LSU QB Garrett Nussmeier escaped former teammate Arkansas DE Landon Jackson’s pressures

FAYETTEVILLE — Saturday night wasn’t the first time Arkansas defensive end Landon Jackson went against LSU quarterback Garrett Nussmeier, but their previous encounters had been in practice.

Jackson and Nussmeier were freshmen teammates in 2021.

“He’s actually one of my closest friends,” Jackson said after LSU beat Arkansas 34-10 at Reynolds Razorback Stadium. “I was in the recruiting class with him going into LSU.

“I remember going against him in practice at LSU when he was a 2 or a 3 (on the depth chart). He’s always been a very talented player. He’s a very good quarterback.”

Jackson, from Texarkana, Texas, transferred from LSU to Arkansas after the 2021 season and has since developed into one of the SEC’s top defensive players.

Nussmeier stayed at LSU and was the backup to Jayden Daniels — last year’s Heisman Trophy winner who is starting in the NFL as a rookie for the Washington Commanders — the past two years.

Nussmeier’s patience is now paying off as he’s the starter for the Tigers, who are ranked No. 8 in The Associated Press poll.

During practices, defensive players generally aren’t allowed to hit the quarterback, so Jackson didn’t get to take any shots at Nussmeier.

Games are different, of course, but Jackson wasn’t able to sack Nussmeier. The Razorbacks finished with a combined eight quarterback hurries, including three by Jackson, but no sacks.

“I thought Landon Jackson was rushing his tail off and he got to (Nussmeier) a time or two, but the guy was throwing it,” Arkansas Coach Sam Pittman said. “I felt like we did a pretty good job of rushing him, and I thought he did a great job of getting the ball out of his hand.”

Nussmeier completed 23 of 34 passes for 233 passes without an interception. He completed passes to eight different teammates, with wide receiver CJ Daniels having a team-high seven catches for 86 yards.

Arkansas became the sixth LSU opponent this season to not record a sack along with Southern Cal, Nicholls, UCLA, South Alabama and Ole Miss.

South Carolina is the only opponent to take down Nussmeier with defensive end Kyle Kennard getting a solo sack and combining for another sack with linebacker Bam Martin-Scott in the Tigers’ 36-33 victory over the Gamecocks on Sept. 14 at Williams-Brice Stadium.

Nussmeier has avoided sacks despite LSU’s pass-heavy offense in which he’s completed 183 of 283 attempts for 2,222 yards and 18 touchdowns with 6 interceptions.

“He knows when he has somebody about to hit him, and when somebody’s close, how to get it out,” Jackson said. “When to step up and move around in the pocket.

“Going against guys like that, I’ve just got to find a way to get there a tenth-of-a-second faster.”

Only Army, which has thrown 56 passes compared to 379 rushing attempts in starting 7-0 this season, has allowed fewer sacks than LSU with one.

“He’s getting the ball out,” Pittman said of Nussmeier’s quick release. “Obviously, their two tackles (Will Campbell and Emery Jones) are pretty special.

“But you throw a hitch, you don’t have to protect it very long. … I mean, we came clean a couple times and didn’t even hit him. He had it out.”

Nussmeier didn’t have a passing touchdown for the first time this season after having at least two in each of the first six games and threw for fewer than 300 yards for the first time.

But the Tigers ran the ball more effectively than their average of 123.3 yards coming into the game that ranked 100th nationally.

After LSU was held to 84 rushing yards on 24 carries in last week’s 29-26 overtime victory at Ole Miss, the Tigers had 158 on 37 carries against Arkansas.

Freshman running back Caden Durham had 21 carries for 101 yards and 3 touchdowns, including a 22-yarder that put the Tigers ahead to stay at 7-0 in the first quarter. Durham’s 1-yard touchdown run capped a 14-play, 80-yard drive in which the Tigers held the ball for 8:22 in extending their lead to 34-10 with 2:20 left in the fourth quarter.

“We believe we can throw it as well as anybody,” LSU Coach Brian Kelly said. “We need to continue to have this kind of success in the run game.”

Nussmeier completed 22 of 51 passes against Ole Miss — a season-low 43.1% — and threw 2 interceptions. But he had three touchdown passes, including on his final throw in regulation and only throw in overtime.

Kelly took exception in his news conference after the Arkansas game when a reporter asked him about Nussmeier not throwing the ball up for grabs the way he had against Ole Miss.

“I wouldn’t characterize him throwing stuff up for grabs,” Kelly said. “That’s lazy, and I think that’s an easy way to say somebody’s not detailed in his work.

“(Nussmeier) is detailed in his work. He doesn’t do anything by just throwing it up for grabs, so let’s get that straight. He may have tried to fit a ball in where maybe he should not have, but everything he does is thoughtful. Everything he does is through hard work.

“He’s still in a process of getting the receivers on the same page with him. Look, there are so many things out there for him to continue to get better at. And the great part about it is, he shows up with that kind of attitude every day.”

After the Ole Miss game, CBS Sports moved Nussmeier, a redshirt junior from Lake Charles, La., into the first round of its 2025 mock draft.

Jackson also is listed as a first-round pick in some mock drafts as are the LSU offensive tackles, Campbell and Jones.

Nussmeier’s father, Doug Nussmeier, was an NFL quarterback and is a longtime college and NFL assistant coach. He’s in his first season as quarterbacks coach for the Philadelphia Eagles.

“Garrett’s dad has been a quarterback coach in the NFL for a very long time,” Jackson said. “So he’s been getting that kind of knowledge since he was 5, 6 years old.”

During Saturday night’s game Jackson went against Campbell, who is listed as a top 10 pick in most NFL mock drafts and also was a member of LSU’s 2021 recruiting class.

Jackson said he and Nussmeier didn’t exchange pleasantries while they were playing.

“I try not to talk too much during the game,” Jackson said. “I didn’t say nothing to him at all during the game. But after the game, I talked with him and Will quite a bit because I’ve always been cool with both of them.”

Maybe Jackson, Nussmeier and Campbell can talk again at the 2025 NFL Draft.