Brian Kelly Drops Surprising Update on Garrett Nussmeier’s Injury — What It Means for LSU’s Season

According to Kelly, Nussmeier had patella tendinitis and will take the field in fall camp in “a practice situation.” Nussmeier was out throwing the football today.

Nussmeier will likely work back to full speed and take the field in LSU’s week one matchup at Clemson against fellow Heisman Trophy contender quarterback Cade Klubnik.Nussmeier will enter his fifth season in Baton Rouge in pursuit of the program’s all-time leading passer mark. He needs under 4,000 yards to claim the title. Last year, the Lake Charles, LA native threw for 4,052 yards and 29 touchdowns. He led the Tigers to a Texas Bowl victory and 9-4 overall record.LSU football head coach Brian Kelly updated the status of quarterback Garrett Nussmeier ahead of practice on Friday.Well, here’s the scoop straight from Baton Rouge — LSU’s head man, Brian Kelly, stepped up on Friday with an update that’s sure to calm a few nerves surrounding quarterback Garrett Nussmeier. The season’s heating up, and while whispers of a severe knee injury had fans biting their nails, Kelly’s got a different tale to tell: it’s patella tendinitis, a manageable setback, nothing catastrophic. Garrett was out there tossing the football today, working his way through fall camp “in a practice situation,” showing the grit we all expect from a guy chasing LSU’s all-time passing yards record. It’s a pesky, chronic condition he’s dealing with — nothing that’ll bench him for long, especially with a big Clemson showdown looming — and according to Kelly, the severity’s barely a blip on the pain scale. For those tracking every inch of progress leading into this pivotal season, it’s a reassuring sign that Nussmeier’s on the mend and ready to take the field. LEARN MORE

Initial reporting on Nussmeier’s status said the gunslinger was “fine.” Concerns about an ACL tear were alleviated prior to Friday’s update from Kelly.

“This is a chronic situation. It’s tendinitis. It’s like a bad ankle. He just planted the wrong way. When you have a preexisting condition, that can happen,” Kelly said. “On a scale of 1 to 10, this is a 1.5.”

Kelly’s update follows unsubstantiated rumors that Nussmeier suffered a serious knee injury on Wednesday. But reports were quick to kill the rumor.