LSU suffered a devastating loss to Texas A&M in a pivotal matchup in the SEC. Fans in Baton Rouge are looking for answers after a lackluster offensive performance. However, head coach Brian Kelly made something clear about QB Garrett Nussmeier.
Louisiana lost 23-38 to Texas A&M in a game where the offense failed to get the ground game going and paid the price. Despite a first half 17-7 lead, the Tigers weren’t able to keep a firm grip on the scoreboard. The defense allowed four touchdowns in the second half as the Aggies mounted a comeback.
Although the TD to INT ratio doesn’t do Nussmeier any favors, Kelly believes the team’s signal caller is not to blame for the loss, instead he condemned the overall team’s outing.
“We did not get the kind of production that would keep Garrett Nussmeier from having to stand on his freaking head at the quarterback position and making plays,” Kelly said, via On3. “He feels like he has to. In a large degree, I get it. He’s going to be the guy we all blame. I just don’t think we give him enough balance within the offense and it makes him vulnerable because he has to do so much.”
LSU quarterback Garrett Nussmeier (13) celebrates after a touchdown during NCAA football game action between the South Alabama Jaguars and the LSU Tigers at Tiger Stadium in Baton Rouge, LA.
LSU totalled 35 rushing yards against Texas A&M’s defense, that is not enough for any team to win in such a physical NCAA conference. Nussmeier dropped back 50 times during the loss to the Aggies, he completed 25 passes for 405 yards, two touchdowns and three interceptions.
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Concerning rushing game against ranked opponents
The Tigers had yet another disappointing performance on the ground against the Aggies. This was LSU’s second ranked opponent on their SEC schedule and a worrisome trend is emerging on Kelly’s offense against the best teams in college football.
LSU barely beat No. 9 Ole Miss on October 12th by a score of 29-26. The team rushed for 84 yards and relied on Nussmeier to throw the football in 51 snaps. That makes two ranked matchups in which Baton Rouge’s team failed to establish the ground-attack and relied heavily on Nussmeier. They may walk out alive occasionally, but it can be a headache for a team with playoff aspirations.
LSU is left with no margin for error
The Tigers second loss on the season has put them with their backs against the wall. Their next contest will have huge implications as they’ll face Alabama in what’s basically a Playoffs elimination game. LSU hosts Alabama on November 9th in Tiger Stadium in Baton Rouge.
“I mean, we’ve lost our margin, right?” Kelly said about the upcoming match. “We have no margin for error. We have to go back and look at some of the things I just talked about, right? We have to build balance within the offense. We have to be able to handle the running quarterback. The silliness of the field-goal stuff, that has got to end. That is just ridiculous. We’ll clean that up in short order. But those two things in particular.“
