This has not been the year of the big name quarterback in college football. Arch Manning entered the 2025 season as a Heisman favorite and now he looks closer to being benched than being named the best quarterback in college football. The same could be said for DJ Lagway and LaNorris Sellers, who were supposed to be the top quarterbacks in the SEC.
Those are just the young ones; there are some experienced quarterbacks that are struggling to make a massive impact as well. Cade Klubnik and Garrett Nussmeier are both struggling to start the year as well, which are also considered two of the top quarterbacks to start the year.
The good thing is the season is just about 25 percent done so there’s a lot of opportunity for several of these guys to improve their play, but there’s only one in my eyes that has the best chance to actually turn things around? Here’s why Garrett Nussmeier could be the one to make the biggest difference.
Why LSU’s Garrett Nussmeier can survive a slow start to the 2025 season
I think Garrett Nussemeier has the best shot of any of the struggling quarterbacks to bounce back after a slow start. While LSU continues to win, the offense has been a glaring problem. The difference between him and some of the other quarterbacks is the offense still looks good enough, just not as elite as we expected.
Of all the teams that have struggling quarterback’s, LSU looks the best. There’s something to be said about that. I think Nussmeier will do enough to keep this offense competitive. I have faith that he and Brian Kelly will figure out how to generate more points as an offense.
The biggest problem with this offense is it’s struggling to score and putting a lot of pressure on the defense to keep them in the game. I don’t think it will be a massive issue throughout the rest of the season. And I think when it comes to the rest of the struggling quarterbacks, he’s in the best situation to actually improve his game.
I think scoring just 23 points against Louisiana is alarming, but maybe that’s just this offense's identity. Maybe this offense, for as mundane as it is, is a grind it out type of offense, rather than a flashy, high scoring one.
LSU’s offense is only as good as Garrett Nussmeier and he has to prove his worth
The big reason this LSU offense will have to improve is because Nussmeier has to prove he’s one of the best quarterback prospects in this class. He came back to LSU to win a national championship and probably improve his draft stock too. Right now, he’s an OK prospect, but has regressed more than he’s progressed.
This LSU team has the build to be one of the best in the country, but they can’t continue playing the way they are and expect to win a national championship. They’ve already proven their defense is championship-level, now Nussmeier has to prove the offense is.
If he wants to be one of the first quarterback’s taken, he has to show NFL scouts that this slow start is just that, a start. He has to show development throughout the season. LSU’s game against Southeast Louisiana is a great chance to prove just that.
Garrett Nussmeier’s growth this season will prove he’s an NFL prospect
The 2026 NFL Draft quarterback class is projected to be very deep and while the first quarter of the season proved that maybe some of the young prospects that could leave early might return for another year, Nussmeier can set himself apart from the rest of the class. If he doesn’t turn this offense around, he won’t be the prospect he could have been.
While he’s focused on winning a national championship, at the end of the day, he’s also keeping in mind his draft stock. He’s in the best situation to prove he’s a good enough prospect and finding a way to elevate this offense will go a long way to improving his draft stock.
He has the weight on his shoulders of improving this team. It won’t be all on him, but all eyes will be on him. His margin of error is slim, so this week is as important as ever to prove this offense can turn the corner. Anything less and he’ll be grouped into the rest of the struggling pack.