Garrett Nussmeier had lots of expectations heading into this season.
Not only did he come into the season having started one game, but he had to fill the shoes of Jayden Daniels, a Heisman-winning quarterback.
With immense weight on his shoulders, he has held his own.
So far this season, Nussmeier has thrown for 1,247 yards on 113 of 160 completions (70%) and 13 touchdowns.
But how does he measure up to other SEC quarterbacks?
Let’s compare Nussmeier to three SEC quarterbacks who are also performing well this season.
Jaxson Dart – Ole Miss
Dart has arguably put himself in the Heisman conversation early this season.
Not only does he lead the SEC in passing yards by over 300 yards, but he leads the country by more than 100 yards.
In the SEC, Nussmeier is second in passing yards, and leads the conference in passing touchdowns. Dart is right behind him with 12 passing touchdowns.
Dart also leads the conference in completion percentage, completing 79.8% of his passes. Nussmeier’s 70% completion percentage puts him fourth in the SEC.
While Dart has had a stellar season thus far for the Rebels, people question him because of Ole Miss’ strength of schedule thus far.
Ole Miss has not played a team ranked inside the Top 25 this season, and the Rebels have outscored their opponents 220-22.
That being said, Dart has often come out of games in the second half. Of his 1,554 passing yards, 1,158 of them came in the first half.
On the other hand, Nussmeier’s production level in both halves is consistent; he has a 75.3% completion rate and 652 passing yards in the first half, and a 65.8% completion rate and 595 passing yards in the second half.
Jalen Milroe – Alabama
Nussmeier and Milroe have very different play styles, but the two will meet in Death Valley on November 9.
While Nussmeier’s stats are through four games, Milroe’s, however, are through three games. Alabama is coming off a bye week before going into its matchup with Georgia.
Nussmeier has shown to be a pass-first quarterback, but Milroe is the opposite, as he ranks twelfth in the SEC in passing yards with 590 passing yards.
Milroe, however, ranks fifth amongst SEC quarterbacks in rushing yards with 156 yards. Nussmeier has -11 rushing yards on the season, despite only being sacked twice.
Alabama’s system is also more friendly to Milroe’s play style, as it allows him to show his dual-threat ability.
He’s especially effective on the ground in the red zone with six rushing touchdowns on the season. Milroe has also been effective in the air as well with eight passing touchdowns.
Nico Iamaleava – Tennessee
Iamaleava is in his redshirt freshman season, and similar to Nussmeier, he’s a quarterback that came into the starting position with hefty expectations.
According to 247sports, Iamaleava was ranked as both the No. 2 quarterback and the No. 2 overall player in the Class of 2023. He was ranked only behind Texas’ Arch Manning.
But like Nussmeier, Iamaleava’s met his expectations.
Of the quarterbacks we’ve looked at, Iamaleava is arguably the most balanced. He ranks sixth in the SEC with 892 passing yards along with seven passing touchdowns, and he’s completed 61 of his 88 pass attempts (69.3%).
On the ground, Iamaleava’s ran for 117 yards on 25 carries. He found the end zone on the ground in the Volunteers’ 51-10 win over NC State.
This being said, Iamaleava’s been able to show his athleticism. At 6-foot-6, 215-pounds, his running ability, given his size, has been valuable in Tennessee’s offense.