After throwing his second interception during LSU’s 42-10 victory over South Alabama, Garrett Nussmeier was met on the sideline by coach Brian Kelly, who delivered a stern message to the quarterback. Kelly seemed to urge Nussmeier to “wake up,” and Nussmeier valued this exchange, describing it as a “normal conversation” that was necessary following his mistake.
“He holds me to high standards, and I appreciate that,” Nussmeier said. “I’d be more worried if I threw an interception and no one said anything. That would mean they don’t believe I can do better.”
In the game, Nussmeier completed 26 of 39 passes for a career-best 409 yards and accounted for four touchdowns (two rushing and two passing). This marked the first time he had thrown multiple interceptions in a game since September 2022 against Southern.
Kelly remarked, “I’m not worried about the two interceptions tonight. There are situations that are truly alarming, but these were mistakes that can be easily fixed, so I’m not concerned about them.”
I’m no lip reader but Brian Kelly isn’t happy with Nussmeier after that second interception. pic.twitter.com/qV6yXtGVr9
— Sharief Ishaq (@ShariefWDSU) September 29, 2024
Nussmeier’s first interception came just before halftime, with LSU leading 35-3 and under a minute to go. While escaping the pocket to his right, he attempted to throw over a defender but ended up underthrowing the ball directly to South Alabama safety Lardarius Webb. Kelly advised him to look for a checkdown instead of forcing a play downfield.
“It’s a throw I usually make without thinking,” Nussmeier said. “I’ll definitely dwell on it next week.”
The second interception occurred in the third quarter, with LSU ahead 35-10. On a third-and-10 from South Alabama’s 24-yard line, Nussmeier aimed for senior receiver Kyren Lacy, but the pass was thrown behind him.
“Those are plays he knows he should make,” Kelly commented. “He had better options moving to the right. He might have gotten caught up in the moment.”
After LSU made a goal-line stop, Nussmeier orchestrated a 99-yard touchdown drive, completing 6 of 7 passes for 98 yards. Despite Kelly’s tough talk after the second interception, Nussmeier welcomed the feedback, noting that he’s been coached hard since childhood by his father, Doug Nussmeier, a seasoned quarterbacks coach.
“I’m used to that kind of coaching,” Nussmeier said. “I think Coach Kelly did an amazing job guiding me through it and helping me improve.”
Leave a Reply