Why LSU Football Benched Garrett Nussmeier for Michael Van Buren vs Alabama
LSU football interim head coach Frank Wilson made a critical quarterback change in his first game leading the Tigers, replacing senior Garrett Nussmeier with sophomore Michael Van Buren midway through the third quarter against Alabama at Bryant-Denny Stadium.
Coaching Decision
Wilson explained the reasoning behind the switch:
"As we discussed as a staff, we knew there could be opportunities in the quarterback run game. (Alabama) would make it more difficult sitting in the pocket. We wanted to move (Van Buren) around and do some things. I thought that he gave us a chance to do those things. That went into the thought."
Game Impact
- LSU trailed 17-6 when Van Buren entered with 6:26 left in the third quarter.
- Van Buren led LSU to a scoring drive, turning a short field into points after linebacker Harold Perkins Jr. forced a fumble from Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson.
- The Tigers cut the deficit to one possession at 17-9 following Damian Ramos’ field goal.
- However, LSU scored no further points with Van Buren, and Alabama ultimately won 20-9.
Season Context
With this loss, LSU’s record fell to 5-4 overall and 2-4 in SEC play.
Author’s summary: Frank Wilson’s quarterback change aimed to spark an effective run game, but despite a brief scoring drive, LSU fell short at Alabama, continuing a challenging SEC season.