GLENN GUILBEAU, Tiger Rag Editor
At first glance, it appears LSU coach Brian Kelly chose the wrong backup quarterback to replace injured starter Garrett Nussmeier in the second quarter of a 7-7 game on Saturday in the Tigers’ eventual 37-17 win over Oklahoma to complete the regular season.
NUSS TOUGH: Garrett Nussmeier Shakes Off Injury To Lead LSU To Win
It was a very small sample size, but junior transfer AJ Swann looked anything but graceful. He seemed more like a nervous, discombobulated freshman with little or no experience instead of someone who started 12 games at Vanderbilt in the 2022 and ’23 seasons, throwing for 2,731 yards and 22 touchdowns. He finished Saturday 1-of-3 passing for 8 yards with two incompletions well off target.
Apparently confused at the line of scrimmage with LSU facing a 3rd-and-10 at the Oklahoma 11-yard line, Swann called a timeout. Only problem was LSU had used all of its timeouts, so the Tigers were penalized for a delay of game and later settled for a field goal.
If Nussmeier had not quickly returned from an injured right, throwing shoulder later in the second quarter with the score tied 17-17, the Tigers may not have won the game. Nussmeier had one of his better performances, completing 22 of 31 passes for 277 yards and three touchdowns.
This marked the second consecutive time Kelly tapped Swann instead of the more athletic redshirt freshman Rickie Collins, who went in instead of Swann in three previous games this season – Nicholls State and South Alabama in September and at Arkansas in October. All those games were blowouts, and Collins came in for mop-up duty only, however.
Swann replaced Nussmeier in the 27-16 loss at Florida two games ago in a similar situation to Saturday night. It was still a game. Nussmeier was shaken up on a sack late in the fourth quarter at Florida with LSU down by the final score, and Swann replaced him for one play, completing a 2-yard pass in LSU’s loss. He finished 2-of-4 passing for 10 yards on the season with no rushes.
Collins completed 5 of 5 passes on the season for 35 yards. He also had six rushes for 22 yards.
Swann obviously was much more battle tested overall and in SEC games, so it made sense that Kelly would go with him in more serious situations at Florida and against Oklahoma. Collins, though, would have offered more options with his running ability.
And perhaps Kelly would still have Collins as an option behind Nussmeier in the 2025 season. But that appears to not be the case at the moment. Collins is considering entering the NCAA Transfer Portal, according to an On3.com report on Sunday.
That portal window opens on Dec. 9 and runs through Dec. 28. So, Kelly still has time to recruit him back, if he wants him back. Kelly and staff are likely suddenly looking at quarterbacks for the 2025 signing class and via the portal as LSU lost No. 1 high school quarterback Bryce Underwood’s commitment in a flip to Michigan last week. The Tigers do still have true freshman Colin Hurley, who was the No. 90 overall prospect and No. 22 quarterback by 247Sports.com for the class of 2024. He was the No. 42 player in Florida out of Trinity Christian Academy in Jacksonville.
BACKUP WR LANDON IBIETA CONSIDERING TRANSFER, TOO
LSU also may lose redshirt sophomore wide receiver Landon Ibieta of Mandeville High to the transfer portal. Ibieta has played in two games in his career – one in the 2022 season and one this season. He missed all of the 2023 season with an injury. In his career, he has two catches for 15 yards, which were both last season. He signed as a three-star prospect before the 2022 season.
In the meantime, Kelly will be trying to make damn sure Nussmeier returns for his senior season. Nussmeier, who is a fourth-year junior, is considered to have a good chance of being a first round draft choice in the 2025 NFL Draft, though not as high now as earlier in the season. Nussmeier’s five interceptions and one crucial fumble had much to do with LSU’s three-game losing streak that knocked them out of the playoffs.
“I have not decided about that,” Nussmeier said when asked Saturday if he was returning to LSU for next season. “I have not made any decision. I have not had any discussions, and conversations. I wanted to leave that out until after the season. So, I didn’t want to go over that. I can’t really tell you were I’m at right now, or what I think. I know that I love being here at LSU. I love this team. I love this school, this organization, this family, the fan base.”
LSU (8-4, 5-3 Southeastern Conference) will learn its bowl destination on Sunday.
“I’ll get into those conversations probably early this week,” Nussmeier said. “And try to figure everything out from there.”
Be the first to comment