The expectations are high for Garrett Nussmeier heading into the 2025 season. In fact, there’s many who believe he’ll be the top quarterback in the nation as well as a major Heisman Trophy candidate.
The LSU quarterback does have areas of improvement from last season that he’s been working on this spring and summer. Nussmeier threw for 4,052 yards and 29 touchdowns last season, compared to 12 interceptions. He also rushed for three touchdowns, though he finished the season with negative-38 rushing yards.
Nussmeier does have the ability to tuck it and run, despite those numbers, and that’s something head coach Brian Kelly recently revealed that he’s working on this offseason. In fact, he’s building off a strong finish to last season, according to Kelly.
“He played extremely well the last three games. You could see the experience and it carried itself into our offseason, in terms of understanding when to tuck it and run,” Kelly recently said on ESPN’s “College GameDay Podcast” (h/t On3). “He would not run when he needed to run, quite frankly. They were dropping eight and playing soft coverage over the top and there were many instances where he needed to run, and I think he’s just got to go through that and experience it, and I think he has.”
If Nussmeier can even put a little more emphasis into tucking it and running, he’s going to be extremely hard to stop in 2025. In general, Kelly feels that the fifth-year senior is also ready and prepared to capitalize on all the experience he’s gotten in Baton Rouge. He started all 13 games for the Tigers in 2024 and he’s now coming into 2025 as a seasoned college football vet.
“I’m confident that from what I’ve seen in the spring that [Nussmeier] knows what he needs to do this year,” Kelly continued. “Knowing when a check down, a swing or a drive route instead of waiting for a dig to open. I think it’s just that. It’s never turning down a profit and always knowing that you don’t have to make the home run play. Singles are good. They score runs. So I just think experience has showed him that.”
A more experienced passer, plus a more willing runner? If that’s the Nussmeier we see in 2025, he’ll absolutely be a Heisman candidate.
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