Garrett Nussmeier enters the 2025 season as one of the best quarterbacks in all of college football. He is firmly in the Heisman conversation, and is looking to build off a strong 2024 campaign that saw him throw for 4,052 yards and 29 touchdowns.
His return was a serious boost for Brian Kelly's squad, and Nussmeier's veteran leadership will play a pivotal role for the Tigers this season. With Week 1 almost here, Nussmeier is receiving high praise from college football coaches around the country.
Nussmeier receives high praise from coaches around the country
Ahead of Week 1, ESPN's Adam Rittenberg enlightened fans with some intel on the top QBs around college football. Not surprisingly, Nussmeier is drawing praise from several coaches.
"Garrett is a really talented quarterback," said one SEC coach. "He's obviously going to take a really good step second year as a starter, too." In recent years, Hesiman winners Joe Burrow and Jayden Daniels both took massive leaps from Year 1 to Year 2 as starting quarterbacks in Baton Rouge. Now, Nussmeier is looking to do the same.
"He's in the top two or three in the whole country, without question," said a defensive coordinator set to face Nussmeier and the Tigers this fall. "We've got to affect him somehow."
LSU has a new-look offensive line that has to hold up in front of Nussmeier. If he has time to throw, he has the receiving weapons to do serious damage. If the O line doesn't hold up, Nussmeier's limited mobility could hinder LSU's offensive potential. LSU's pass protection unit will be tested early, as Clemson possesses a dominating pass rush.
Saturday's matchup at Memorial Stadium will feature a pair of potential top-10 draft picks with Nussmeier going up against Clemson's Cade Klubnik. The pair are both veteran quarterbacks who bring plenty of experience to the table. Said one ACC coach, "Cade and Nussmeier are two studs. I love both of them."
Nussmeier came back to LSU to win a championship. That mission starts on Saturday.