The LSU Tigers continue their strong run this college football season, and in the short term, their next immediate hurdle comes in the form of the Vanderbilt Commodores. Brian Kelly’s squad, led on the field by quarterback Garrett Nussmeier, will look to secure their sixth win of the campaign.
Aaron Anderson has been one of Nussmeier’s primary targets this season. However, in their most recent outing — a win over South Carolina — he was sidelined due to injury and had to watch his teammates from the sideline.
A knee injury kept the talented wide receiver out of action in Baton Rouge, and as a result, head coach Brian Kelly can’t yet confirm whether Anderson will be available to take the field this coming weekend.
“The knee that he’s had most of his problems with is one that gets inflamed,” Kelly said on the SEC Coaches Teleconference. “Again, he’s not 100%. He’s a guy that needs to play fast and free and he just wasn’t in that mindset this past weekend.”
Still, Kelly expressed optimism after seeing him participate in practice: “He went the entire day,” he said. “His player load is good, we kind of monitor those things for our wide receivers… But he is in practice this week so we expect him to do a nice job for us.”
Nussmeier at 100%
Garrett Nussmeier’s health status had been a recurring topic week after week, but after his performance last weekend against the Gamecocks, it’s clear the quarterback is feeling fully healthy at this stage of the season.
“You know, all of those things are part of it, but the bottom line is he was healthy,” Tigers HC Brian Kelly said. “On Thursday, I mentioned to you that we have the ball that has the GPS in it, and his numbers were up from any other time during the week.”
He also added: “His ab injury is on the right side of it where he feels good, and he didn’t feel any pain on Sunday coming in. So, that’s a really, really good sign for us moving forward.”
Staying on track
The No. 10 LSU Tigers are positioned well at 5-1, thanks largely to an elite defense that has carried the load. However, the path to the expanded College Football Playoff demands discipline, especially with the heart of the SEC schedule approaching, featuring pivotal matchups against Texas A&M, Alabama, and Oklahoma.
For the Tigers to secure a spot in the 12-team field, quarterback Garrett Nussmeier and the offense must find the consistency needed to complement their dominant defense. There is no more margin for error; every snap from here on is a playoff test that Brian Kelly’s squad must pass. The time to prove they belong among the nation’s elite is now.