LSU Tigers quarterback Garrett Nussmeier was supposed to be their Heisman contender this season. After posting over 4,000 yards and earning back-to-back bowl MVPs, he entered the season as a projected first-round pick. Five games in and it's not looking good.
The stats look fine, but the reality is different. On paper, his 67.3% completion rate and 1,159 yards through five games look solid. But if you watch the games, you see a quarterback struggling under pressure and disappearing when it matters most. His performance against the Ole Miss Rebels showed it all: just 197 yards, one touchdown, and mistakes that cost LSU in a 24-19 loss that exposed bigger issues.
The Heisman odds show how far he's fallen. Nussmeier started the season as the betting favorite at +650. Now he's down to +2000. That's not just a rough patch. It's a total collapse, and it keeps looking more doubtful every week.
With his on-field struggles getting worse, now there are talks of injury concerns adding to the mess. Reports surfaced about an upper-body injury, but Coach Brian Kelly keeps saying his quarterback is “healthy.” Nussmeier won't talk about it at all. He's shut down every health question. When reporters push him, he just says, “I'm not going to answer any questions about my health right now.”
When a player refuses to talk about his health like that, it usually means something. LSU's offense is struggling with bad deep throws, stalled drives, and Nussmeier has been sacked seven times already. Something clearly isn't right. Is it the torso injury affecting his throwing motion? Or is he just playing poorly? Whatever the reason, this isn't the same quarterback who dominated the Texas Bowl.
Garrett Nussmeier's struggles this season
This season he already has three interceptions, been sacked seven times, and lost yards when he tries to run. His ball security issues keep hurting LSU, and pressure clearly gets to him.
At 23 years old, Nussmeier is already dealing with age and durability concerns. His 204-pound frame worried NFL scouts before any of this started. Now with injuries and bad performances piling up, his draft stock is dropping fast. His father, Doug, is the offensive coordinator for the New Orleans Saints, which seemed like a perfect fit waiting to happen. Now it might be the only team willing to take a chance on him.
LSU needs answers from their quarterback, and they need them now. He has to get healthy, fix what's broken, or just play tougher. The quarterback who should have been the next Joe Burrow or Jayden Daniels heading to the NFL looks like he made a mistake coming back for another year.
The season can still be saved. But Nussmeier is running out of time to turn this around.
