Why LSU 'Awarded' Garrett Nussmeier No. 18 Jersey as 1st QB to Wear Since Mauck in '03

Garrett Nussmeier is the leader of the LSU football team heading into the 2025 season, and he will wear the prestigious No. 18 jersey as a result.

LSU announced Sunday that Nussmeier was "awarded" with the jersey number and will be the first quarterback to don No. 18 since Matt Mauck did so in 2003. The No. 18 jersey goes to a player who shows he is a leader both on and off the field within the program.

"The No. 18 is the player who brings all those traits of someone who leads in an extraordinary manner," LSU head coach Brian Kelly previously told reporters. "The attention to detail, great focus, represents the program in a positive way in the classroom, in the community and on the field."

Nussmeier is certainly a veteran presence by college football standards.

He arrived at LSU as a 4-star prospect in the class of 2021, per 247Sports' composite rankings, and chose to remain with the program even later in his career when he was the backup for Jayden Daniels.

A highly regarded quarterback staying with one program for five years is not something fans see every day in the college football era of the transfer portal and NIL opportunities. Yet Nussmeier remained patient and then took advantage of his opportunity last season.

He completed 64.2 percent of his passes for 4,052 yards, 29 touchdowns and 12 interceptions while adding three more scores as a runner. He led LSU to a 9-4 record and Texas Bowl victory over Baylor.

That led to questions about whether he would enter the 2025 NFL draft, but he announced in December he was returning to school:

"I feel like my time at LSU is not over," Nussmeier said. "I'm officially announcing that I'm returning for my final year of eligibility, and I am fully committed to bringing this university a championship. My teammates, coaches and fans will get the absolute best out of me every single day."

Nussmeier brings a combination of experience, production and leadership to the 2025 Tigers team, and it comes as no surprise he was chosen to wear the No. 18.

And he won't have to wait long to appear in the number in front of a national audience, as LSU faces Clemson in a highly anticipated Week 1 showdown on Saturday. A win could create just the type of momentum Nussmeier and Co. need to navigate a difficult schedule and be a factor in the College Football Playoff race.