Coach Brian Kelly met with the media earlier today to reflect on the Alabama game and look ahead to the Florida matchup. In his reflection, he outlined the quarterback situation. More specifically, he spoke about what the preparation looks like for Jayden Daniels and Garrett Nussmeier this week.
Quarterback Jayden Daniels is “day-to-day”
Early in the fourth quarter of LSU football vs. Alabama, quarterback Jayden Daniels went down with an apparent head injury.
At the time, we didn’t know much more than that, but the Heisman candidate was visibly shaken by the hit he took from Crimson Tide linebacker Dallas Turner.
Today, coach Brian Kelly met with the media to speak about this past game, as well as the upcoming matchup vs. Florida. Among the many topics he covered, he gave a brief update on Jayden Daniels.
“We’ll take Jayden’s situation day-by-day, and we’re hopeful that things continue to move in the right direction,” the LSU football head coach said. “You always have to prepare yourself for the eventuality of both quarterbacks playing, and we’ll continue to do that.”
Garrett Nussmeier will be ready when his moment comes
Once Daniels was officially ruled out, the game was in the hands of redshirt sophomore quarterback Garrett Nussmeier. While undoubtedly talented, he struggled against Alabama and failed to put any points on the board in his two drives. On the day, he completed 50 percent of his passes, throwing for 53 yards.
In all fairness, he was put in a tough position down two scores against a top-10-ranked Crimson Tide team. Only to make matters worse, it was on the road, and the fan base was roaring.
Coach Brian Kelly spoke about what preparation might look like for the young quarterback this week, saying, “I think every week has been important for him in terms of preparation. Certainly, we’re gonna make sure that he is ready.
“There’s some things that we gotta clean up, and he knows it. So, yeah, I would say that he clearly recognizes that there are some things that he’s gotta do better during practice, and he’s up for it, and I’m sure he’s excited about it.”
While there’s no replacing a quarterback as talented as Jayden Daniels, if he isn’t ready to get back on the field this week, don’t be surprised to see Garrett Nussmeier get the start. He’s young and lacks experience, but he has one of the best arms in the country.
If he is asked to start vs. the Gators on Saturday, he has the potential to be excellent. In the meantime, this will be a story to keep an eye on as the week continues.
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