Garrett Nussmeier Injures Shoulder, But Comes Back Strong To Lead LSU To 24-17 Halftime Lead

GLENN GUILBEAU, Tiger Rag Editor

LSU survived a major scare in the second quarter of its regular season finale against Oklahoma Saturday night in Tiger Stadium.

Starting quarterback Garrett Nussmeier squirmed in pain, pushing his legs out and up while on his back and moving from side to side, after a sack by defensive end R. Mason Thomas with 14:02 left in the second quarter in a 7-7 tie. Trainers helped Nussmeier off the field moments later as he favored his right shoulder, and he went to the locker room. LSU Radio Network sideline reporter Gordy Rush said minutes later that Nussmeier indeed injured his right shoulder.

Junior transfer quarterback AJ Swann of Vanderbilt replaced Nussmeier.

Swann completed 1 of 3 passes for eight yards and was in the game when the Tigers drove 44 yards in five plays for a 34-yard field goal by Damian Ramos and a 10-7 lead with 8:39 to go in the second quarter. LSU reached the 11-yard line on the drive, but Swann threw poorly to an open receiver. Then he called a timeout that LSU did not have for a 5-yard penalty. And he missed an open receiver badly on third down, bringing on Ramos.

Then, moments after Oklahoma took a 14-10 lead on a 2-yard touchdown run by running back Xavier Robinson with 7:22 to go before halftime, Nussmeier emerged from the locker room in uniform, went to the LSU sideline and began warming up.

After a few 30-to-40-yard lobs, Nussmeier began throwing harder on the sideline. When coach Brian Kelly came up to see, Nussmeier said, “I am throwing the ball,” according to Rush.

Nussmeier was about to come in after the Oklahoma touchdown, but LSU’s Aaron Anderson returned the ensuing kickoff 100 yards for a touchdown and 17-14 LSU lead with 7:02 to play in the second quarter. Oklahoma then drove 49 yards in 11 plays, but settled for a 44-yard field goal by Zach Schmit and a 17-17 tie with 2:13 left in the half.

Then Nussmeier finally went back into the game and immediately went to work as good as new. He completed 3 of 3 passes for 20 yards, then found wide receiver Chris Hilton for a 40-yard touchdown and 24-17 lead with 45 seconds left in the half.

Nussmeier finished the half 14 of 19 for 147 yards and two touchdowns. He drove LSU 53 yards in seven plays in the first quarter for a 7-0 lead on an 18-yard TD pass to wide receiver Kyren Lacy.