When we spoke with Garrett Nussmeier last year before he officially hit the LSU campus, the quarterback said he thought he brought a “Joe Burrow-like mind” to the table.
“I think I bring a very Joe Burrow-like mind to the table for LSU,” he said. “I see a lot of similarities in the way we play. I’d like to think that we think the same. I know that’s saying a lot. He did an unbelievable job. I’d like to think that I can learn and get to the point to do things the way he did.”
Nussmeier related a lot of that to the fact that both players’ fathers were coaches.
Doug Nussmeier currently serves as the quarterbacks coach for the Dallas Cowboys.
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“Because of that, I understand a lot more than others,” the younger Nussmeier said. “I remember being a little kid, sitting on his lap watching film. If I have any questions, I have an answer at home.”
Nussmeier believes Burrow shows this advantage where his mental ability is concerned.
“You can just tell in the way he processed,” he said. “I think a lot of things in his play, you can see that his dad being a coach factored in.”
Now as a true freshman competing against Max Johnson, Myles Brennan and TJ Finley in a wide-open quarterback competition, Nussmeier has a chance to prove himself at the next level.
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Ed Orgeron weighed in on the Burrow comparison in Tuesday’s post-practice press conference, saying he saw some similarities in the intangibles between the two.
The coach has also praised Nussmeier for his ability to scramble on more than one occasion — and it’s worth noting that evading pressure and mobility were two things Burrow was known for as well.
“I don’t want to put that on him yet because Joe (Burrow) was very special,” Orgeron said. “I do see some similarities that Garrett (Nussmeier) has as far as leadership, as far as competitiveness, ability to make plays. I think he’s only going to get better here. I think he’s going to be a great quarterback here. I’m very pleased with him.”
Orgeron continues to reiterate that it’s anyone’s game at the position moving forward.
“We’re not close to making that decision now,” he said. “There’s a lot of reps to go and all four of them are doing well. I thought Myles (Brennan) had a great day last Thursday… it changes every day.”
It will be interesting to see how things continue to shake out as LSU prepares to play its spring game on April 17.
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