GLENN GUILBEAU, Tiger Rag Editor
A popular idea since news of LSU quarterback Garrett Nussmeier’s abdomen/torso injury broke Monday has been to rest the senior quarterback for all or most of the No. 3 Tigers’ game against Southeastern Louisiana on Saturday at Tiger Stadium (6:45 p.m., SEC Network).
No point spread has been listed for the game, because LSU (3-0, 1-0 Southeastern Conference) would be an astronomically high favorite over the second division FCS (Football Championship Subdivision) Lions (2-1). ESPN’s Football Power Index has the Tigers as having a 98 percent chance of winning.
So why not let the obviously off Nussmeier rest his ailing core, which was caused somewhat by throwing too much during pre-season camp? The throwing motion is naturally painful to the torso area. That way, he may feel that much better and play better a week from Saturday when the Tigers play their biggest game of the season so far at No. 13 Ole Miss (3-0, 2-0 SEC), where LSU has lost twice in a row under coach Brian Kelly.
Not going to happen. Because LSU coach Brian Kelly has a better idea. Since Nussmeier’s injury is improving, it will be better to let him get back in the swing of things against SLU, so as to be that much better against Ole Miss.
“Yeah, I think he needs to play,” Kelly said on the SEC teleconference on Wednesday when asked if he has considered sitting Nussmeier. “And Garrett wants to play. He’s capable of playing. As I said, the torso injury slowed him up, and it’s slowed up in some instances the development of the offense, too, because we needed to be very careful with him.”
Nussmeier, meanwhile, has missed open receivers, overthrowing them and underthrowing them as his passes have often lacked zip. Partly because he was not practicing pass routes during the week so as to rest the injury and arm.
“We dialed back practice,” Kelly said. “We dialed back what we were doing to make sure that we protected him.”
Retro football appears to be back to stay at LSU this season:https://t.co/g9iufj2AkA
— Glenn Guilbeau (@SportBeatTweet) September 15, 2025
And Kelly and offensive coordinator Joe Sloan have not been calling the longer pass routes in addition to adopting a more conservative philosophy that plays to the Tigers’ suddenly dominating defense. LSU is No. 5 in the nation in rush defense with 56 yards allowed a game, No. 11 in fewest points allowed at nine a game and No. 25 in total yards allowed a game with 263.
The offensive philosophy may be changing quickly, though.
“Now, he’s on the other side of it (the injury) because we were able to protect him,” Kelly said. “And so, this week is an opportunity for him. He’s doing some things at practice he hasn’t done in the last month. So, we’re pretty excited about what he can do this week.”
That invisible point spread may have just shot up.
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