Freshman quarterback Garrett Nussmeier can appear one more time before burning his ability to redshirt, but the freshman made one thing clear this week: He wants to play if he can, and losing a year of eligibility shouldn’t stop that.
LSU head coach Ed Orgeron had said previously the decision of when to play their freshman QB would be based on when the team thought he could get significant snaps, knowing it might be the only time he’ll be able to get on the field. But in conversations with the QB and his father, former NFL quarterback Doug Nussmeier, the redshirt issue was taken off the table.
"I didn’t feel that it was time to throw him in there for a couple of plays and then us burn his redshirt year, I didn’t want to to do that to him,” Orgeron said. “[Garrett] came in the office yesterday and was adamant about playing. His father called Jake and said ‘listen, hey, here’s the plan. He wants to play, let him play.’ So that’s what we’re doing. So obviously it looks right now he may not redshirt, it all depends how the game goes. But that’s his choice and that’s what he wants to do.”
That mindset is what drove the Tigers’ QB outlook for this week, which will include Max Johnson continuing in his starting role, but coming off the field in the first half for significant snaps as Nussmeier gets his opportunity. The young and mobile QB has looked impressive in spot duty, particularly in a fourth quarter showing during a loss to Ole Miss.
Johnson remains LSU’s starting quarterback, Orgeron said, but this won’t necessarily be a one-game project. Whomever plays the best will get the most reps the rest of way against Arkansas. If Nussmeier impresses, he could end up landing the starting job for LSU’s final two games, burning that redshirt season after all.
“If Max plays better than Garrett, he’s gonna be the starter,” Orgeron said. "If Garrett plays better than Max, he’s gonna be the starter. We’ll let them battle it out.”
Related
Orgeron still wasn’t sure as of early in the week how he’d work out the split. It could be broken up by quarters, or by series. It’ll all depend on how the week goes in practice.
But even with the season appearing lost amid a head coaching change and disappointing results, LSU picked up some positive momentum in a strong showing against Alabama in Tuscaloosa. Orgeron says his team is heavily invested in gaining bowl eligibility, needed two wins in their final three games to get there. One of those wins will likely come next week in a matchup with Louisiana-Monroe, but the team will also have to defeat either Arkansas this week, or Texas A&M in the finale.
LSU’s coach knows if his group plays the way it did against the Crimson Tide, there’s no reason the Tigers can’t finish 3-0 the next three weeks.
"I feel good about the mindset of the team. … I told them, ‘you play like this we may win the rest of our games and go to a bowl.’ They deserve that,” Orgeron said. "We’ve got to take it one at a time. Arkansas is a very good team, they have a very good record. But I think this team’s going to finish strong. I see a lot of fight in them.”
Related
