Garrett Nussmeier has big shoes to fill.

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

Nussmeier’s Tigers are also the 13th-ranked team in the country, and their chances of making it have obviously increased with the expanded playoffs.

But the Tigers have been incredibly successful at the quarterback position in recent years. Before Daniels, it was Joe Burrow who was taken at No. 1, making him 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 of the ReliaQuest Bowl at Raymond James Stadium. (Nathan Ray Seebeck-USA TODAY Sports)

But Nussmeier is not worried about his predecessors. He has to concentrate on the tasks at hand.

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

“I always take pride in my preparation, even as a reserve and as a starter. But of course it’s a completely different feeling just knowing that I’m the one taking the first snaps,” Nussmeier said of his preparation for this year. “To be honest, I’m excited. I haven’t been able to play football for a while.”

“I had to wait my turn and keep working on my game to get better. I think I’ve already prepared a lot for this moment. And I think that’s why I’m not nervous or stressed. I feel like I’ve prepared for this, so it’s an exciting feeling.”

Jayden Daniels, No. 5, and Garrett Nussmeier, No. 13, of the LSU Tigers celebrate after winning the ReliaQuest Bowl against the Wisconsin Badgers at Raymond James Stadium on Jan. 1, 2024, in Tampa, Florida. (Mike Ehrman/Getty Images)

Nussmeier gained some important experience last year, even though Daniels had to sit out the season by participating in the ReliaQuest Bowl to prepare for the NFL Draft. Nussmeier says not only was it great for him to get some game practice, but it also benefited 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 definitely boosted my confidence. I hadn’t played in a while. It was my first start, I was able to win, throw for 400 yards and all that. That was cool,” Nussmeier said.

“But those individual things don’t matter at the end of the day – it’s about us and how we come together as an offense and how we perform. It was huge for us to feel that as a unit as we went into the offseason.”

Although Nussmeier is in his first season as a starter, the quarterback says the bar has been raised as Brian Kelly is now 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 Photo Credit: Danny Wild-USA Today Sports.

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“We don’t think 10 wins is good enough anymore,” Nussmeier said. “We’ve experienced that in the past, one or two games away from being in the College Football Playoff. That’s what we want to avoid, avoid those mistakes.”

“We don’t want to just be ‘good enough’ anymore – we want to be in that conversation and in that pack. 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 has been in the past and in that conversation.”

The Tigers face a tough test right off the bat as they head to Las Vegas to begin their season against No. 23 USC on Sunday at 7:30 p.m. ET.

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