Garrett Nussmeier has big shoes to fill.

The redshirt junior enters his fourth season at LSU, but his first as a starter, tasked with replacing reigning Heisman Trophy winner Jayden Daniels, who was the second overall pick in this year’s NFL Draft.

Nussmeier’s Tigers are ranked 13th in the country and with an expanded playoff position, their chances of advancing to the league have clearly increased.

But the Tigers have had incredible success at quarterback in recent years. Before Daniels, it was Joe Burrow, who was ranked No. 1 and tied for the highest-paid quarterback in the league.

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LSU Tigers quarterback Garrett Nussmeier (13) throws a pass against the Wisconsin Badgers in the third quarter during the ReliaQuest Bowl at Raymond James Stadium. (Nathan Ray Seebeck-USA TODAY Sports)

But Nussmeier is not worried about his predecessors. He must concentrate on the task at hand.

“I think pressure is a privilege. I’m blessed to be where I’m at. I don’t feel the pressure to try to be the next Jayden Daniels or the next Joe Burrow. I’m here to be the best Garrett Nussmeier that I can be,” he said in a recent interview with Fox News Digital. “I feel like God put me here for a reason, and my job is to keep my head down, trust Him, trust His plan, trust His timing, and just do the best I can.”

“I always feel like I take pride in my preparation, even as a backup and preparing as the starter. But there’s obviously a natural, different feeling just knowing that I’m the guy that’s taking the first snaps,” Nussmeier said of his preparation for this year. “I’m excited, to be honest. I haven’t been able to play football in a while.

“I’ve had to wait my turn and keep working on my game to get better, and I think there’s been a lot of preparation built up to this moment. And I think that’s why I don’t feel nervous or stressed about it. I feel like I’ve been preparing for this, so it’s an exciting feeling.”

Jayden Daniels, #5, and Garrett Nussmeier, #13 of the LSU Tigers, celebrate their ReliaQuest Bowl victory against the Wisconsin Badgers at Raymond James Stadium on January 1, 2024 in Tampa, Florida. (Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images)

Nussmeier did get some valuable experience last year, but playing in the ReliaQuest Bowl should help Daniels prepare for the NFL Draft. Nussmeier says it was not only great for him to get some action in the game, but it was also good for everyone to “be able to play a whole game together.”

Side note: He also threw for 395 yards against Wisconsin in their 35-31 win.

“It was definitely a confidence booster for me. I hadn’t played in a while. It was my first start, being able to get a win and throw for 400 yards and stuff. It was cool,” Nussmeier said.

“But that individual stuff doesn’t matter at the end of the day – it’s about us and how we come together as an attack and how we’re going to perform. It was huge for us to feel that as a unit going into the off-season.”

Although Nussmeier is in his first season as a starter, the quarterback says the bar has been raised now that Brian Kelly is in his third year in Baton Rouge.

October 21, 2023; Baton Rouge, Louisiana; LSU Tigers quarterback Garrett Nussmeier (13) throws a pass against the Army Black Knights during the second half at Tiger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Danny Wild-USA Today Sports.

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“We don’t think 10 wins is good enough anymore,” Nussmeier said. “That’s what we’ve had in the past, one or two games away from getting into the College Football Playoff. That’s what we’re trying to eliminate, eliminate those mistakes.

“We don’t want to be almost good enough anymore – we want to be in that conversation and in that group. I think this is a successful season for us, to really establish ourselves and say, ‘Hey, these guys are a real threat,’ and to be in that ‘real’ conversation and get LSU to where it’s been in the past and in that conversation.”

The Tigers face a tough test early in the season as they travel to Las Vegas to open their season against No. 23 USC on Sunday at 7:30 p.m. (Eastern Time).

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