The LSU Tigers are 3-0 and ranked No. 3 in the AP Poll. They picked up a 20-10 win over Florida on Saturday night in Death Valley to start SEC play with a victory thanks to another dominating defensive effort that included five interceptions of Forida QB DJ Lagway.
But Tiger fans have been underwhelmed by the LSU offensive attack so far this season. The offense hasn't been able to find a rhythm, and the running game has struggled to get going for three straight weeks now. In addition, Garrett Nussmeier has been inaccurate, and hasn't been able to connect on many throws down the field. But now there could be an explantation as to what has been contributing to Nussmeier's slow start.
Speaking with the media on Monday, Brian Kelly said that Nussmeier hasn't been 100% so far this season. More specifically, Kelly stated that the veteran QB is dealing with a torso injury.
"I wasn't going to get into this, but with you guys I will. He's been slowed a little bit with a torso injury, and he's fighting through it, and he's getting better. He can't shut it down to recover until we get to a bye week. He's getting better. We have to let him get the ball to the playmakers and keep him healthy."Brian Kelly
Garrett Nussmeier playing through torso injury
Nussmeier hasn't looked like himself so far in 2025. He has uncharacteristically missed throws at all levels of the field, and hasn't been able to get the vertical pass game going. That has resulted in a slow offensive attack for the Tigers, but thankfully, it's been enough so far. Nussmeier was clutch down the stretch against Clemson, and still does all the little things right as LSU's unquestioned leader on offense. Generally speaking, the defense has been elite, and the offense has done just enough to get to 3-0.
Kelly says that Nussmeier has been playing through the injury and he can't shut it down until LSU has a bye week, which doesn't come for two more weeks. The Tigers play Southeastern Louisiana this week and then head to Oxford to take on Ole Miss on Sept. 27 before getting their bye. Thus, the LSU offense must figure things out quickly, as the Rebels have scored 134 points through three games this season, while the Tigers have managed just 60.
Given the injury, some of Joe Sloan's offensive scheme and play calling makes a little more sense. The Tigers have been fairly conservative on offense and haven't been able to push the ball down the field on a consistent basis. Kelly added that Nussmeier has been limited in practice, which could be playing a role in Sloan's conservative approach.
Through three games, Nussmeier has completed 69 of his 106 pass attempts for 689 yards. He has just three touchdowns and two interceptions. For comparison, Nussmeier racked up 895 yards for 10 touchdowns and two interceptions through three games in 2024. In total, the Lake Charles native threw for 4,052 yards and 29 touchdowns while leading the SEC in completions with 337 last season.
Nussmeier and the Tigers take on Southeastern Louisiana this Saturday, Sept. 20 at Tiger Stadium. Kick-off is scheduled for 6:45 p.m. CT.