Nine games into 2024, we’re 75% of the way through with the regular season. That’s a significant sample size and most of the numbers are already in the book.
Today, we’ll take a look at where LSU QB Garrett Nussmeier ranks among fellow SEC QBs in key stats. We’ve done these check-ins every few weeks and it’s about time for another.
It’s been an up-and-down year for Nussmeier. His last six quarters of football have been on the downside of that spectrum. At the same time, he’s had moments of brilliance such as the final quarter and overtime vs. Ole Miss. Put all of it together and most of Nuss’s numbers sit middle of the pack in the SEC.
LSU’s offense is pass-heavy thanks to the struggling ground game. That’s allowed Nussmeier to rack up the volume stats but also put pressure on him to make all the plays.
Let’s jump right in and see where Nussmeier ranks among SEC QBs in key stats.
Note: These ranks are among SEC QBs with 120+ passing attempts. Stats are credited to PFF.
PASSING YARDS: 2,867 – 2nd
Nussmeier ranks second in the conference in passing yards as he nears 3,000 on the year. Not many LSU QBs have crossed that threshold over the years and Nuss could easily do it against Florida this weekend.
COMPLETION: 62.4% – 8th
At 62.4%, Nussmeier’s completion rate is middle of the pack. He’s had two games this year where he’s completed less than half of his passes: Ole Miss and Texas A&M.
Nussmeier hasn’t completed over 70% of his passes in a game since September.
TOUCHDOWNS: 21 TDs – 2nd
Nussmeier is effective in finding the endzone, ranking second in the conference in passing TDs. A few of these scores have come in big moments, most notably his final two touchdowns against Ole Miss.
YARDS PER ATTEMPT: 7.6 – 12th
With only 7.6 yards per pass, Nussmeier is near the bottom of the SEC. This has been an area of concern recently with Nussmeier averaging under seven yards per attempt vs Ole Miss, Arkansas, and Alabama.
INTERCEPTIONS: 11 – 16th
Only Georgia’s Carson Beck has thrown more picks than Garrett Nussmeier. This was not a huge area of concern early in the year, but Nussmeier has five interceptions in his last six quarters.
It’s not entirely on him. LSU needs to do more as an offense to take the pressure off its quarterback.
PFF PASSING GRADE: 77.5 – 8th
PFF’s grade is a fair assessment of Nussmeier’s performance. Not among the elite QBs in the SEC, but the grade puts him well above the bottom tier.
PRESSURE TO SACK RATIO: 5.2% – 1st
This continues to be Nussmeier’s biggest strength — avoiding sacks. With an average time to throw of 2.62, Nussmeier gets it out quicker than nearly every QB in the SEC.
QBR: 79.3 – 3rd
ESPN’s QBR tends to be a stable stat, so Nussmeier’s 79.3 QBR here is impressive. Its schedule was adjusted so it speaks to the average strength of defense Nussmeier has faced.