Brian Kelly Likes That Garrett Nussmeier’s “Swagger” Is Back, But Limit The Baggage

GLENN GUILBEAU, Tiger Rag Editor

If a Brett Favre-type is your quarterback, you have to accept the carry-on with the swagger.

And LSU coach Brian Kelly is fine with that when it comes to his quarterback – Garrett Nussmeier.

“We’re trying to balance this – he plays with a swagger,” Kelly said at his weekly press conference on Monday. “He’s better with a swagger. Don’t know that he had that in previous weeks. I thought he wa a little bit robotic.”

LSU moves into Top 10 after looking like a Bottom 10 team inside the 10-yard line in a 20-10 win over a bad South Carolina. Imagine how high LSU could rise when it actually plays well for the first time this season!https://t.co/zssOkzKhCa

— Glenn Guilbeau (@SportBeatTweet) October 12, 2025

Nussmeier, a fifth-year senior who has nursed an abdomen strain since August, appeared close to over that injury on Saturday night in the 20-10 win over South Carolina. He threw deep accurately and with authority throughout a game for the first time this season as he completed 20 of 33 passes for 254 yards and two touchdowns with a deep drop by wide receiver Chris Hilton Jr.

The No. 10 Tigers (5-1, 2-1 Southeastern Conference) play at No. 17 Vanderbilt (5-1, 1-1 SEC) Saturday at 11 a.m. on ABC.

“We said, ‘Listen, you need to be Garrett Nussmeier,'” Kelly said. “And he was. Unfortunately, some of that comes with some mistakes.”

Nussmeier threw two interceptions that were each his fault. He totally did not see South Carolina safety Peyton Williams on an interception at the Gamecocks’ 1-yard line on 2nd-and-8 from the 9-yard line late in the third quarter with LSU up 17-10.

“I think that was an aberration,” Kelly said. “And something that he would immediately say, ‘I should’ve had my eyes on that safety because that’s my read.’ But I like the version of Garrett Nussmeier we saw. He was a lot more confident. He was a lot more active in the pocket. He had an opportunity to run a couple times (and rushed four times for 30 yards). That’s the version we want.”

LSU Offense and Garrett Nussmeier – “One Step Up, And Two Steps Back.” But Nussmeier did look better. Column:https://t.co/mmevLsvr8l

— Glenn Guilbeau (@SportBeatTweet) October 12, 2025

He also overthrew an open Kyle Parker, and safety DQ Smith came up with that one at the South Carolina 26 after the Tigers had driven to the USC 43-yard line with a 10-7 lead late in the second quarter.

Nussmeier finished sixth in the nation last season in passing yards a game at 311, but in four games, he threw two or more interceptions, including three at Texas A&M in a 38-23 loss. LSU also lost at home to Alabama when Nussmeier threw two picks. He has a tendency to try to force passes to covered receivers. Sometimes it works.

Sometimes it doesn’t, which was the case when Favre threw an interception in the Superdome on Jan. 24, 2010, when the Vikings were in walk-off field goal range in the final seconds of a 28-28 tie in the NFC Championship Game. The Saints won 31-28 in overtime and went on to win the Super Bowl.

“We want to clean up what I would call uncharacteristic mistakes,” Kelly said of Nussmeier.

Kelly said Nussmeier’s abdomen strain is better than it has been all season.

“The bottom line is he was healthy,” he said. “His ab injury is on the right side of it. He feels good. He didn’t feel any pain Sunday coming in. So, that’s a really, really good sign for us moving forward.”

INJURY REPORT

Nussmeier has another injury with which to deal. He suffered a “slight” left ankle sprain, Kelly said, during the win over South Carolina but returned to the game, and it is not considered significant.

“Not a high ankle sprain,” Kelly said. “We feel like he’s going to be fine.”

Defensive tackle Bernard Gooden bruised his collarbone against South Carolina.

“Very sore right now,” Kelly said. “But clean, no break. This is a short-time thing, and one where he’ll have to manage the pain.”

Backup defensive end Jimari Butler injured his ankle, but it is not a high ankle sprain.

“I would say that he’s probable,” Kelly said.

Kelly said wide receiver Aaron Anderson (knee, toe, hip) “looked good” after missing the South Carolina game. “We’ll continue to progress with him.”

Running back Caden Durham suffered a mild hip pointer injury.

“He’ll be fine,” Kelly said.

Center Braelin Moore suffered a neck stinger, but it is “under control,” Kelly said.

Left guard Paul Mubenga (high ankle sprain) missed the South Carolina game, but Kelly expects him to be available for Vanderbilt.