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Former LSU great Matt Mauck congratulates Garrett Nussmeier on earning No. 18 jersey

FaceProfileby: Thomas Goldkamp08/24/25
Garrett Nussmeier
USA Today Sports

LSU revealed that starting quarterback Garrett Nussmeier will don the revered No. 18 jersey for the Tigers this fall. He’s the latest in a long line of Tigers to sport the famous number, but he’s the first quarterback to wear it for the program since Matt Mauck.

Mauck, of course, led LSU to a national championship. The expectations will be nearly the same for Nussmeier this fall.

In a cool call on FaceTime, Mauck actually reached out to Nussmeier to congratulate him on the honor. It’s not one that is just given out to any player.

“Hey, about time we get another QB in there,” Mauck said to Garrett Nussmeier on the call. “That’s awesome, man. I just sent out a text to somebody, they had asked me what I thought. I said today’s college football, guys like you would transfer to another place, so I think there’s nobody on that team that embodies what 18 is about more than you.”

Garrett Nussmeier was quick to reveal his thanks. It was clear the call meant a lot to him.

“I appreciate it,” he said. “I hope to live up to your legacy with it.”

For his part, Mauck was quick to push back. He knows how good Garrett Nussmeier is and how high the ceiling is for the LSU football team with him pulling the strings. There’s only one real drawback, he pointed out…

“Oh kid, I don’t know about that,” Mauck said. “I think you already did that. But hey, tell, when you see Jack Marucci, say, ‘Hey Jack, I’m kind of excited but I feel like 18 looks a little boxy on me.'”

Garrett Nussmeier had a good laugh at that. He’d already been informed by the long-time LSU staffer.

“He already told me,” Nussmeier said. “He told me, he said, ‘I told Matt it was a boxy number.’ So it’s all right.”

Finally, Mauck wrapped up the call with Nussmeier. Both are ready for the season to start.

“Congratulations, bud,” Mauck said. “I can’t wait to watch.”

More on the No. 18 tradition

Each year, LSU‘s coaching staff awards jersey No. 18 to a player who has demonstrated excellence both on and off the field. On Sunday, LSU football announced Garrett Nussmeier will wear the revered No. 18 this season, the first LSU quarterback to do so since Matt Mauck started the tradition in 2003.

Last season, linebacker Greg Penn III and running back Josh Williams each wore No. 18 for the Tigers. Both players moved on from the program this offseason, leaving the coveted jersey up for grabs. Now, Nussmeier will do his best to make the previous jersey wearers proud this fall.

Even if Garrett Nussmeier hadn’t been awarded the No. 18 jersey, expectations are high for the fifth-year QB. After spending three seasons as a backup, Nussmeier was finally LSU’s full-time starting quarterback last season.

He didn’t allow the opportunity to go to waste, completing 64.2% of his pass attempts for 4,052 yards and 29 touchdowns compared to just 12 interceptions. Evidently, experts don’t expect Nussmeier to slow down in the upcoming season.

Nussmeier is currently one of the betting favorites to win the Heisman Trophy, according to BetMGM. Moreover, SEC coaches named Nussmeier the preseason all-conference first-team quarterback.

On3’s Grant Grubbs also contributed to this report.