The LSU Tigers and HC Brian Kelly have a controversial option on the table that could save their 2025 season from going south

Heading into the 2025 college football season, the LSU Tigers carried a lot of hype as a potential National Championship contender. Head coach Brian Kelly is in year four leading the program, and this is his deepest and most talented LSU squad that he’s had on paper. Anything less than competing to win an SEC Championship and making a playoff run would be considered a failure. 

After four straight victories to begin the campaign, including an opening season win over Clemson (which was viewed as a good victory at the time), the Tigers suffered their first loss this past weekend to the Ole Miss Rebels by a 24 to 19 margin. That defeat has caused some to analyze this Tiger team a little closer, and there appears to be a tragic flaw that could hold this team back from its ultimate goals. It’s one that many wouldn’t have guessed heading into the year. 

LSU broke the bank via the Transfer Portal this offseason, especially to upgrade the defense and also to put more talent around quarterback Garrett Nussmeier. The latter included landing the likes of wide receivers Barion Brown (Kentucky) and Nic Anderson (Oklahoma), tight end Bauer Sharp (Oklahoma), and offensive linemen Braelin Moore (Virginia Tech) and Josh Thompson (Northwestern). Those moves were expected to take this offense to the next level. 

Through five games, that couldn’t be further from the truth. The LSU offense, led by Nussmeier and offensive coordinator Joe Sloan, is averaging just 27 points per game, which ranks them 81st in the country. Even that number is a bit skewed after the team’s 56 to 10 victory a couple of weeks ago against Southeastern Louisiana, an FCS team. The Tigers haven’t eclipsed 23 points in any other game so far, and even that total came against Louisiana Tech. 

One player who is holding this team back big time is Nussmeier, who has continued his string of inconsistent play and turnover issues. The senior signal caller was expected to be one of the top overall quarterbacks in college football this season, and a potential first round draft pick, but he has underwhelmed so far. Nussmeier’s performance against SEC teams as a starter in his career has been especially troubling.