what happened to nussmeier

Garrett Nussmeier, LSU’s quarterback, has had his 2025 season derailed mainly by an abdominal/torso injury that limited his play and ultimately sidelined him for multiple games, prompting LSU to turn to backup Michael Van Buren. He entered the year as a preseason Heisman favorite and a potential first‑round 2026 NFL draft pick, but the lingering injury and on‑field struggles have sharply cooled that hype.

Quick Scoop

• LSU and former coach Brian Kelly initially downplayed his health issues, describing things like a “torso” problem, rest, and a pitch count in camp.

• Reporting later clarified he was dealing with an abdomen strain that affected his velocity, deep accuracy, and overall comfort, especially early in the season.

• As the injury lingered, his production dipped compared with his breakout 2024 season, and LSU’s offense struggled to find rhythm.

• By November 2025 he missed at least a second straight game, with Van Buren starting while Nussmeier continued to recover.

• Media and fan chatter shifted from “possible No. 1 overall pick” to questions about whether he might even slip in the draft after a tough, injury‑affected year and some time on the bench.

What exactly happened?

Nussmeier first developed upper‑body/torso issues from heavy throwing in preseason camp, on top of dealing with patellar tendinitis in his knee. LSU limited his practice reps and managed him through games instead of shutting him down immediately, which led to visible drop‑offs in arm strength and accuracy in early weeks.

As the season unfolded, local reporting described the problem more specifically as an abdomen strain that was “slow to heal,” feeding rumors of a possible torn oblique and season‑ending surgery before coach updates pushed back on that idea. Nussmeier later admitted the situation left him feeling frustrated and somewhat helpless while he played through pain and subpar performance.

On‑field impact

In 2024, his first year as LSU’s full‑time starter, he threw for over 4,000 yards with strong efficiency, which set up the massive expectations for 2025. In 2025, however, most metrics dipped: his yards per attempt fell, his total yardage pace slowed, and LSU’s scoring offense slumped toward the bottom of the SEC.

Before sitting out, he still posted nearly 2,000 passing yards with a positive touchdown‑to‑interception ratio, but the gap between “Heisman frontrunner” hype and actual production created intense scrutiny. Commentators and video breakdowns framed his story as going from projected top pick to benched, injured, and at risk of sliding in the draft.

Where things stand now

Recent updates suggest the abdomen/torso injury has been improving, with optimism that it could be “completely or nearly behind him” as he gets true rest. His medium‑term outlook depends on:

• How fully the core/abdomen issue heals.
• Whether he regains prior arm strength and efficiency.
• How NFL evaluators weigh his elite 2024 tape against a rocky, injury‑marred 2025.

For now, “what happened to Nussmeier” is essentially: an expected superstar season was knocked off course by a stubborn abdomen/torso injury, reduced production, and a late‑season stretch where he lost the starting job while trying to get healthy.