Lane Kiffin Gets His QB: Sam Leavitt Commits to LSU From Arizona State
BATON ROUGE, La. (103.3 The GOAT) — LSU has its starting quarterback for the Lane Kiffin era. Former Arizona State quarterback Sam Leavitt committed to the Tigers on Monday, solving LSU’s biggest roster problem after the program lost its entire scholarship quarterback room to the transfer portal and graduation.
Leavitt ranked as one of the top available players in the transfer portal at any position. According to The Advocate, multiple recruiting services ranked him as the No. 1 quarterback in the portal. He also considered Miami, Tennessee, and Kentucky before picking LSU.
What LSU Football Fans Need to Know About Sam Leavitt
The redshirt sophomore has two more seasons of eligibility at Baton Rouge. Over his two-year career split between Michigan State and Arizona State, Leavitt put up strong numbers: 61.3% completion rate, 4,513 passing yards, 34 touchdowns, and just nine interceptions.
His dual-threat ability fits what offensive coordinator Charlie Weis Jr. wants to do. Leavitt rushed for 749 yards and 10 touchdowns during his career, the kind of mobility modern college offenses need.
The big question is Leavitt’s health. He suffered a foot injury in September that required season-ending surgery. How much he’ll be able to practice during spring ball isn’t clear yet.
How LSU Landed the Top Transfer Portal Quarterback
Kiffin and his staff went after multiple quarterbacks after taking over a program that lost everyone at the position. Fifth-year senior Garrett Nussmeier used up his eligibility. Backup Michael Van Buren transferred to South Florida. Redshirt freshman Colin Hurley also entered the portal.
The coaching staff initially had interest in several other quarterbacks. Ole Miss quarterback Trinidad Chambliss considered following Kiffin to LSU but decided to return to Ole Miss, though the NCAA ultimately denied his waiver for a sixth year of eligibility. LSU hosted former Cincinnati quarterback Brendan Sorsby before he signed with Texas Tech. The Tigers also had interest in Washington quarterback Demond Williams, who ultimately stayed with the Huskies.
Leavitt arrived in Baton Rouge early last week for his official visit. He sat courtside at an LSU men’s basketball game with Kiffin last Tuesday night. After his LSU visit, Leavitt visited Tennessee and Miami before making his decision.
Things heated up when Kiffin and other LSU staff flew to Knoxville on Friday to meet with Leavitt between his visits to Tennessee and Miami. Weis, who stayed as Ole Miss’ offensive coordinator through the Fiesta Bowl, flew back and forth multiple times to help recruit quarterbacks while juggling responsibilities for both programs.
Sam Leavitt’s College Football Career and Statistics
Leavitt began his career at Michigan State before transferring to Arizona State. As the Sun Devils’ starting quarterback in 2024, he helped lead the team to the Big 12 championship and a College Football Playoff berth.
His redshirt freshman season at Arizona State: 61.7% completion rate, 2,885 passing yards, 24 touchdowns, six interceptions, 443 rushing yards, and five rushing touchdowns.
Before his injury cut short his 2025 season, Leavitt appeared in seven games. He completed 60.7% of his passes for 1,628 yards with 10 touchdowns and three interceptions while adding 306 rushing yards and five rushing scores.
What This Means for LSU’s Offense Under Lane Kiffin
Kiffin inherited an LSU offense that averaged just 22.8 points per game last season. Only a handful of starters return. LSU is assembling what may be the largest transfer class in program history.
The Tigers had to rebuild almost every skill position: quarterback, running back, wide receiver, and offensive line. While Leavitt takes care of the starting quarterback spot, LSU also signed former Elon quarterback Landen Clark to help rebuild the position room.
LSU may go after one more scholarship quarterback to add depth, but that player will have to sit behind Leavitt.
Leavitt gives Kiffin and Weis an established starter with proven production and two years of eligibility left. His combination of passing accuracy, touchdown-to-interception ratio, and rushing ability fits the modern offensive philosophy both coaches run.
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Gallery Credit: Dave Steel
