Garrett Nussmeier Injury Update: LSU Football's Brian Kelly Updates Availability

Kelly revealed the latest on his star quarterback, prepared for Saturday night against the Southeastern Louisiana Lions.

Courtesy of LSU Tigers Football.

Brian Kelly and the LSU Tigers will return to action on Saturday night in Death Valley for a non-conference matchup against the Southeastern Louisiana Lions.

No. 3 LSU enters the in-state contest with an unblemished record after opening the season with consecutive wins over the Clemson Tigers, Louisiana Tech Bulldogs and Florida Gators.

Despite the program's first 3-0 start since the 2019 season, the Bayou Bengals have significant room for growth with untapped potential on offense.

It's no secret the defense has shined across the first quarter of the season, but moving forward, contributions from the offense will be a must.

LSU quarterback Garrett Nussmeier has struggled out the gate this season. It's been clear to the preseason Heisman Trophy candidate.

Courtesy of LSU Tigers Football.

"I think just clicking on all cylinders, I think is our biggest goal. Which is just lining up correctly, running the right stuff, me being better with my feet and my eyes," Nussmeier said. "Just all of us being on the same page and being who we can be.

"I don't think that we have shown what we can be yet, and so I think that's frustrating, but also encouraging. It's only week three. Doing our best to find that whatever we gotta do to get there, and once we get there, try and find a way to keep a rhythm."

On offense, Nussmeier is 69-for-106 on passing attempts with 689 yards to go with three touchdowns and two interceptions. The 689 passing yards places him at No. 9 in the SEC.

But there may be a reason why Nussmeier hasn't lived up to the preseason hype just yet.

On Monday, LSU head coach Brian Kelly revealed that Nussmeier has been dealing with a torso injury he suffered during Fall Camp.

Courtesy of LSU Tigers Football.

"He's been slowed a little bit with a torso injury - and he's fighting through it - he's getting better," Kelly said on Monday. "He's not going to be able to shut it down until the bye week.

"I'm not saying that that has had any of his troubles. I think he is a symptom of us not ripping it on fourth down. We're taking some plays away from him. He's done a really good job... We've got to let him get the ball out to his playmakers and keep him healthy."

Fast forward to Wednesday and Kelly provided a status update on Nussmeier and his expectations heading into Week 4 against Southeastern Louisiana.

“I think he needs to play,” Kelly said via the SEC Coaches Teleconference. “Garrett wants to play, he’s capable of playing. As I said, the torso injury slowed him up and it slowed up, in some instances, the development of the offense too because we needed to be very careful with him.

"We knew we had two, in particular, very, very difficult games with Clemson on the road and a charged-up Florida team.

“We dialed back practice, we dialed back what we were doing to make sure that we protected him. He’s now on the other side of it because we were able to do that. This week is an opportunity for him.

"He’s doing some things in practice he hasn’t been able to do in the last month. We’re pretty excited about what he could do this weekend.”

Courtesy of LSU Tigers Football.

Now, Kelly has provided his final update on Nussmeier ahead of Week 4 against Southeastern Louisiana where he will suit up. What are the expectations?

“We had to limit a lot of things we did the first three, four weeks, and he’s finally coming to practice feeling good and getting into a good rhythm," Kelly said.

"This was his best week of practice. So, we want him to go and play the game at a level where he’s comfortable. To hold him back, really, at this point, would not be the right thing for him. 

“He’s excited to play because he feels so much better. I don’t want to say he’s back to the Garrett Nussmeier but there were a lot of things that he couldn’t do that he had to adjust to.

"It’s good that he’s back and doing the things and throwing the football the way he feels and comfortably.”

LSU and Southeastern Louisiana will kickoff at 6:45 p.m. CT on Saturday night in Tiger Stadium.

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