WATCH: LSU football QBs during their team’s first preseason practice
LSU quarterbacks Garrett Nussmeier (13), Rickie Collins (10), AJ Swann (15) and Colin Hurley (16) work out during the first fall practice.
BATON ROUGE – During the media tour of the LSU football team’s practice on Monday, quarterback Garrett Nussmeier attempted to throw into the gap between defenders to make a dump-down throw to a receiver running a drag route up the middle.
The ball did not have enough air underneath it and the window of opportunity for the throw was small and became smaller and smaller due to the breath.
LSU senior defensive lineman Parish Shand raised his hand in time, slapped the football in the air and then scooped it up in his arms to catch it during 11-on-11 drills.
Interceptions have been a common occurrence for Nussmeier and the other Tigers quarterbacks during practice this preseason. But as the junior signal-caller told reporters after practice Monday, the few errors that were identified and reported don’t define how his fall training camp went, nor are they indicative of how much he’s developed in his first season as a full-fledged starter as the season opener against USC draws ever closer.
“I think it’s been great. There have been really good days and there have been some days where I’ve made mistakes and I need to learn from them,” Nussmeier said. “That’s what I want. I don’t want to have a completely perfect training camp. I wouldn’t be prepared for the season. Things are never perfect.”
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“Playing quarterback in the SEC is tough, it’s not easy. It’s the hardest league to play quarterback in outside of the NFL. The difficulties are sometimes, I wouldn’t say I like them, but I understand they have to happen because you have to grow.”
These interceptions during practice are not a clear indication that Nussmeier sees or does anything wrong, but some media outlets have called Nussmeier a “gunslinger” and compared him to Brett Favre.
The slip-ups included a throw forward by the quarterback and a great play by a defender.
“In certain situations, you have to test different things. (Offensive coordinator and quarterback coach Joe Sloan) has always pointed out to me in the past that I’ve taken too many risks. That’s not something I always try to do because I know who I am as a player,” Nussmeier said.
“I’m at my best when I play within my capabilities and the system. Sometimes you try things and mistakes happen. Making mistakes in training camp is what you want. You want to learn from them. We’re not a finished product, I’m not a finished product. You always want to get better and I hope that in December I’m better than I am now.”
Sloan describes Nussmeier as a “high processor,” a guy who can quickly assess a situation and has the talent to shoot, sometimes making a few risky shots.
“The most important thing is that he’s process-oriented, I’m really proud of that,” Sloan said. “He’s stayed true to his process, focused on the little things and made the big things happen. I’ve seen him grow as a leader in the offseason and how he’s been able to let it happen naturally, let his work speak for itself and be the vocal leader when needed.”
The high processing ability probably helps Nussmeier the most when he makes mistakes. He can remember those missteps in training, and whether it is in the same training or a few days later in another, Nussmeier remembers how a situation developed, the previous mistake he made, and corrects it the next time.
In these moments, Nussmeier knows he is growing as a starting quarterback for LSU.
“There’s no feeling like, ‘Hey, I messed up two days ago and now I’ve just mastered it.’ That’s what it’s all about: making mistakes and learning from them,” the quarterback said.
“Make sure you do the right thing when the time comes.”
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Cory Diaz covers the LSU Tigers for The Daily Advertiser as part of the USA TODAY Network. Follow his Tigers coverage on Twitter: @ByCoryDiaz. Have questions about LSU athletics? Send them to Cory Diaz at[email protected].
