Garrett Nussmeier waited patiently for three years to get his chance to be the starting quarterback for LSU.
Now, he finally has that opportunity.
In the age of NIL and the relaxed transfer portal, it's not as common to see quarterbacks sit on the sidelines for seasons before finally getting starting reps at a program. But that's the case in Baton Rouge, as Brian Kelly tabbed Nussmeier to take over the offense for the Tigers in 2024.
Nussmeier has big shoes to fill at the program. The 22-year-old takes over the role that was held by Jayden Daniels the last two seasons. Daniels, the No. 2 pick of the 2024 NFL Draft to the Commanders, won the 2023 Heisman Trophy as the best player inn college football. But Nussmeier got the chance to dazzle during the ReliaQuest Bowl in January of this season, taking full advantage of his spot on the center stage.
Here's what you need to know about Nussmeier and his background as he faces USC in the Tigers' season opener.
MORE: Why Brian Kelly is excited about LSU's chances against USC
Who is Garrett Nussmeier?
Nussmeier is a redshirt junior who committed to LSU when Ed Orgeron was still at the helm of the program. He competed for three seasons for the starting role in Baton Rouge but was unable to get his chance until this season.
The quarterback played in four games as a true freshman in 2021 before electing to take a redshirt year. LSU petitioned for Nussmeier to keep his redshirt status while letting him start in the 2022 Texas Bowl. The NCAA denied it, but he still showed out with 329 passing yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions.
In 2022, Nussmeier competed against Daniels and Myles Brennan for the starting job but lost it to Daniels. During the 2022 and 2023 seasons, he came into games multiple times off the bench to relieve Daniels, though he didn't get his first start until the 2024 ReliaQuest Bowl. He took advantage of the starting nod, throwing for 395 yards and three touchdowns in the 35-31 win over Wisconsin.
With Daniels heading to the NFL, his departure finally opened the door for Nussmeier to take the starting role in LSU.
Garrett Nussmeier high school
Nussmeier is a Louisiana native, but he played his high school football in Texas. He starred at Marcus High School in Flower Mound, where a stellar senior season parlayed itself into a multitude of offers, including Texas, Texas A&M, Miami, Georgia and Baylor. He elected to come back to his home state, though, committing to LSU.
Nussmeier was the No. 19 quarterback and No. 152 overall player in the class of 2021, according to 247 Sports.
MORE: Paul Finebaum calls out Lincoln Riley ahead of LSU showdown
Garrett Nussmeier stats
| Season | School | Comp-Att | Comp% | Yards | TDs | INTs |
| 2021 | LSU | 29-57 | 50.9 | 329 | 2 | 2 |
| 2022 | LSU | 52-85 | 61.9 | 800 | 5 | 4 |
| 2023 | LSU | 48-78 | 61.5 | 591 | 4 | 1 |
| Career | 129-219 | 58.9 | 914 | 11 | 7 |
Nussmeier has waited patiently for the starting role at LSU to open up. While his numbers dictate he has experience at the NCAA level, most of his reps came when games were out of hand, as LSU let Daniels sit while Nussmeier finished out the blowouts.
The redshirt junior finally will have the task of starting and finishing games for the Tigers this season, but it comes against a daunting schedule that includes USC, Texas, Alabama, Florida, Oklahoma and Texas A&M.