Garrett Nussmeier was a legendary Texas high school football passer

LSU's starting QB threw for more than 8,100 yards at Flower Mound Marcus High School

Quarterback Garrett Nussmeier throws a pass as LSU Tigers takes on Nicholls State at Tiger Stadium in Baton Rouge on Sept. 7. / SCOTT CLAUSE/USA TODAY Network / USA TODAY NETWORK

LSU quarterback Garrett Nussmeier definitely had some of the biggest shoes to fill for anybody in college football this season.

So far, though it’s early, former Flower Mound Marcus High School (Texas) quarterback has taken full advantage of his opportunity.

Nussmeier, a redshirt junior quarterback, replaced Jayden Daniels, who had been the Tigers’ signal-caller the past two seasons, and in 2023, won the Heisman Trophy. Daniels was selected No. 2 overall by the Washington Commanders.

But attempting to make a name for himself is nothing new to Nussmeier. He is the son of former NFL quarterback Doug Nussmeier, who also spent several years as an assistant coach with the Dallas Cowboys and is now the quarterbacks coach for the Philadelphia Eagles.

While his father was coaching in Dallas, Garrett Nussmeier spent his high school career in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex.

Flower Mound Marcus' Garrett Nussmeier drops back to pass against Amarillo Tascosa in 2019. / Lauren Roberts/Times Record News, Wichita Falls Times Record News via Imagn Content Services, LLC

In his junior season at Marcus, in 2019, Nussmeier completed 66.8 percent of his passes for 3,788 yards and 38 TDs while leading Marcus to an 11-2 record and a third-round appearance in the 6A Division II playoffs. He was also named the District 6-6A MVP.

Then in his senior season, 2020, Nussmeier led Marcus to an undefeated regular season while throwing for 2,815 yards and 33 TDs against only five interceptions. For his career as a Marauder, he finished with 8,160 yards and 83 TDs.

Nussmeier was named LSU’s starting quarterback on New Year’s Day when Daniels elected not to play in the ReliaQuest Bowl against Wisconsin. But the Tigers didn’t miss a beat, as Nussmeier threw for 395 yards and three TDs while being named the MVP in LSU’s win.

Already through two games this season for the Tigers, Nussmeier has thrown for more than 300 yards, and is coming off a six-TD performance in an LSU win last week against Nicholls State.

He’ll get another big opportunity in front of a national audience on Saturday when LSU (1-1) travels to face South Carolina for an 11 a.m. Central kickoff in a game televised on ABC.

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More Texas high school football Week 3:

• Flower Mound 3-0 thanks to dramatic late drive against Lake Highlands: 5 takeaways

• A&M Consolidated holds off Pflugerville Weiss in 6A showdown

• Texas high school football team on its third coach in same week

• Top 100 Texas high school football players: PART 1 | PART 2

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-- Buck Ringgold | andy@scorebooklive.com | @sblivetx