LSU Football: The best thing to happen to Max Johnson this fall

LSU football sophomore Max Johnson will be the Tigers’ starting quarterback in 2021.

Johnson was named the starter by head coach Ed Orgeron after redshirt senior Myles Brennan suffered a broken arm that occurred away from the football field.

Brennan and Johnson were locked into a tight quarterback battle and there were plenty of folks who felt that either quarterback could start for LSU this season.

With Brennan sidelined, and TJ Finley off to Auburn (Finley started five games for the Tigers in 2020), it leaves true freshman Garrett Nussmeier as the only other scholarship quarterback on the roster.

That seemingly takes some of the pressure off Johnson, right?

False. Completely false.

It’s actually added some pressure. But that’s a good thing.

LSU football has a future stud in Garrett Nussmeier

It’s been well documented this fall that Nussmeier, a former four-star recruit, has been quite impressive during camp.

Nussmeier hasn’t been impressive enough to steal the starting job from Johnson, but he’s been impressive enough to put some pressure on the sophomore signal-caller.

And that’s a great thing for the Tigers.

Healthy competition is a good thing. Johnson knows the job is his — there is no quarterback controversy in Baton Rouge. But he also knows that if he doesn’t perform, Nussmeier will be right there to take his job.

That pressure has pushed Johnson to another level. We’ve seen videos recently of Johnson’s incredible leadership. We’ve seen him leading the team in a way that championship quarterbacks lead teams.

Would we see that from Johnson without the pressure from Nussmeier?

Maybe. It’s impossible to know for sure. But I don’t think it’s a coincidence that we’re seeing a more energized Max Johnson as the reports of Nussmeier’s emergence become greater.

There’s a special vibe at LSU right now. And it’s making everyone better. I can’t wait to see how it impacts the on-field play for the Tigers this fall.