Any great college team typically needs a great conductor. That’s what Garrett Nussmeier will have to be for LSU’s offense in 2025 for the Tigers to be the playoff and championship contender they believe they will be.
Those are the goals that have been set, whether you talk to Brian Kelly, other players or Nussmeier himself. They want that challenge.
“I think from the jump we’ve set our standard of where we believe we should be. I guess you could say it’s an intensity with the way we attack every single day. We believe we should be playing in late January, we believe we are a national championship football team and it’s not saying ‘hey we’re gonna win a national championship.’ It’s saying hey let’s hold ourselves to that standard. That’s where it starts,” Nussmeier said this spring.
In the 247Sports top-50 quarterback rankings heading into the 2025 season, Nussmeier checked in at No. 2 overall, behind only the passer he’ll be going head to head with in week one in Clemson’s Cade Klubnik.
“When he’s on, Garrett Nussmeier has No. 1 overall pick potential. When he’s off, the quarterback who once backed up Heisman winner and top NFL rookie Jayden Daniels can be turnover-prone. Consistency trumps all with Nussmeier, who was elite in the fourth quarter in wins over Ole Miss and South Carolina, but struggled during losses to Alabama and Texas A&M. He’s a super-talented passer with incredible arm strength and plays with extreme confidence. Brian Kelly and LSU quarterbacks coach Joe Sloan hope he’s Heisman-level in 2025 and the Tigers have done all they can to ensure the weaponry around him is top-notch.”
We’ve written about Nussmeier and the sheer volume of weapons at his disposal that makes him such an intriguing pick as the nation’s top returning passer. He’s considered by most draft pundits to be among the very top of the quarterback class in 2026 and a strong final season in Baton Rouge will only strengthen that case.
LSU has clearly given Nussmeier an embarrassment of riches at the wide receiver, running back and tight end spots when it comes to playmaking. Not only are most of the returning pieces intact in those rooms but the additions of Nic Anderson, Barion Brown and Bauer Sharp add another layer of experience and production while Harlem Berry and JT Lindsey bring a change of pace to the running back room.
In talking with people in and around the program, Nussmeier seems to have really grown as a leader and has a better overall commanding presence with the offense. That should blend well with so many new pieces, whether it’s on the o-line or in the passing game who will be incorporated into this offense in 2025. Nussmeier having an even greater understanding of what he’s looking for presnap should help him get the ball out quicker and more efficiently.
A better feel in the pocket will be required particularly with a new offensive line coming in to protect Nussmeier. The offense had moments this spring where that chemistry was going through plenty of growing pains and led to some inefficient days as a whole. Most who follow the SEC know by now that many great offenses are won in the trenches and that’s probably the biggest question mark going into the fall with how many players are competing for starting roles.
A more consistent run game will have to be baked into this offense, as well as a more consistent vertical threat from a skills position perspective. Those are all areas that if improved upon will only open up the field more for Nussmeier and his passing ability. Nussmeier has talked this offseason about how he needs to be better in both the RPO game and presnap recognition to help with the run and then delivering more catchable vertical balls deep down the field when those opportunities do present themselves.
Should it all come together this offseason the way the Tigers have spoken about, with this upcoming summer being a critical time to really develop in all of those areas, Nussmeier will be one of the top quarterbacks in college football in 2025 and this LSU team will benefit as a result.
