Tag: LSU quarterbacks

LSU is ‘home’ for backup quarterback Garrett Nussmeier

Nussmeier is locked in after choosing not to enter the transfer portal.

LSU fans rejoiced on Monday as news broke that promising backup quarterback [autotag]Garrett Nussmeier[/autotag] would not be entering the transfer portal but instead plans to return to the Tigers for his redshirt sophomore year.

Nussmeier is situated behind incumbent starter [autotag]Jayden Daniels[/autotag] on the depth chart, and barring injury, that isn’t likely to change this season. But the gunslinger has looked impressive when given a chance, and when Daniels moves on after the 2023 season, the future looks bright with Nussmeier.

According to 247Sports’ Glen West, Nussmeier described LSU as his home and further explained his loyalty to the program.

“LSU is my home, it’s where I want to be,” Nussmeier said. “I can’t imagine myself representing any other state. I also believe in what we are building right now with Coach Kelly. I want to help be a part of that.”

After two years of uncertainty at the position following the departure of Joe Burrow to the NFL, coach [autotag]Brian Kelly[/autotag] has made shoring up the long-term quarterback outlook a priority. He’s also added 2023 early enrollee [autotag]Rickie Collins[/autotag] and has a 2024 blue-chip signal-caller committed in [autotag]Colin Hurley[/autotag].

But Nussmeier likely represents the short-term future following Daniels’ graduation, and it’s clear that he’s locked into this program ahead of a season that could see expanded opportunities for him even if he’s not the starter.

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LSU set to have one of the best quarterback rooms in college football with Garrett Nussmeier officially staying

LSU’s outlook under center is very promising with Nussmeier sticking around.

Redshirt sophomore quarterback [autotag]Garrett Nussmeier[/autotag] gave LSU fans the news they desperately wanted to hear on Monday morning when, according to a report from On3, he decided to remain at LSU rather than enter the transfer portal.

Barring an injury, Nussmeier will in all likelihood sit on the bench this season behind incumbent starter [autotag]Jayden Daniels[/autotag], who could very well be the best signal-caller in the league this season. But in 2024, this may end up being Nussmeier’s team if he sticks around.

Considering the depth the Tigers have behind Daniels in Nussmeier as well as early enrollee [autotag]Rickie Collins[/autotag] — a Baton Rouge native and former four-star recruit — LSU has one of the most promising quarterback units in the country.

On3’s Jesse Simonton ranked that group second nationally behind only USC, which returns defending Heisman winner and likely No. 1 pick in the 2024 NFL draft Caleb Williams.

If not for the brilliance of Caleb Williams, you could make a strong case that Brian Kelly has the best QB room in America with two very viable options in Jayden Daniels and Garrett Nussmeier.

Daniels continues to show growth as a passer and leader, while Nussmeier, who lit it up in the SEC Championship, would be the most sought-after transfer QB if he ever decided to enter the portal.

It’s certainly not guaranteed that Nussmeier will be on the roster in 2024 given the fact that we exist in the transfer portal era, but if he sticks around, he’ll have the inside track to winning the job.

With Daniels hoping to lead the Tigers to the College Football Playoff in his final season of eligibility, the future looks bright beyond him thanks to Nussmeier’s decision to stay in Baton Rouge.

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Report: QB Garrett Nussmeier to remain at LSU in 2023

LSU will keep its backup quarterback around after Nussmeier chose not to enter the transfer portal in either window.

LSU is keeping its quarterback room intact heading into the fall.

According to a report from On3’s Shea Dixon, Tigers backup quarterback [autotag]Garrett Nussmeier[/autotag] has elected not to enter the transfer portal and will remain in Baton Rouge for the 2023 season. Nussmeier played in seven games last fall, completing 52 of 84 passes for 800 yards, five touchdowns and four interceptions.

Nussmeier had particularly noteworthy performances replacing an injured [autotag]Jayden Daniels[/autotag] against Georgia in the SEC Championship and in the Citrus Bowl against Purdue. This prompted discussion regarding whether he would choose to enter the portal.

LSU expected Nussmeier to return, but following spring practice, there was a lot of anticipation regarding a potential transfer portal decision. Now, that decision is made, and the Tigers will officially have Nussmeier around for the long haul.

Between Nussmeier and true freshman, early enrollee [autotag]Rickie Collins[/autotag], LSU should enter the post-Daniels era with a strong quarterback situation.

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Brian Kelly on Jayden Daniels’ improvement in spring: ‘There’s a different presence to him’

Here’s what Kelly had to say about Daniels’ growth so far this offseason.

The quarterback position at LSU will be of interest throughout the offseason.

With the return of [autotag]Jayden Daniels[/autotag] and [autotag]Garrett Nussmeier[/autotag], LSU likes its options. Following the bowl game, coach [autotag]Brian Kelly[/autotag] essentially said Daniels is still QB1.

With the spring game coming on Saturday, Kelly spoke about what he’s seen from Daniels this spring. He discussed Daniels’ vocal leadership on the field. He’s now more comfortable taking on a leadership role with his pass catchers, instructing them on routes.

“It’s harder sometimes to explain but you kind of sense it and see just by his interactions with Malik in terms of where he wants the football, how he’s addressing the offensive line when he’s making calls,” Kelly said, “There’s just a different presence to him.”

Daniels had a breakout year with LSU after a volatile three years at Arizona State. He won the job last fall after a competition with Nussmeier and [autotag]Myles Brennan[/autotag], and he’s set to lead what could be a nationally contending team.

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Brian Kelly discusses how QBs Jayden Daniels and Garrett Nussmeier have developed this season

Daniels is still the clear leader, but Nussmeier remains a factor.

Quarterback was a major question last offseason for LSU, but heading into coach Brian Kelly’s second season in Baton Rouge, it looks like a strength.

[autotag]Jayden Daniels[/autotag] is back after starting every game in 2022, and he’s been dubbed the starter by Kelly as the incumbent. However, he’ll be pushed by [autotag]Garrett Nussmeier[/autotag], who opted to return and compete rather than enter the transfer portal after promising performances in the SEC Championship against Georgia and Citrus Bowl against Purdue.

Speaking to the press, Kelly updated the progress each has made this spring and the current status of the competition as the team is gearing up for the spring game in just over a week.

Per On3:

“You know, both of them have a list of things that they want to work on,” Kelly said. “Jayden’s been pushing the ball down the field trying to really work on quick identification and one-on-one matchups down the field.

“Garrett is just you know, disciplined in progression reads, so each one of them has some things that (quarterbacks coach) Joe Sloan has laid out for them and in terms of what they want them to work on specifically, and that’s kind of how we’ve scripted them as well. And they’ve done a really good job of working on those things.”

Daniels was efficient last season, tossing for 2,913 yards, 17 touchdowns and three interceptions with a 68.6% completion percentage. On the ground, he added 885 rushing yards and 11 touchdowns.

He really shined in wins over Alabama and Florida, and he’s considered one of the top quarterbacks in the country entering the season. However, Nussmeier is a player that would be starting at many schools this season.

He threw for 294 yards and two touchdowns against Georgia in what was mostly garbage time, but it was still an impressive performance. Kelly previously stated that Nussmeier would get first-team reps in spring.

Barring something surprising, Daniels will take the first snap of the year against Florida State in Orlando. But Nussmeier remains a factor, and he’s apparently made progress this spring.

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ESPN ranks Jayden Daniels among top 10 best QBs in college football

Daniels ranks No. 9 entering the season, according to ESPN.

Entering his second year at LSU and fifth in college, QB Jayden Daniels is generating some buzz. ESPN tabbed him as the ninth-best quarterback in the sport.

“Daniels opted to transfer to LSU before last season, won the starting job and had a productive first season under Brian Kelly,” ESPN said.

According to PFF, Daniels threw for 2,943 yards last year and, not including sack yardage, ran for 1,079 more.

ESPN mentions how Daniels’ play against Ole Miss and Alabama helped turn LSU’s season around and set the Tigers on a 10-win path.

Daniels’ best game through the air came against Florida where he completed 72% of his passes for 349 yards and three touchdowns.

It’s hard to find many complaints about the job Daniels did in 2022. He played through injuries and consistently kept LSU ahead of the chain. His speed from the QB position added a dimension we haven’t from an LSU offense in some time.

“With 41 career starts under his belt, Daniels said he was returning in hopes of leading LSU to a championship.”

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Where does LSU’s future quarterback outlook rank among college football teams?

Looking at Jayden Daniels and beyond, LSU is in a good spot under center.

After two seasons of struggling to find answers at the quarterback position after [autotag]Joe Burrow[/autotag] left for the NFL, LSU seems to have finally found some consistency.

[autotag]Jayden Daniels[/autotag] had something of a breakout season in 2022, becoming one of the SEC’s top signal-callers. He’ll be back in 2023 and has the chance to be even better for a Tigers team looking to raise its ceiling.

This season is going to be Daniels’ last with LSU, but even after he moves on, the position looks promising. [autotag]Garrett Nussmeier[/autotag] has impressed when given the chance, and if he sticks around, he should have the inside track to start in 2024.

Whether he stays or decides to go elsewhere, the Tigers still have a pair of blue chips for the future in early enrollee [autotag]Rickie Collins[/autotag] and four-star 2024 commit [autotag]Colin Hurley[/autotag], who reclassified from 2025.

All in all, ESPN ranks LSU’s future quarterback outlook as 12th in the country.

2022 ranking: 16
Returning starter: Jayden Daniels

LSU projects well at quarterback through 2025, especially with Daniels returning after an encouraging first season as a Tiger. The Arizona State transfer had career highs for completion percentage (68.3), rushing yards (885) and rushing touchdowns (11), while nearly matching his 2019 total for passing yards (2,913). He reduced his interceptions total from 10 in his final season at ASU to just three last fall. Daniels will be working with the same offensive coordinator (Mike Denbrock) and quarterbacks coach (Joe Sloan) in his final college season.

The quarterback room changed a bit as Walker Howard, ESPN’s No. 42 overall prospect in 2022, transferred to Ole Miss. But Garrett Nussmeier has remained and will enter his third season after passing for 800 yards with four touchdowns and five interceptions last fall. If Nussmeier stays at LSU, he’s the likely successor to Daniels in 2024 and possibly 2025. LSU’s coaches have been impressed by his skill set and approach. But the team also signed Rickie Collins, ESPN’s No. 199 overall recruit in the 2023 class, and has a commitment from Colin Hurley, ESPN’s No. 64 prospect for 2024.

If LSU had been able to keep Howard from entering the portal (as Kelly seemed to think would be the case based on his comments after the bowl game) the outlook would be even better, but things are still looking good at the position for the Tigers in spite of his departure.

The quarterback is the most important position on the field, and Kelly has done a good job so far of planning for the future in that regard.

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The best performance from every starting LSU quarterback this century

From Josh Booty to Jayden Daniels, here’s every LSU signal-caller from this century’s shining moment.

The story of LSU quarterback play this century has been something more resembling a Shakespeare play than a group of football players.

You have all the pieces for a great story. You have your superstar talents, like [autotag]Joe Burrow[/autotag] and [autotag]JaMarcus Russell[/autotag]. You have the guys that were late-round picks but still won titles, like [autotag]Matt Flynn[/autotag] and [autotag]Matt Mauck[/autotag].

You have [autotag]Jordan Jefferson[/autotag] and [autotag]Jarrett Lee[/autotag], two guys who won a lot but caught a lot of flack from fans. Don’t forget signal callers like [autotag]Zach Mettenberger[/autotag], [autotag]Danny Etling[/autotag] and [autotag]Jayden Daniels[/autotag] — veteran transfers who proved to be critical additions.

And that’s not even the end of it.

Here, we’re looking at the best game from every LSU starting quarterback this century. Let’s not waste any more time and jump right in, beginning in the year 2000.

PFF evaluates LSU’s quarterback situation in 2023 with Jayden Daniels

Pro Football Focus predicted the starting quarterback for each top-25 team, and there were no surprises for LSU.

This time last season, LSU had all sorts of questions at the game’s most important position.

The Tigers were holding a seemingly three-way quarterback battle between veteran [autotag]Myles Brennan[/autotag], redshirt freshman [autotag]Garrett Nussmeier[/autotag] and transfer [autotag]Jayden Daniels[/autotag]. Brennan ultimately retired from football after the spring, and Daniels won the starting job.

He never looked back, leading LSU to a 10-win season as one of the best quarterbacks in the SEC (and the entire country). Pro Football Focus predicted the starting quarterback for every top-25 team, and unsurprisingly, Daniels is expected to get the nod.

Here’s what PFF’s Max Chadwick said about him.

Like Nix and Penix, a new environment revived Daniels’ career. The Arizona State transfer led all quarterbacks in the country this season with a 0.6% turnover-worthy play rate. The fifth-year senior was also the only quarterback who rushed for over 1,000 yards. Overall, only Drake Maye and Caleb Williams were more valuable Power Five quarterbacks than the LSU signal-caller this past season.

That’s certainly lofty praise, but Daniels deserves it following a breakout season. After two promising seasons at ASU, Daniels struggled in his final season with the Sun Devils in 2021. The change of scenery worked wonders for him, and his return allows LSU continuity at the quarterback position for the first time since [autotag]Joe Burrow[/autotag] came back in 2019.

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Jayden Daniels is the top SEC QB in 2023, per On3

Daniels will hope to build off an impressive first season at LSU.

Barring something unexpected, LSU will enter the 2023 season with easily its best quarterback situation since [autotag]Joe Burrow[/autotag] returned for the magical 2019 season.

Fans were tantalized by Garrett Nussmeier’s talent late in the season, and though he may have a role on this team, the starting quarterback spot is not up for grabs. [autotag]Jayden Daniels[/autotag] returns after a very impressive first season as a transfer from Arizona State, and coach [autotag]Brian Kelly[/autotag] has made it clear that he is still the starter.

It’s certainly understandable. Daniels looked very good at times last fall, and with Bryce Young, Will Levis and Anthony Richardson all moving on, he could be the top returning passer in the SEC. On3 thinks so.

In its rankings of the top-10 quarterbacks in college football for the 2023 season, Daniels came in at No. 7 and was the highest-ranking SEC signal-caller on the list.

Daniels’ performance in 2022 had the Tigers getting serious consideration for the College Football Playoff. He threw for a career-best 2,913 yards in addition to 17 touchdowns and three interceptions. He also rushed for 885 yards and 11 touchdowns. That performance helped LSU to win the SEC West, and Daniels will hope to build upon it in 2023.

Another year in this system could do wonders for Daniels. If he can keep up his efficiency and remain a danger to opposing defenses in the run game, it’s easy to see how he could be in for an even bigger season this fall.

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