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"There's experience you have to get from playing." Joe Sloan evaluates Nussmeier's offseason

On3 imageby: Matthew Brune05/22/25MatthewBrune_
Joe-Sloan

After a strong 2024 season offensively, LSU offensive coordinator Joe Sloan has been focused on building consistency and continuity with his group from top to bottom. The influx of transfers are ready to play their part, but it all starts at quarterback.

Garrett Nussmeier is primed for a breakout season, after passing for more than 4,000 yards in 2024. Now, the challenge is learning from his mistakes and evolving into his next phase in his senior season.

Sloan was on OTB Radio Show with Jacob Hester on Thursday to discuss the offense, Garrett Nussmeier, and more, but the conversation around his quarterback particularly showed a ton of insight heading into the summer months.

“He and I have talked about this, but he was as prepared as he could be and developed as much as he could have developed to play, but then there’s experience you have to get from playing,” Sloan said. “There were things that happened during the season that he’s now aware of how they transpired. Then, practicing and preparing year around to avoid some of the negatives and highlight your strengths. That’s what he’s doing. He’s been able to watch and dive into his film from the past year and he could take that into spring so he could improve on what he needed to and that’s what he did. During spring ball, we saw what was getting better, then tweaked things off of that. There’s a calmness and that’s what experience brings you. As much as you practice, all those things don’t come up. I couldn’t be more excited about what he’s done and the way he’s shown with his leadership.”

LSU struggled to find a reliable run game and was limited at wide receiver, two areas the coaching staff feels it has taken significant strides forward in the past four months.

Another key element to next year’s offense will be the addition of more dynamic personnel sets with the addition of Bauer Sharp to pair with Trey’Dez Green, and Sloan is antsy to get them even more work on the field together.

“We’re definitely a fast offense. We have speed all over the field and we have to use that to our advantage to create misdirection and issues for the defense. We’ve done a good job with Trey’Dez and Bauer, creating different formations and doing different things to give different looks. Our guys have bought into that — to be able to add to what we’ve already been doing.”

With all the transfer portal additions, plus the returning talent, LSU is in a prime spot to compete with any team in the country as its competition fuels the program on a daily basis. Nussmeier leads a new-look offense that hopes to break into the top ranks of the SEC and light up the scoreboard in Death Valley for 2025.

“When you lose some guys that have been solidified starters and you have some really good guys in your program, then you add some pieces from different places. There’s opportunity. No one has a job locked up, so you have to prove who you are and what you’re about. It’s about consistency every day, putting in the work every day on the practice field. these guys work hard year around and if you’re recruiting the right guys that’s what’s going to happen.”

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