There’s something about Garrett Nussmeier that makes LSU fans sit on the edge of their seats. One minute, he had Tiger fans convinced that he was the second coming of Jayden Daniels, slinging dimes and flashing that elite arm talent. The next minute? Costly interceptions, head-scratching decisions, and an offense that stalled like an old truck on a cold morning, and an offense that stalled like an old truck on a frosty morning. It wasn’t all bad—there were glimpses of greatness—but man, those 12 picks made LSU’s 9-4 season feel a whole lot worse than it actually was. LSU insider Matt Moscona summed it up best: “There’s a big difference between being instinctive and being careless.” And unfortunately for Nussmeier, 2024 often blurred the line between the two. The LSU’s assistant coach drops an honest truth bomb on Garrett Nussmeier.

LSU assistant coach Joe Sloan, though? He’s not sweating it. In fact, he’s doubling down on his belief that Nussmeier is about to take a massive leap in 2025. When asked about his QB’s progress after Tuesday’s spring practice, Sloan couldn’t hold back his excitement: “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. “Who he’s becoming not only as a football player but as a person.” That’s cool and all, but what about the mistakes? The head-scratching interceptions? The stalled drives? Lazy, careless throws? Sloan acknowledges them but says Nussmeier is attacking his flaws head-on.

“You can only get the experience by playing. And I think he’s learned from that,” Sloan explained. And here’s where things get really interesting—Sloan hinted at a completely different approach to Nussmeier’s offseason preparation. “This offseason has been able to be a little bit different because now he’s going back, and when he’s studying, he’s not just studying his practice tape… he’s looking at specifically some stuff that he needs to improve on.” 

Joe Sloan and the LSU coaching staff have taken an intentional approach to breaking down film and isolating key areas where Nussmeier struggled. Whether it was mechanical tweaks to his throwing motion, understanding defensive schemes better, or refining his footwork, the plan is crystal clear—eliminate the careless mistakes and unleash the elite talent that LSU believes he has. If he truly takes control, LSU might just be back in business.

Look, Garrett Nussmeier is back under center, and his weapons are looking dangerous. The Tigers didn’t just rest on their laurels; they hit the transfer portal hard, adding speedster Barion Brown from Kentucky and Oklahoma’s Nic Anderson to a receiving corps that already had some talent. With an improved run game, a more seasoned Nussmeier, and a defense that’s hopefully taken a step forward, LSU is banking on 2025 being a bounce-back year. And if they get it right? The Tigers could be back in the mix as one of college football’s elite.

Brian Kelly vows to fix things with the ghosts of his past

LSU’s 2024 season? Let’s call it what it was—a letdown. Sure, 9-4 isn’t catastrophic, but for a program that had back-to-back 10-win seasons under Brian Kelly, it felt like a step backward. The Tigers just didn’t have the juice, especially on offense, and the numbers prove it.

Here’s a stat that should make any LSU fan cringe: a 43.5% four-yard run rate. Translation? They couldn’t run the ball when they needed to. In 2023, LSU had one of the most efficient rushing attacks in the nation, powered by a dominant O-line and Jayden Daniels’ legs. In 2024? They fell off a cliff, ranking outside the top 100 nationally in that crucial category. So when Brian Kelly sat down for his March 22 press conference, the burning question was obvious: What the hell happened?

“I think there were a couple of things. We’re playing young backs that were learning,” Kelly admitted. “Josh [Williams] certainly was a veteran force. But Emery went down with the knee, and Camp and Josh, he couldn’t be the only guy. So we had to play some younger players and they were learning.” That’s an explanation, but it’s not an excuse. LSU had talent. They had experience on the offensive line. They just didn’t execute. Kelly knows it, too, which is why he’s making some serious changes in 2025.

“I think there’s just much more of a commitment to it in everything that we’re doing,” Kelly emphasized. “From Alex [Atkins] who is the run game coordinator, to coach [Joe] Sloan, seeing the importance of what we need to be physical upfront. I think it’s just a mindset that we lacked at times last year that we’ve really worked hard at building in January.” That mindset shift is crucial because, let’s be real, last year, LSU looked soft at times. They weren’t the dominant force they needed to be in the trenches. If they’re going to get back to competing for championships, that has to change.

And it’s not just the run game getting a makeover. The defense has been under construction, too. Kelly brought in Blake Baker as defensive coordinator in 2024, handing him a $2.5 million contract to fix a unit that had its fair share of problems. This will be year two for Baker, and the expectations are sky-high. “I think all coaches are always looking to better themselves relative to experience,” Kelly said. Clearly confident that his staff is on the right track.

The question is—will Nussmeier finally put it all together? Will Kelly’s changes actually fix last season’s mess? LSU fans have been burned before, but this time, there’s a real reason to believe. Well, we’re about to find out on August 30 in the season opener against Clemson Tigers as we all know how good Brian Kelly’s season opener record at LSU is.