The college football world has seen two teams opt-out of bowl games due to a lack of players through the transfer portal and COVID-19 testing. The Hawaii Bowl was canceled 24 hours before the game due to Hawaii not having enough players. The Rutger Scarlet Knights replaced Texas A&M in the Gator Bowl due to a lack of players, allegedly.
When it comes to the Texas Bowl and the LSU Tigers, they have a small number of scholarship players for their game. Former national championship-winning running back Jacob Hester stated the Tigers have just 51 scholarship players for the game. That includes the quarterback situation.
After Max Johnson transferred the Tigers applied for a waiver with the NCAA to allow freshman quarterback Garrett Nussmeier to play in the game and keep his redshirt status. If it doesn’t go through the team will have to rely on a walk-on quarterback with either Matt O’Dowd or Savion Faulk. Not the best situation but that is the hand that has been dealt.
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Myles Brennan recently pulled his name out of the transfer portal after a discussion with new head coach Brian Kelly. It is unclear whether or not Brennan is healthy enough to play in this game. He underwent surgery to repair his broken arm, which he suffered a day before fall camp opened in August.
LSU still has over a week before they face off with the Kansas State Wildcats in Houston. We will monitor the roster situation and pass along updates as they are provided.
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Brennan has been around a long time. He made his debut with the Tigers in 2017. At this point, that feels like an eternity ago.
Since then, LSU has won a national championship and experienced their worst seasons of the century. They’ve seen the school president change, a new athletic director come in, as well as a new head football coach. Brennan has seen it all.
2022 will be Brennan’s sixth year suiting up for LSU and to say the least, it’s been a rocky road for him.
He supposedly pushed Danny Etling in the QB battle in 2017, seeing action against Troy. However, he wasn’t good enough to stop Ed Orgeron from hitting the transfer portal and grabbing Joe Burrow. That obviously worked out well.
2020 was supposed to be Myles Brennan’s year but it was a year where nothing went right for LSU. Brennan played just three games before missing the rest of the year with an injury. That’s the last time anyone has seen him in-game action.
In 2020, Brennan posted the third-best passing grade in the SEC according to PFF. He only trailed Mac Jones and Kyle Trask. Brennan had some bad moments in the loss to Mississippi State, but overall, he looked good. Keep in mind, these were his first-ever starts despite his seniority.
Brennan entered 2021 in a battle for QB1 with Max Johnson, but Brennan got hurt in a fishing accident and never saw the field. For a moment, it looked like his career at LSU would be over.
When Brennan entered the transfer portal, it wasn’t much of a surprise. It made sense. Maybe, it just wasn’t going to work at LSU. Suddenly, when Johnson followed him to the transfer portal, it opened the door for Brennan’s return.
LSU Athletics/Pool Photo via USA TODAY Network
Johnson’s departure left freshman Garrett Nussmeier as the most experienced QB on the roster, which isn’t saying much. Nussmeier is talented but raw.
LSU will be welcoming five-star QB recruit, Walker Howard, to campus in 2022, but that’s never a sure thing. Even if it were, Howard is just a freshman.
LSU needed someone like Brennan. The veteran QB will now be back in 2022, ready for his moment. This has a chance to be the best offensive line LSU has had in a couple of years as well as the most experienced receiver group since that 2019 team. This could hinge on the status of Kayshon Boutte.
Brennan will be comfortable with these guys. In 2020, despite Brennan looking good, it was clear he was part of an offensive unit that wasn’t gelling together.
This is a time where most quarterbacks with Brennan’s talent don’t hang around one place for that long. Brennan has stuck with LSU longer than most. While there’s no shame in one transferring to better their position, Brennan should be commended for sticking around.
He’s a guy that loves LSU and has been committed to this team for over half a decade. He’s earned his moment in the purple and gold.
Brennan is a solid player. He won’t be in the Heisman conversation, but he provides a steady hand for a program that really needs it. The return of Brennan takes some of the pressure off guys like Nussmeier and Howard.
Having a veteran under center will also allow whoever is calling plays next year more flexibility with what they can install. Someone with Brennan’s experience will also be able to help the offense out in the classroom.
The talent is there and the experience is there. If Brennan stays healthy, this is his job to lose. One has to think Brennan wouldn’t have come back if he didn’t think he had more than a decent shot at the starting job in 2022.
For now, this is Myles Brennan’s team, and 2022 will once again allow him the chance to deliver the moment the fans have been waiting for.
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The senior quarterback says “I’m not leaving” on Twitter
With the LSU Tigers looking at quarterback options for the Texas Bowl and beyond, the team received some good news on Thursday.
Senior quarterback Myles Brennan announced on his Twitter account that he will return to the Tigers and remove his name from the transfer portal. Brennan announced his intentions to transfer from LSU on Nov. 1 but just six weeks later that decision has changed.
Brennan missed the entire 2021 regular season after needing surgery on his non-throwing arm after an injury prior to the opening of fall camp. It remains to be seen if he could potentially play in the bowl game. Previously Ed Orgeron stated that he wouldn’t be available this year prior to his announcement of entering the transfer portal.
Interim head coach Brad Davis stated that they were looking at an NCAA waiver to allow Garrett Nussmeier to play in the bowl game and keep his redshirt status. If Brennan is available for the Texas Bowl, the waiver likely wouldn’t be needed. This will be a situation that LSU Wire will continue to monitor.
In 2022, Brennan will be entering his sixth season with the Tigers. In 2018 he appeared in just one game as the backup for starting quarterback Joe Burrow. The Mississippi native would start three games last year before an injury ended his campaign. With the extra year of eligibility, Brennan can return for a sixth season with LSU.
Brennan will lead the quarterback room that has redshirt freshman Garrett Nussmeier and incoming freshman Walker Howard. During his career with the Tigers, he has thrown for 1,712 yards (1,112 in 2020), 13 touchdowns, and six interceptions.
Having the experienced gunslinger return helps with the depth at quarterback. Prior to his announcement, the Tigers were set to only have two scholarship players at the position with zero combined starts between them.
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It appears that LSU is trying to find a way for Garrett Nussmeier to play against Kansas State.
When Max Johnson decided to transfer from LSU following the 2021 regular season it brought another issue outside of losing one of their two scholarship quarterbacks. Following the Arkansas game in which Garrett Nussmeier played his fourth game of the season, Ed Orgeron announced he would sit for the rest of the year.
For a player to maintain their redshirt status and not count against eligibility, they are restricted to appearing in four games. With Johnson on the way out, Nussmeier remains as the only scholarship quarterback left. If he were to play in the Texas Bowl against Kansas State, he would forfeit his red shirt.
Interim head coach Brad Davis met with the media on Tuesday and stated they were working on a contingency plan. “We do have a contingency”, Davis said. “we are being very intentional about how we rep our team. We will be able to execute the offense.”
According to Koki Riley of The Daily Advertiser, the team has submitted a request for a waiver to allow Nussmeier to play against Kansas State.
LSU has submitted a waiver to the NCAA to request Nussmeier keep his redshirt status, a team spokesperson told The Daily Advertiser on Tuesday. It’s unclear whether such waivers have ever been granted by the NCAA.
There are two walk-on quarterbacks who could take the snaps if Nussmeier is either unable to get the waiver. He could burn the redshirt and play in the game but given that he decided to sit following Arkansas, it is unlikely he would do so now.
Matt O’Dowd and Tavion Faulk are the two quarterbacks who could play in the game. The timetable for the waiver has not been released for a decision from the NCAA.
There is a new name in the transfer portal and one that LSU fans are familiar with, Auburn’s Bo Nix. He announced on Instagram that he would put his name in the transfer portal as a graduate transfer. He recently graduated from Auburn and is now looking for his next opportunity.
His stats aren’t eye-popping, to say the least, but he was having his best season from a completion percentage and yards per attempt standpoint. Nix leaves Auburn as a three-year starter. The former five-star quarterback could be valuable to a team in need of a veteran quarterback. Would he stay in the SEC?
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The idea of Nix to LSU isn’t one that will excite many Tiger fans but he could have an impact on the team. Currently, the Bayou Bengals are projected to have two quarterbacks on scholarship in 2022. Neither has started a single game at the collegiate level. Freshman Garret Nussmeier played most of the Arkansas game but Max Johnson was the starter for that game. The other quarterback coming in will be freshman Walker Howard. They don’t have any experience at the position.
With Johnson in the portal as well, the Tigers could use another arm or two. Myles Brennan could be an option but he will be sought after. This year against LSU, Nix led Auburn to victory in Death Valley for the first time in 20 years. He would be a dual-threat that could really impact the offense.
It is unclear if new head coach Brian Kelly would have interest in the former Auburn quarterback but given the lack of arms in the quarterback room, they might need to take a look.
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Are you for or against Bo Nix to LSU? Follow Patrick on Twitter: @PatrickConnCFB and continue the conversation. You can also leave your comments below.
Perhaps LSU will need to target a quarterback in the transfer portal.
In spring it appeared that the LSU Tigers had a loaded quarterback room heading into the 2021 college football season.
Myles Brennan (transfer portal: Nov. 3)
Max Johnson (transfer portal: Dec. 7)
TJ Finley (transfer portal: May 6)
Garrett Nussmeier
Matt O’Dowd (walk-on)
Tavion Faulk (walk-on)
As the Tigers get closer to the bowl game, Nussmeier joins O’Dowd and Faulk as the only quarterbacks on the roster. No decision has been made on which quarterback will get the nod for the game against Kansas State in the Texas Bowl. It would make sense to name Nussmeier the starter if he indeed wants to burn his redshirt. From now until the game, he could get all the snaps at quarterback to help prepare him for next season. Not to mention more in-game reps.
It makes the quarterback competition heading into next season even more interesting. Five-star quarterback Walker Howard is fully expected to keep his commitment and sign with the LSU Tigers. His fallback option was Notre Dame based on the hire but bringing in Brian Kelly all but solidified his decision. Even with Walker and Nussmeier here next season, the team needs to address the position in the transfer portal.
Garrett Nussmeier will sit for the rest of the year.
There was a big question heading into the final two games against the ULM Warhawks and Texas A&M Aggies when it came to the quarterbacks. Would Garrett Nussmeier play another down in 2021 and waste his redshirt?
That question was answered on Thursday night. Head coach Ed Orgeron left it up to Garrett and his father Doug as to whether or not he would continue to play this season.
According to Adam Hunsucker of The Daily Advertiser/USA TODAY Sports, Nussmeier has decided to redshirt this season meaning he won’t play for the rest of the season. Freshman quarterback Matt O’Dowd of Plantation, Florida, will serve as the backup for Max Johnson.
#LSU quarterback Garrett Nussmeier has decided to redshirt.
It is likely that O’Dowd never sees the field and the offense just flows through Johnson the rest of the way. He has an opportunity to show improvement from the last several weeks that have quite frankly, left a lot to be desired. If the freshman gets into the game, it would likely be minimal and during mop-up duty.
LSU is listed as a 28.5 point favorite against their in-state competition on Saturday night in Death Valley. The team needs a win this week and again next week when the Aggies come to town for a shot at the postseason. Johnson also could be auditioning for the next head coach of the LSU Tigers. He will also have plenty of opportunities in the spring and fall camps heading into 2022.
With new head coaches, it is often a clean slate and not based on what you did in the past. Warranted or not.
We’re getting bold with these predictions. Bowl games, head coaches, and quarterbacks oh my.
Two games left on the schedule and both come at home. The LSU Tigers need to win out to have a chance at the postseason, but will they get there? The LSU Tigers Wire staff will answer that question momentarily.
There is also the hottest topic around the nation, it seems like everyone wants to know where the Bayou Bengals and athletic director Scott Woodward go with the next head coach. Current head coaches around the nation are having to answer questions that tie them to the purple and gold.
But what about the quarterbacks? We have seen a lot of Max Johnson and a little of Garrett Nussmeier this season. Who gets the nod heading into the 2022 season?
The staff gets bold with these predictions as the offseason approaches.
We are wrapping up our thoughts on the LSU Tigers and Arkansas Razorbacks matchup on Saturday night. The Hogs were finally able to take “The Boot” back to Fayetteville for the first time since 2015. Not the way many saw this night ending.
After two quick drives, we saw freshman quarterback Garrett Nussmeier get the call and he would remain in the game until it ended. There was no going back and forth between quarterbacks, Johnson’s leash was extremely short. As head coach Ed Orgeron said, if he was going to play the freshman it would be for significant minutes. We will see if he sticks with Nuss or goes back to Johnson this week against the Warhawks.
Defensively, I am not sure you could have asked for a better performance. They held Arkansas to just 13 points in four quarters. This coming off the heels of holding Alabama to just 20 points, both games resulting in losses but you can’t pin that on the defense. Daronte Jones had his unit ready to roll on Saturday night.
As we do each week, we are handing out grades with the virtual report card.
The theme of this season has to do with finishing, the LSU Tigers have shown the inability to finish out games. After the first month of the season the Tigers found themselves 3-1. Everything was still in front of them despite an early embarrassment against the UCLA Bruins.
When the calendar changed to October, the wheels started to come off for LSU. They lost at home to Auburn, something that hasn’t happened since 1999. In that game they held the lead but couldn’t find a way to finish the game. Instead they relied on four Cade York field goals to be their offense, the last coming with 3:26 to go in the third quarter. Auburn scored 14 in the final 18 minutes of the game to win. The LSU offense finished with three punts and an interception to lose 24-19.
The very next week it was Kentucky, not much you can say about that game because the Wildcats did whatever they wanted in that game. The team didn’t look prepared for what Mark Stoops’ team was going to do. Then the Florida game happened, and as we have seen the Gators haven’t looked the same since the Alabama game. Ole Miss completely shut down the offense and only allowed LSU to score 10 points late in the game with backup quarterback Garrett Nussmeier.
The open date couldn’t have come at a better time due to the fact that this team was reeling. Losers in three of the last four games, and could have been four straight if a play or two goes the other way. Just the way things go in the game of college football.
When Ed Orgeron and company rolled into Tuscaloosa, everyone expected the Crimson Tide to blow them out. It didn’t happen. In fact LSU had a real opportunity to win that game. They led 7-0 for most of the first half, it wasn’t until Max Johnson turned the ball over twice that allowed Alabama to take control of the scoreboard. In the third quarter the Tigers trailed 20-7 after really making life difficult on Bryce Young and the Tide.
It was a 14-play 89-yard drive by the offense that got LSU back in it. The drive capped off by a Max Johnson to Jack Bech 8-yard touchdown throw. The Tigers were down just six points and you had to like their chances based on how the defense was playing. In the final seven minutes of the game LSU had the ball on three different drives. Two of which ended with a pass into the endzone that wasn’t caught. They just couldn’t finish against the Tide.
The failings in the Arkansas game are well documented. After two drives that resulted in two punts where the offense had 13 snaps and 39 yards, Johnson was pulled in favor of Garrett Nussmeier. It paid immediate dividends as he led the team on back-to-back scoring drives to take the lead at 10-3. The next six drives were anything but successful. Punt, fumble, punt, punt, missed field goal, interception. The team couldn’t finish and it allowed the Hogs back into the game.
The offense would tie the game up in the fourth quarter, where it would remain until halftime. Nussmeier and the offense held possession of the ball for 10:55 of the final quarter. Time of possession clearly in their favor but they could only muster those three points at the beginning of the final quarter. LSU would turn the ball over on downs at the Arkansas 38-yard line and then punt with just 0:17 left in the game. In overtime Nussmeier was intercepted in the end zone and Cam Little sent everyone home on a 29-yard field goal.
The problems with this team go so far beyond the quarterback play. They don’t have a full compliment of their offensive line. Receivers don’t do enough to get open. The playcalling is atrocious. There is a stench on the offensive side of the ball that likely won’t get better until they rid themselves of Ed Orgeron, Jake Peetz, and DJ Mangas.
They could still win the final two games and get to bowl season. At this point, do you trust them?
