.” He pointed out that Nussmeier has not been playing like a gunslinger-style QB. Nussmeier was not able to make aggressive plays against a tight-knit Rebels defense. He also underthrew passes in crucial moments and threw an interception, which hurt LSU’s drive.

Feldman was not the only one criticizing Nussmeier, though. He shared the thoughts of NFL scouting directors who questioned Nussmeier’s form this season. “I like him, and so do a lot of scouts, and I feel like there is a sense of overconfidence with him. I don’t know if he’s struggling because of their O-line (with four new starters) or if he’s just making bad decisions,” said an NFL scouting director.

While one cannot measure a person’s confidence, it does make sense in a way. Nussmeier was touted as a first-round NFL draft pick. He was one of the best-performing players and put up significant numbers last season. So, it’s not hard to imagine that he might have gotten in over his head. The O-line was also a concern for HC Brian Kelly. They struggled to stop the pressure from Ole Miss, which led to Nussmeier getting sacked once. Defenders Kam Franklin, Suntarine Perkins, and Jamarious Brown pressured Nussmeier on nearly every play. Their efforts helped limit him to a career-low 197 passing yards.

Another NFL scout gave his thoughts on Nussmeier, saying, “He doesn’t look right.” The NFL scout had his bets on Nussmeier before this season, and still does. But he believes that “Something’s off with him (Nussmeier). He’s just not firing the ball the way he used to.” At this moment, we can’t pinpoint exactly the reason behind Nussmeier’s fall in form. But it is clear that LSU’s offense is struggling hard, and Nussmeier will have to step up soon.

Garrett Nussmeier and LSU have big problems now

The loss against the Rebels meant the end of their winning streak. While the loss does not decide the outcome of the entire season, it does shed light on LSU’s struggles. Garrett Nussmeier’s performances will be a major factor for Brian Kelly’s team going forward. The quarterback left defenses in terror last year. His playmaking abilities split opposite defenses and pretty much made it for LSU to play around him. Nussmeier will have to bring the spark back from last season, where he ranked No. 2 in LSU’s history and No. 10 in SEC history for passing yards.

They will have to fix their O-line and contain defensive pressure from reaching near Nussmeier. After all, a quarterback can only perform well if his linemen protect him. Another area of concern is the running game. LSU cannot have a dead running game against ranked opponents. You cannot expect a quarterback to perform if the runners are not, well, running.

LSU faces South Carolina in an exciting SEC clash at Tiger Stadium. They currently sit at the 7th position with a 4-1 record, while South Carolina sits at 10th with a 3-2 record. This could be either a comeback after a loss for LSU or a possible season revival for South Carolina.