"That is unacceptable and unheard of": Mark Ingram isn't buying LSU HC Brian Kelly's fiery remarks about QB Garrett Nussmeier
Former running back Mark Ingram isn't buying Brian Kelly's comments regarding the performance of LSU quarterback Garrett Nussmeier in the aftermath of LSU's loss to USC 27-20 in Week 1. Kelly praised USC's Miller Moss over Nussmeier.
“They’ve got some good athletes. I thought the quarterback played well tonight,” Kelly said on Sunday. “He outplayed our quarterback. He made the plays when he needed to.”
One of those who disagrees with the assessment is former Heisman Trophy winner Mark Ingram.
"That’s not throwing him under the bus, that’s throwing him under the 18-wheeler semi, your player just went out there and played his tail off," Ingram said in this week's episode of The Triple Option.
"You said it. Nine incompletions, 300 yards, two touchdowns. He didn’t throw an interception until the last pass of the game, which the game was over, and you go out here and you throw your player, your starting quarterback, under the bus? You should be encouraging these guys.
"That is unacceptable and unheard of. And quite frankly, I know for a fact (Kelly) probably wants that back.”
Moreover, Ingram criticized the coach's motivational strategy, stating that it was incorrect. He also mentioned that with the new 12-team playoff format, the Tigers still have a strong chance to make the CFP. Ingram suggested that Brian Kelly should be focusing on spreading positivity among his players at this time.
Brian Kelly explains his Garrett Nussmeier statement
Given the controversial nature of his statement, Brian Kelly decided to explain himself.
“My comments after the game were, ‘How do you think Nussmeier player?’ I said, ‘He played pretty good, but the other kid played pretty good too and they won the game, so this had nothing to do with Garrett Nussmeier not playing well, I think his numbers spoke for themselves," he told Paul Finebaum
“There’s a couple of plays that he left out there that he’d like back, and I’m sure there were a couple of plays that Moss left out there that he’d like back … I thought the kid played well, but our guy played really well either"
Nussmeier had a good game, going 29 for 38 with 304 passing yards and two touchdowns. He did have one interception. Miller Moss's performance was slightly better, at 27 for 36 with 378 yards but only the one touchdown pass.