Garrett Nussmeier Exemplifies How College Football Has Become Like NFL After Signing New NIL Deal To Stay At LSU
College football is not an amateur sport, and Garrett Nussmeier is the latest of many examples. Although amateurism within college sports has always been a blurred line, any semblance of that model was thrown out of the door when the NCAA allowed athletes to profit from their Name, Image and Likeness in 2021.
Lane Kiffin is among the many coaches who have expressed similar notions since the introduction of NIL. He is certainly not alone in that thinking.
Money has a direct correlation to success in recruiting. It has a direct correlation to roster retention.
Where coaching staffs used to have to recruit a player just one time in the past, they now have to do so every single year. Tampering is running rampant (it always has, but now it's out in the open) and breakout stars on smaller programs with less NIL funds are being poached by bigger schools with wealthier collectives.
As a result, coaches have to recruit their own players to stay at the end of each season and keep them from hitting the portal to play elsewhere for more money. That often requires an equal or closely competitive offer in terms of compensatory financial packages.
A situation of similar nature recently played out with Garrett Nussmeier at LSU.
The money is flowing down in Baton Rouge and Gordon McKernan Injury Attorneys is a big spender.
Nussmeier, a former four-star quarterback in the Class of 2021, committed to the Tigers in May of 2020 over offers from Arkansas, Baylor, Miami, Michigan State, SMU, and Oklahoma State, among 22 others. He redshirted as a freshman, but not without frustration regarding his lack of playing time.
And then, as a redshirt freshman last fall, Nussemeier was slated as the likely starter— until Brian Kelly added Jayden Daniels through the transfer portal. The two battled it out in fall camp, but it was the latter that got the nod.
Nussemeier, despite his talent, was relegated to the backup spot. He ultimately saw limited action in five regular games before getting significant playing time in the SEC Championship against Georgia and in the bowl game against Purdue.
Daniels was thought to turn pro at the end of the year, which would have left Nussemeier as the clear starter for 2023. Daniels chose to return, which further muddied the waters.
Many thought that Nussemeier would hit the transfer portal and try to start elsewhere as a result. He didn't.
The redshirt sophomore signal-caller stuck it through the spring practice period. He did not leave during the April window either.
It is unclear as to what Kelly's plan might be at quarterback. However, there is a path to playing time for Nussmeier. At the very least, he is likely to start next year until he graduates— especially after five-star Walker Howard transferred to Ole Miss.
In addition, Nussemeier is getting paid. The 21-year-old inked a deal with McKernan's firm.
Nussmeier is not the first college athlete to land an NIL deal after choosing not to enter the portal. He won't be the last. What he is doing is completely legal, but let's call a spade a spade!
Nussmeier signed a new contract to stay at LSU. It's just like the NFL, but presented in a different way.