After Week 1’s 31-17 loss to the Florida State Seminoles, Kalen DeBoer’s Alabama has bounced back to a 7-1 record. The No. 4 Crimson Tide is set to take on the LSU Tigers this Saturday at Bryant-Denny Stadium.
This game will kick off a four-game run to finish the regular season, with DeBoer’s team looking to secure a third straight win over LSU. Meanwhile, DeBoer didn’t hold back when giving his candid thoughts on Tigers quarterback Garrett Nussmeier.
Kalen DeBoer Delivers Honest Confession About Garrett Nussmeier Ahead of Saturday’s Game
In LSU’s 42-28 loss to Alabama in the 2024 season, Nussmeier completed 27 of 42 passes for 239 yards, throwing one touchdown and two interceptions. Before Saturday’s game with LSU, DeBoer had just one word to describe Nussmeier’s talent.
“Saavy,” DeBoer said (40:00) about the LSU quarterback on his weekly radio show.
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“You can tell that he’s a coach’s kid, just understands the game, there’s a progression to what he does, and he can get the ball to where he wants to,” DeBoer added.
DeBoer then went on to mention that Alabama’s focus will be on pressuring Nussmeier as much as possible. The 23-year-old has struggled this season, with four of his five interceptions coming against conference opponents. Nussmeier battled multiple injuries, including a lingering abdominal strain, and has faced challenges with an offensive line that has struggled to protect him.
However, Alabama defensive coordinator Kane Wommack also had praise for his growth and potential.
“You watch Garrett, where he was a year ago to the decisions that he’s making now, he does a better job of making throws under duress,” Wommack said. “He does a better job of taking care of the football. He’s got some real toughness and moxy to make critical throws, even when it’s not a clean pocket.”
Meanwhile, on his radio show, DeBoer also praised LSU’s receiving corps as being among the best Alabama has faced, while describing the Tigers’ defense as “solid” across the board. The Tigers are currently ranked 30th on PFSN’s CFB Defense Impact metric.
After Brian Kelly was fired late last month, LSU interim coach Frank Wilson took over, and DeBoer had good things to say about LSU’s potential.
“New play caller, a guy who’s experienced playcalling,” DeBoer said. “There’s going to be some different tendencies. They are still who they are. There are a lot of foundational things that are hard to completely overhaul this time of year.”
