By ANDRE CHAMPAGNE, Tiger Rag Staff Reporter
LSU’s anemic offense needs to improve quickly, not just to stay in the College Football Playoff hunt, but to help prove to the nation’s No. 1 quarterback for the Class of 2027 that LSU is the best place for him.
“I don’t think it worries me. I think they’re just struggling right now,” non-committed Elijah Haven of the Dunham School in Baton Rouge told Tiger Rag on Wednesday. “But I think they’ll work those kinks out.”
LSU is No. 119 out of 134 upper level programs and 15th out of 16 in the Southeastern Conference in rushing yards a game with 104.8 and 88th nationally and 12th in the SEC in total offense with 364.8 yards a game.
Rumors of Garrett Nussmeier being lost for season with pending surgery, “silly,” says Brian Kelly:https://t.co/wGqDJhE7Wk
— Glenn Guilbeau (@SportBeatTweet) October 1, 2025
LSU senior quarterback Garrett Nussmeier, who has nursed an abdomen injury all season, is eighth in the SEC and 54th nationally in passing yards a game with 231.8 after finishing second in the SEC and sixth in the nation last year at 311.7. Nussmeier is 13th in the SEC and 76th nationally in passing efficiency at 134.2 on 115-of-171 passing for 1,165 yards and seven touchdowns with three interceptions.
“For me, it doesn’t really worry me,” Haven said. “I think Garrett Nussmeier is a great quarterback.”
Second-year offensive coordinator Joe Sloan, whose only previous OC experience was at Louisiana Tech, may be under fire again after struggling last season. He has been Haven’s chief recruiter with head coach Brian Kelly.
“Coach Sloan is a great coach, and as the season progresses, they’ll figure it out,” Haven said.
Haven (6-foot-5, 215 pounds) is a 5-star prospectd by 247sports.com, which has him as the No. 2 overall prospect in the country, No. 1 player in Louisiana and No. 1 quarterback.
A new QB taking the 1st team snaps at LSU practices this week.https://t.co/CqHJz293Tc
— Glenn Guilbeau (@SportBeatTweet) October 1, 2025
His last visit to LSU did not feature a great offense. The Tigers scored just one offensive touchdowns in a 20-10 win over Florida at Tiger Stadium on Sept. 13, despite LSU getting five interceptions. In the 24-19 loss at Ole Miss Saturday, the Tigers managed just 57 yards rushing. And Nussmeier threw for a career-low 197 yards.
No. 13 LSU (4-1, 1-1 SEC) is open this Saturday before hosting South Carolina (3-2, 1-2 SEC) on Oct. 11. The Gamecocks are the only SEC school worse than LSU in running the ball as they are 124th nationally with 99.8 yards a game.
Among the programs the Tigers are battling with for Haven are Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Michigan and Penn State. The Tigers do have one strong advantage off the field, regardless of how the offense develops, and what coaches may or may not still be on campus in 2027.
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“I think just close to home. That’s always super attractive,” Haven said. “I’m a Baton Rouge native, so that’s something I’ve always considered. The coaches have done a great job over the past two years just welcoming my family in and making sure we continue to build that relationship and that I can trust them – not with just football, but outside of it.”
When factoring in his college choice, relationships with coaching staffs is at the top of the list.
“They’re both great coaches,” Haven said Sloan and Kelly. “They’ve welcomed me and my family in with open arms for about two years now. Coach Sloan is the guy that really took it off, built a relationship with me, and keeps the most constant conversation with me. Coach Kelly, our talking has increased more over time. On Saturdays after our Friday games, he’ll encourage me, so they’re both great coaches, and they’ve done a great job recruiting me.”
Haven is considering two other aspects in his recruitment.
“Development, can you carry me to that next level? And, I would say that family feel, and that I feel welcome there,” he said. “It’s still opening up. I’m narrowing down, favoring more schools than others.”
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