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Frank Wilson reveals LSU's emergency contingency plan at QB with Garrett Nussmeier, Colin Hurley uncertainty

On3 imageby: Dan Morrison4 hours agodan_morrison96
Garrett Nussmeier, LSU
Nov 8, 2025; Tuscaloosa, Alabama, USA; Louisiana State Tigers quarterback Garrett Nussmeier (18) looks on during warmups prior to the game against the Alabama Crimson Tide at Saban Field at Bryant-Denny Stadium. Mandatory Credit: David Leong-Imagn Images

At one point, the LSU Tigers seemed like they had a secure quarterback situation. Times have changed, though, and now injuries have taken their toll, leaving uncertainty going into the final weeks of the season.

Starting quarterback Garrett Nussmeier missed last week’s game and has been dealing with a torso issue all season long. On top of that, Colin Hurley has had to step away from the team. That’s created a need for interim Frank Wilson to come up with some kind of contingency plan for the position.

“We do,” Frank Wilson said. “And so, we’ve got a guy who went through the entire spring with us in Ju’Juan Johnson at quarterback all the way into fall camp, who we’ve been constantly still working as Garrett’s injury started to reveal itself even more to have an emergency plan. We feel confident about that. We feel confident about Emile [Picarella] being able to step in and get us out of the game if we needed to do so. So, we have a contingency plan that we feel confident in.”

Ju’Juan Johnson is currently listed as a running back on LSU’s depth chart and he has 146 rushing yards and two touchdowns. He even has one pass attempt this season, which he completed for 14 yards. Then, Emile Picarella is a freshman on the roster for LSU.

In place of Garrett Nussmeier last week, LSU started Michael Van Buren. If Nussmeier’s health keeps him out again this upcoming week against Western Kentucky, then it will presumably be Van Buren who starts again. So, those contingency plans won’t come unless he runs into an issue.

At the start of the week, Wilson also shared an update on Nussmeier. There is still some hope that he can play too, but the team needs to defer to the trainers.

“I know he’s going to want to,” Wilson said. “We’re going to defer to our medical staff, our trainers, our doctors, to do what’s best for him. If there’s any way he can, I know he’s going to want to do so, but I don’t have those answers just yet.”

The LSU Tigers are looking to finish the season on a high note, regardless of who is under center. After the frustration results on the field that have come over the course of the season, beating Western Kentucky and then Oklahoma to end the season would help the program build some momentum going into the offseason.