Brian Kelly provides update on Garrett Nussmeier injury, quarterback battle
As the the competition for starting quarterback between multiple different QBs continues to heat up during camp for LSU, head coach Brian Kelly gave an update on the battle, as well as the status of Garrett Nussmeier, who suffered an injury at a recent practice.
“He just had a grade one ankle [sprain] so just limited today but he’ll be back probably taking seven on seven reps either tomorrow or Saturday, so very very little, he’s done a really nice job. He just came down, very similar to when a basketball player comes down on somebody else’s foot, very similar situation and he’s recovered quite nicely, so just a minor ankle situation for him,” Kelly said.
Nussmeier, a redshirt freshman, saw action in four games last season and threw for 329 yards and two touchdowns in his limited snaps. It sounds like he’ll be fully practicing with the team sooner than later, and will continue to split first team reps with the group of various Tiger quarterbacks.
“Not yet no, I think that you have a very competitive situation still going on as we mentioned Nuss would’ve bee in there taking first team reps as well. Myles is as effective and as smart as any quarterback, and Walker Howard continues to, for a freshman, amaze me in terms of what his knowledge base is and the strength of his arm so no. We’re not ready to change our thought process relative to who’s getting what reps at this point,” Kelly said.
Howard’s name hasn’t been brought up as much in the current LSU quarterback battle, but was one of the most efficient passers and runners in his quarterback class, as he was ranked the No. 6 quarterback in the 2022 class according to On3 Consensus.
Howard and Nussmeier will also be competing with veteran Myles Brennan, who’s played in 20 games for the Tigers in his career and started three. Brennan missed the entirety of the 2021 season with an off the field injury and will definitely be vying for the starting job in his final season in Baton Rouge.
Brennan might have the most LSU playing experience out of the group, but the most experienced quarterback competing at LSU camp is Arizona State transfer Jayden Daniels, who enrolled this January. Daniels was a three year starter or the Sun Devils, who’s thrown for over 6,000 yards and 32 touchdowns in 29 games in his career.
All in all, the LSU starting quarterback certainty has a good mix of experience and young talent, and it’ll be intriguing to see who the day one starter when the Tigers open the season up against Florida State in the Little Cesars Superdome on September 4.