NCAAF News: Brian Kelly provides important injury update on Tigers QB Garrett Nussmeier

A new NCAAF season is just around the corner, and with it, excitement is building at LSU Tigers’ facilities as the opening game approaches. Brian Kelly is confident in leading his team to a successful campaign, and for that, he will need his starting QB, Garrett Nussmeier, in top form for the season ahead.

Alarm bells went off days ago when news broke of Nussmeier’s knee injury, which sparked rumors of a serious setback. Fortunately for Tigers fans, the head coach quickly put those concerns to rest.

During a recent press conference, Kelly addressed the media, clarifying that while his starting signal-caller is dealing with an injury, it’s not as severe as had been rumored off the record.

“Just for the record, (Nussmeier) has tendinitis, patella tendinitis. He does not have a torn ACL. We have not amputated his leg,” he said. “He has a (pissed off) patella tendon. He was out there today throwing. Tomorrow, he’ll be back out, most likely in a practice situation. So, I thought we’d calm everybody down.

Head Coach Brian Kelly of the LSU Tigers on the sidelines in the second half during a game against the Arkansas Razorbacks at Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium on October 19, 2024 in Fayetteville, Arkansas. The Tigers defeated the Razorbacks 34-10.

“On the scale of 1 to 10, this is like a 1.5, on the scale of 1 to 10. And that’s just being honest with you so we get the right information out there, you know, regarding Nuss. It’s not a serious injury. And, it’s like guys dealing with tendinitis virtually every day, in life – take two Aspirins and I’ll call you in the morning, right? This is more precautionary.”

see also

NCAAF News: Tigers HC Brian Kelly provides important injury update on Garrett Nussmeier’s key weapon

Clarifying the injury situation

True to his style, Brian Kelly was energetic when addressing the situation with his starting QB. The coach wasn’t immune to the swirling rumors about the severity of the injury, but he made it clear that Nussmeier only aggravated a pre-existing injury.

“I think it just planted, you know, the wrong way. And, when you have something that is, you know, a pre-existing condition, you can piss it off real easy and that’s kind of what happened,” Kelly explained.

“It’s not torn. There’s no fraying. There’s none of that. This is pre-existing. And, he probably just planted the wrong way. There’s nothing really to see on film with it. But, it’s pissed it off. Aggravated it, would be the better way to put it for me, if you guys articulate for me. He aggravated it a little bit, but he’s good to go.”

A chronic issue for the QB

Years ago, Nussmeier underwent surgery with the medical team, and his coach believes that many of these setbacks are, in part, a result of what he went through back in 2023.

“A lot of that is due to his 2023 Osgood-Schlatter surgery that he had when the tendon was irritated back then,” Kelly said. “This is just chronic. (Pissed it off) a little bit and we’ll calm it down. I mean, it’s tendinitis, you know. Tendinitis is managed every single day around the world for all kinds of, you know, different ailments.

“But, no. I mean, he’ll be – like I said. Just like a bad ankle, that you’re going to come back in. He’ll be back out. He was throwing today and be back out tomorrow.”