One LSU Player Razorbacks Had No Answers for in 34-10 Loss

High expectations crushed by quarterback that simply hasn't made a habit of making mistakes

LSU Tigers quarterback Garrett Nussmeier calling plays for his offense against the Arkansas Razorbacks at Razorback Stadium on Saturday night. / Nilsen Roman-Hogs on SI Images

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Arkansas' defense this year will take advantages of mistakes by opposing quarterbacks. They found out Saturday night that probably should have been an issue they probably saw coming with LSU's Garrett Nussmeier.

He simply doesn't make mistakes. That may, in November, be the reason the Tigers could play a couple of games in January, too. Quarterbacks that don't make mistakes tend to play for championships.

Razorbacks coach Sam Pittman probably knew what he was going to be facing. The hope was their defense could pressure him into making some unforced errors.

"Then we hit him and they call a penalty on that one," Pittman said later. "They give up two sacks on the year, so he's getting the ball out. Obviously, their two tackles are pretty special, even though I thought [Landon Jackson] did a good job of getting around the edge several different times. You throw a hitch, you don't have to protect it very long. So, yeah, I was disappointed."

While he sat behind a Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback, Nussmeier didn't have any interest in leaving to go somewhere else. That should tell opponents something. The fact his dad played in the NFL and coached there with some success shoudl say something else.

He probably had more experience watching film and learning techniques in the seventh grade that some college quarterbacks have after a couple of years. It goes with the territory.

Watching his game against Ole Miss last week, I saw a guy who didn't do any one thing spectacularly but could slog around and do everything it took to win games. That's exactly what happened against the Hogs.

LSU Tigers quarterback Garrett Nussmeier (13) during the first quarter against the Arkansas Razorbacks at Razorback Stadium. / Nelson Chenault-Imagn Images

Nussmeier completed 22-of-33 passes for 224 yards and no interceptions. Give a quarterback like that a decent running game along with a defense that gets stops and you have a chance to do big things. Just ask Tom Brady or Joe Montana for old-timers.

None of those people had the strongest arms (but not bad) and they weren't exceptional runners (but can run for first downs when opportunity presents itself). Any of that sound familiar to you?

The Razorbacks' defense ever had an answer for anything with the Tigers' offense,. It doesn't mean Arkansas has a problem on that side of the ball until they run into that rare quarterback that simply doesn't have to make a string of big plays because he's not going to make many bad ones.

Fans and media complaining about officiating in the truest Razorbacks' fashion. The Tigers had 11 for 80 yards, including six illegal procedure calls in the first half alone. The bigger problem was how far backwards LSU's offensive line was moving the Hogs' defensive front backwards at times. It allowed the Tigers to just move down the field in chunks.

More than any of that, though, was the Tigers' quarterback not giving them a single thing. Nussmeier quietly put together a mistake-free game, took what the Razorbacks gave him and was patience. At points in the second half, Arkansas' offense was pressing trying to keep up, then appeared flustered when it didn't work out.

All of that is how you end up with a 34-10 loss that looked as bad as things can get.

HOGS FEED:

• LSU's hot start puts Razorbacks on back foot in first half

• Hogs' host several recruiting targets with ranked LSU in town

• Calipari displaying willingness to change when needed

• Coach Prime and Simple Sam: College Football's Odd Couple

• SEC Schedule: Times, TV, who's favored

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