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LSU star QB Garrett Nussmeier dealing with torso injury

LSU coach Brian Kelly said quarterback Garrett Nussmeier is dealing with a torso injury and probably won't be fully recovered until he can rest during the Tigers' bye week later this month.

Kelly said Nussmeier developed the injury from throwing so much in preseason camp, and that LSU's trainers are limiting his work in practice as he recovers.

"He's been slowed a little bit with a torso injury, and he's fighting through it, and he's getting better," Kelly told reporters Monday. "He's not going to be able to shut it down until the bye week."

The third-ranked Tigers host FCS program Southeastern Louisiana on Saturday (7:45 p.m. ET, SEC Network) and play at No. 13 Ole Miss on Sept. 27 before their first open date of the season.

"Come Saturday, he's good to go," Kelly said. "We've limited him a little bit during the week because of the tightness he's had in his torso. It's an upper-body injury, and you want to be careful with how many reps he's getting throwing the football. He's overcoming that, but we kept cut him down substantially."

Kelly said he believes Nussmeier is on the "other side" of the injury.

Nussmeier, who is considered a potential first-round pick in next year's NFL draft, is completing 65.1% of his attempts for 689 yards with three touchdowns and two interceptions. He ranks ninth in the SEC with 229.7 yards per game.

In early August, Kelly revealed that Nussmeier was dealing with patellar tendinitis in his knee.

Nussmeier ranked fifth nationally in passing yards (4,052) last season, his first as LSU's starter.

LSU's offense has struggled to score so far this season; the Tigers rank last in the SEC with 20 points per game and scored five offensive touchdowns in their first three games.