LSU quarterback Garrett Nussmeier has yet to perform at the high level many expected through the first five games of the 2025 season. After the Tigers suffered their first loss of the year to Ole Miss, 24-19, questions about Nussmeier’s potential have grown.However, former Ohio State quarterback and CBS Sports analyst Cardale Jones criticized LSU coach Brian Kelly for focusing the blame on Nussmeier.“I'm more so feeling a type of way towards him (Kelly) as a coach and as a man because I hear nothing that you said we need to be better as coaches or staff or putting our guys in position for success,” Jones said. “Nothing was about his staff or himself. That was always my pet peeve with coaches.“Never throw guys under the bus. It's a collective effort. Why we lost is a collective effort of why we win. My comments would have been very cut and clear. Hey, we got to play better as a team. I got to coach better and we got to do things like that versus individual players. So it would be hard for me to play for a guy like that.”Jones’ remarks came after Kelly’s postgame comments following LSU’s Week 5 loss.“Garrett Nussmeier has got to play better,” Kelly said (via On3). “Every player on offense has got to play better. And then we have to be more consistent on defense.“I mean, there’s not one guy that you will point out and go, ‘Well, that was the reason why we lost’. There’s many, many players that have to play their best when their best is needed.”Brian Kelly stresses team accountability as Garrett Nussmeier struggles in LSU lossGarrett Nussmeier entered the season as a top Heisman contender, but in Week 5, he completed 21 of 34 passes for a season-low 197 yards, with one touchdown and one interception. The Tigers fell to 4-1 overall and 1-1 in SEC play with the defeat.Amid questions about Nussmeier’s performance and a potential lingering injury, Brian Kelly placed responsibility for the loss squarely on the entire LSU squad.“We’ve got to get open,” Kelly said (via On3). “And look, you saw it; we struggled with completing a deep ball. They did very well completing the deep ball. So again. I don’t want to go too long on the answer, but this is not a Garrett Nussmeier problem.”LSU has also dropped in the AP Poll, sliding from No. 4 to No. 13. The Tigers now head into a bye week before hosting South Carolina on Oct. 11.