The name Nussmeier is synonymous with elite quarterback play, a legacy started by a father and now carried on by his son. Just as Garrett Nussmeier earned LSU’s Charles McClendon MVP Award, his father, Doug Nussmeier, secured the 1993 Walter Payton Award as college football’s premier offensive player.
Now, in a fitting return, Doug is back where his NFL story began, taking over as the New Orleans Saints’ offensive coordinator for the 2025 season, 31 years after the franchise drafted him.
How Did Doug Nussmeier Become a College Football Legend?
From 1989 to 1993, Doug Nussmeier forged one of college football’s most impressive quarterback legacies at the University of Idaho. His four-year career produced record-breaking numbers that still stand as Idaho marks today. He threw for 10,824 passing yards and 91 touchdowns, completing 60.9% of his attempts with a remarkable 175.2 passer efficiency rating. These totals placed him in elite company alongside Steve McNair and Daunte Culpepper as one of only five quarterbacks in NCAA history to pass for at least 10,000 yards while rushing for 1,000 yards.
His peak came during the 1993 season, when he threw for 2,960 yards and a school-record 33 touchdowns. That year, his 172.2 passer rating was the seventh-best single-season mark in the division’s history. He led Idaho to an 11-3 record and a trip to the national semifinals, earning consensus All-American honors. That dominant performance secured him the Walter Payton Award, given annually to the most outstanding offensive player in FCS football, and the Big Sky Conference Offensive Player of the Year award.
Why Is Returning to the Saints a Full-Circle Moment?
Thirty-one years after his NFL journey began, Doug has returned to its starting point. The New Orleans Saints hired him as their offensive coordinator in February 2025, giving him his first coordinator position in the NFL.
The move brings him back to the same organization that selected him in the fourth round of the 1994 NFL Draft. His professional playing career with New Orleans lasted four seasons, from 1994 to 1997, followed by a year in Indianapolis and a Grey Cup championship with the BC Lions in 2000.
Coaching in Super Bowl LIX #FlyEaglesFly QB coach Doug Nussmeier @CoachNuss
Drafted by #Saints in 1994, he played with ⚜️ through 1997 season.
His son Garrett Nussmeier @Garrettnuss13 is LSU’s star QB.
Doug may also join Kellen Moore in NOLA if/when he lands Saints HC job. pic.twitter.com/OUGKdaMUJP— Fletcher Mackel (@FletcherWDSU) January 30, 2025
After his playing career ended, Doug spent over two decades coaching at both the college and NFL levels. His resume includes offensive coordinator stints at major college programs like Alabama, Michigan, and Florida, along with NFL quarterbacks coach roles with teams including the Cowboys, Chargers, and Eagles. His most recent success came with Philadelphia, where he guided Jalen Hurts during the Eagles’ 2024 Super Bowl championship run.
Under Doug’s coaching, Hurts posted career-best marks with a 68.7% completion percentage and a 103.7 passer rating. This achievement helped him land the Saints coordinator position, where head coach Kellen Moore will retain play-calling duties while Doug handles quarterback development and offensive strategy.
When his father was hired, his son, Garrett, expressed excitement about the family reunion. “It’s going to be really cool for not just me and my dad but my entire family to have him that close,” he said. I think he’s really excited to be back there, and it’s great for our family.”
The Nussmeier football legacy now spans two generations in Louisiana. While Doug coordinates the Saints’ offense just hours from Baton Rouge, Garrett enters the 2025 season as LSU’s reigning Charles McClendon MVP Award winner and a legitimate Heisman Trophy contender. For the first time in years, a father and son are pursuing their championship dreams in the same state.
