[autotag]Garrett Nussmeier[/autotag], [autotag]Jayden Daniels[/autotag], and [autotag]Joe Burrow[/autotag] all took over the LSU starting job in their fourth year of college football.
The paths there were different. Daniels arrived after starting three years at Ohio State. Burrow transferred in after serving as the backup at Ohio State. And Nussmeier waited his turn at LSU.
Daniels and Burrow both went on to win the Heisman trophy, but year one wasn’t smooth sailing. Similar to Nussmeier’s first go this fall, Daniels and Burrow displayed flashes but were inconsistent.
Some LSU fans have questioned whether Nussmeier is the answer at QB, so let’s see how his 2024 QBR compares to what Daniels and Burrow posted in their first year starting at LSU.
- Nussmeier 2024 QBR: 78.2
- Daniels 2022 QBR: 77.2
- Burrow 2018 QBR: 78.4
QBR is a stable stat. It’s generally good at predicting future performance. Nussmeier’s QBR remains a positive indicator of the jump he can take if he elects to return for a fifth year.
Burrow and Daniels both took their games to another level after returning for year five.
- Daniels 2024 QBR: 95.7
- Burrow 2019 QBR: 94.9
Nussmeier doesn’t need to post the QBR totals of Daniels and Burrow in 2025. Those are some of the best marks we’ve ever seen.
But if Nussmeier can get anywhere in the ballpark, he’ll be a top-five QB in the SEC.