The LSU Football program has a lot of noise surrounding the program. Off the field, the school continues its search for the next head football coach while on the field, the Tigers have dropped three games in a row and four of their last five. Interim head coach Frank Wilson is looking to lead the Tigers back into the win column on Saturday with a matchup against the Arkansas Razorbacks.
Arkansas would do LSU a huge favor by hiring this head coach
Oddsmakers are favoring LSU by 5.5 points against 2-7 Arkansas. It's been a messy season in Baton Rouge, but this matchup gives LSU a chance to find some positivity and reach bowl eligibility with a win. However, plenty of uncertainty surrounds the quarterback situation for the Tigers. Will Garrett Nussmeier get the start? Or will it be Michael Van Buren Jr?
LSU quarterback situation in flux heading into matchup against Arkansas
Nussmeier has been battling an abdominal injury all season long. He's been able to play through it, but the results have not been great. Nussmeier has thrown for 1,927 yards with 12 touchdowns and 5 interceptions. Still with three regular season games to go, his numbers his season are a far cry from the 4,052 yards and 29 touchdowns he threw for last season.
Nussmeier was benched in favor of Van Buren Jr last week against Alabama after throwing for 121 yards with no touchdowns and no picks in 2.5 quarters of play. The LSU offense as a whole struggled, managing just nine points against the Crimson Tide. Offensive inconsistency has been a theme for LSU this season, as the Tigers have managed to score just 19.6 points per game against FBS opponents.
Naturally, Nussmeier's benching left fans wondering if interim head coach Frank Wilson would opt to start Van Buren Jr against Arkansas. Those questions remain prominent as it was reported on Thursday that Nussmeier suffered a setback in practice in relation to his abdominal injury. Despite the setback, Wilson says Nussmeier will still be listed as "probable" heading into Saturday's contest against the Razorbacks.
At this time, it appears that even if Nussmeier is able to suit up, he won't be 100%. Van Buren Jr doesn't have an injury designation, so it will be interesting to see what Wilson decides to do. Either way, LSU is desperate to get back into the win column. No matter who gets the starting nod, it's imperative that Nussmeier and/or Van Buren Jr run the Tiger offense effectively in order to lead LSU to a much-needed win over the 2-7 Razorbacks.