Garrett Nussmeier’s return has been a lofty hope for the Tigers leading up to 2025. But success will still be remote if they fail to protect him again. That’s a familiar bump Kelly is highly likely to avoid. Tigers beefed up the roster with big names early in the January transfer portal. They landed four of the top 12 players in the 2025 transfer class. Now, it’s in the hands of their secondary offensive coordinator, Joe Sloan, to manage the newbies and the old hats in alignment to chisel out the best from the No. 16 offense in the nation. However, perhaps the most crucial task hinged on his desk was to help Ju’Juan Johnson glide into the QB room from the RB spot. But will it do any good for the homegrown kid’s rousing career?
Johnson has had an ever-changing course of roles in the Tigers’ offense ever since he penned the deal. The school’s official website currently lists him as a quarterback. The Lafayette native took a whirlwind ride from being a safety and then a running back, and now, the most intriguing spot of them all, the quarterback. His initial position change was a seamless transition. Remember how he silenced the naysayers in the first week of the role change, mounting three catches for 16 yards and a touchdown against Nicholls State in the second game of the 2024 season? It was the sweet luxury of early September. Not even a year and the versatile athlete is again up for a switch.
Switching sides of the ball and switching positions aren’t the same thing. This spring, Johnson changed the position inside the offense to throw the ball. That won’t be rocket science or a risky gamble for him. But wait, can he draw the spotlight? Don’t you dare to forget the name Garrett Nussmeier? Explaining the barrier the established QB1 can bring to the newbie QB in Sloan’s room, LSU insider Matt Moscona, during the March 26th episode of the Locked On LSU, said, ‘‘I’m saying, he’s dynamic with the ball. We know that, listen, Ju’Juan Johnson set the Louisiana high school record for touchdowns, passing yards, and total yards (1,347-yds), again in the history of this state. There have been some good ones. No one has gained more yards, total more yards in the air, or scored more touchdowns than JuJuan Johnson.”
So, the ability to pull in enough output is never a question. Coach Sloan said Ju’Juan was eager to make an impact in the QB spot, and he can’t wait to finally see him unleash his newfound potential (at the collegiate level). Of course, he is not accustomed to playing quarterback in college, so a lot of things are left on the table for him to learn. But the OC believes he’s a quick learner and can adapt to the changes pretty well. The only problem Moscona found odd in the decision is, “You can’t just move Ju’Juan Johnson to quarterback. He’s too good of an athlete. You can’t move him to quarterback and then just bury him third on the depth chart (after Nussmeier and Michael Van Buren) or fourth on the depth chart.”
Garrett is mixed under the center. The wins over South California and Ole Miss speak volumes of his talent. Of course, he made some rookie mistakes in the past season. But he is studying the tapes and solidifying his grip to rise above. The decision to put him under the spotlight for year 2 wasn’t a dicey move.
Joe Sloan weighs in on coaching Garrett Nussmeier for the fourth year
After serving as Jayden Daniels’ backup in 2022 and 2023, Nussmeier took over the starting role in 2024. He had some ups and downs on the road but made a case to get the privilege for another year. His loyalty has been the highlight of his intangibles. In the era of growing NIL allurements, Nussmeier didn’t opt to hit the portal and waited for his turn. So, he deserves nothing but the best ground to elevate his game under Kelly’s offense.
”No doubt. You know, Garrett’s fabulous. I’ve enjoyed coaching him every year in all his different situations and how he’s grown, how he’s matured, and just the man he’s becoming, right?” Sloan said during the post-spring practice press meet.
Joe Sloan and the entire offensive unit of the Tigers put extra emphasis on pinpointing the areas where Nussmeier turned out to be a flop last season. From building a strategy to refining the footwork to dodge the lackluster throws and technical limitations, they are addressing the flaws head-on so that Nussmeier can’t help but become the best in his role. The spring serves as a prelude to that.
The post Garrett Nussmeier’s LSU Crown Shakes Up 1,347-yds QB’s Future as Brian Kelly’s Assistant Coach Makes Honest Admission appeared first on EssentiallySports.
