LSU Football Practice Observations: Garrett Nussmeier a Full Participant on Day 9

Brian Kelly and the LSU Tigers returned to the practice field on Saturday morning for Day 9 of Fall Camp as the intensity rises in Baton Rouge.

The Bayou Bengals wrapped up Week 2 of Fall Camp on Saturday and will utilize Sunday as a rest day prior to returning for Week 3 on Monday morning.

LSU quarterback Garrett Nussmeier operated at full capacity, wide receiver Aaron Anderson was active and five-star freshman DJ Pickett pieced together a strong day as he gets in a groove for the Tigers.

A look into the quick hits from Saturday, 11-on-11 notes, position drill takes and buzz around Day 9 of Fall Camp:

The Quick Hits: LSU Practice Day 9

No. 1: Garrett Nussmeier Back as Full Participant

LSU quarterback Garrett Nussmeier is battling patellar tendinitis in his left knee, according to Brian Kelly, with the Tigers being precautionary earlier in the week.

On Friday, Kelly addressed the media to provide an update on his franchise signal-caller.

“This is a chronic situation. It’s tendinitis,” Kelly said. “It’s like a bad ankle. He just planted the wrong way. Tomorrow he’ll be out in a practice situation. On a scale of 1-10 it’s like a 1.5.”

Fast forward to Saturday and Nussmeier operated at full speed in practice where he moved in the pocket, rolled left and right, and utilized his legs to make plays.

Nussmeier looked the part on Saturday morning while contorting his body to make throws to hit Kyle Parker, Barion Brown and Trey'Dez Green on multiple occasions.

The #LSU Practice Report: Day 9

- Garrett Nussmeier operated at full speed during 11v11.
- WR Kyle Parker continued a strong Fall Camp.
- WR Aaron Anderson back in action.
- CJ Jimcoily + DJ Pickett with PBU’s in 11v11.
- CB Ja’Keem Jackson with efficient run.

High intensity. pic.twitter.com/kMvEnPdNsc
— Zack Nagy (@znagy20) August 9, 2025

No. 2: WR Aaron Anderson Back in the Mix

LSU wide receiver Aaron Anderson returned to the practice fields on Friday with Day 8 closed to the media, but Day 9 [Saturday] allowed the media to get a look at the veteran wideout.

Anderson has been nursing a knee injury and has been out since Day 1 of Fall Camp.

“He really has an arthritic knee, generally speaking,” Kelly said, according to The Advocate. “You wouldn’t call it arthritis, but it’s a cranky knee that we needed to calm down. We cut him back.

"He has gotten some medicine for it. He feels really good, and there was no need for us to have him be a habitual guy that has a sore knee.”

On Saturday morning, Anderson looked the part for the Tigers despite not taking part in 11v11 contact work.

No. 3: DJ Pickett's Strong Day

LSU cornerback DJ Pickett continues making his presence felt on the field in Week 2 after easing his way into the mix across the first week of camp.

On Saturday, Pickett had an impressive outing with a pair of pass breakups and strong coverage in both 11-on-11 work and 7-on-7 work.

The 6-foot-5, 190-pounder has been a name to watch all offseason and remained a player to watch heading into Saturday.

The cornerback room has Pickett, Mansoor Delane, PJ Woodland, Ja'Keem Jackson and Ashton Stamps all competing for significant reps.

11-on-11 Notes:

- DJ Pickett remained impactful with a pair of pass breakups on the day in 11v11 work.

- Garrett Nussmeier and Barion Brown are developing rapport in live work. The duo connected for a significant gain on Saturday morning.

- LSU tight end Trey'Dez Green was all over the place during live work. He and Nussmeier are developing a connection with the Tigers utilizing multiple 12 personnel sets.

- Offensive line "concerns" were ramped up on Saturday. As a unit, the offensive line combined for five false start penalties during the final 11v11 period.

- Transfer safety A.J. Haulcy will be a name to keep tabs on this fall for the Tigers. He's coming into his own and has been an effective piece of the defensive backfield.

- The cornerback rotation has seemingly been Mansoor Delane and Ashton Stamps with the staff also giving PJ Woodland, Ja'Keem Jackson and DJ Pickett reps with the first-team.

- Ja'Keem Jackson had a strong practice on Saturday morning.

- The safety room is working with a five-man rotation of Haulcy, Tamarcus Cooley, Javien Toviano, Dashawn Spears and Jardin Gilbert. The unit showed flashes on Saturday morning.

- The first-team offensive line has been much of the same during the first two weeks of camp: LT Tyree Adams, LG DJ Chester, C Braelin Moore, RG Josh Thompson and RT Weston Davis.

- Offensive line coach Brad Davis is giving opportunity to Carius Curne at tackle, Paul Mubenga and Coen Echols with the second-team. Bo Bordelon has received run of his own as well. Competition brewing in the trenches.

- The offensive line had five false start penalties during 11-on-11 live work.

Position Room Takes:

- The linebacker room will be one to keep tabs on with Whit Weeks and West Weeks receiving a majority of first-team reps, but Davhon Keys has also made impactful plays. He came up with a pass breakup on Saturday.

- The quarterback room operated with the same rotation of Nussmeier, Michael Van Buren, Colin Hurley and Ju'Juan Johnson. Van Buren had a strong day on Saturday.

- The running back room is now down to three scholarship players: Caden Durham, Kaleb Jackson and Harlem Berry. Freshman JT Lindsey is suspended until an off-field legal matter is handled.

- The wide receiver rotation is wide open as it currently stands with position coach Cortez Hankton utilizing his embarrassment of riches: Aaron Anderson, Chris Hilton and Zavion Thomas have received first-team run with Kyle Parker, Nic Anderson and Barion Brown firmly in the race. Destyn Hill is also earning opportunity.

- The tight end room is all Trey'Dez Green and Bauer Sharp with the one-two punch operating as arguably the strongest position group on the team.

- In the defensive line room, it's been the Bernard Gooden show. The South Florida transfer has been a menace in the trenches while carving out a role as a first-team defensive tackle.

- Along with Gooden, it's Dominick McKinley, Ahmad Breaux, Jacobian Guillory, Shone Washington and Sydir Mitchell earning run.

LSU will return to the practice field on Monday morning after utilizing a recovery day on Sunday in Baton Rouge.

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