In fall camp, no news is often good news. And so when reports started to emerge from LSU camp a few weeks back that quarterback Garrett Nussmeier had gone down in practice, panic set in for the Tigers fanbase immediately.

Luckily, it was just a scare. Nussmeier has been back at practice no worse for the wear.

“Oh he’s 100% healthy,” coach Brian Kelly said on The Paul Finebaum Show on Monday. “And, look, it’s like anything else, you go through camp, you want to be careful with all of your players, not just your quarterback.”

Garrett Nussmeier is a potential Heisman Trophy candidate. The Tigers are banking heavily on his experience and his playmaking ability as they seek a return to the College Football Playoffs.

So naturally you can understand Kelly and company being a little cautious with him. It’s smart, really.

“We’ve been in camp for three weeks, and so there’s going to be some days that you take off,” Kelly said. “But he’s 100%. He’s in great position. We just awarded him No. 18, which is emblematic of a guy that’s about team, that’s about leading and we’re so excited that he’s the leader of our football team.”

Garrett Nussmeier honored with the No. 18

As Kelly highlighted, Garrett Nussmeier was awarded the revered No. 18 jersey for this season. It has become tradition that some of the best LSU players wear the number.

Not just best, either, but most important. Guys that have all the qualities needed to lead a team to a championship. Nussmeier is the first quarterback to wear the number since 2003.

“Not since Matt Mauck, who really, this is where it began, 2003, him wearing it and taking the Tigers to a championship,” Kelly said. “Garrett really wanted this. It was important to him. He wanted to bring it back to the quarterback position. So we’re excited for him and we’re excited for our program.”