Lane Kiffin’s first portal window at LSU has gone sideways fast.
The self-proclaimed “Portal King” watched Brendan Sorsby commit to Texas Tech on Sunday, saw Trinidad Chambliss announce his intention to stay at Ole Miss pending an eligibility waiver, and now finds himself staring at the quarterback version of an empty cupboard.
Enter Sam Leavitt, one of the top remaining quarterbacks in the portal and, frankly, Kiffin’s last realistic shot at a difference-maker under center for 2026.
Can Sam Leavitt Save Lane Kiffin’s LSU Quarterback Crisis?
Lane Kiffin needs an athletic, quality QB to run his offense, or his move to LSU will start with a whimper. With the likes of Byrum Brown, Brendan Sorsby, and Josh Hoover finding homes elsewhere, Kiffin’s hopes of early success with the Tigers rest with Sam Leavitt.
That’s not hyperbole. Brown committed to Auburn on Tuesday, reuniting with Alex Golesh. Hoover is headed to Indiana to replace Heisman winner Fernando Mendoza. The quarterback market has thinned by the day, and the top-tier options have largely signed elsewhere.
Leavitt arrived in Baton Rouge on Monday for a multi-day visit with the Tigers. He’s touring facilities, meeting with offensive coordinator Charlie Weis Jr. and quarterbacks coach Dane Stevens, and, crucially, hearing what kind of NIL package LSU is prepared to offer.
Reports indicate LSU has made clear they’re “willing to spend what is necessary to get a QB of Sam Leavitt’s caliber.”
At 6’2″ and 205 pounds, Leavitt isn’t the biggest quarterback on the market. But the West Linn, Oregon, native brings proven playoff experience.
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In 2024, he led Arizona State to the Big 12 championship and a College Football Playoff appearance, throwing for 2,885 yards with 24 touchdowns and just six interceptions in 13 games. He added 435 rushing yards on scrambles, good for second among FBS quarterbacks.
The 2025 season is where things get complicated. Leavitt’s year was cut short after seven games by a foot injury that required surgery. Before going down, he completed 60.7% of his passes for 1,628 yards with 10 touchdowns and three interceptions. He’s expected to miss spring practice entirely as he recovers.
That injury concern is real. But Kiffin can’t afford to wait for a perfect option. LSU is down to zero scholarship quarterbacks after Michael Van Buren opted to enter the transfer portal.
Read that again. Zero.
The competition isn’t done, either. Miami and Oregon continue to monitor the situation. Kentucky hosted Leavitt over the weekend before he left without committing. New Wildcats coach Will Stein made his pitch, but the capture of former Notre Dame quarterback Kenny Minchey suggests that is a non-starter.
LSU now gets its shot. There’s a Jayden Daniels-shaped blueprint here.
Daniels transferred to LSU after three seasons as Arizona State’s starter, and well… you know how that turned out. Leavitt’s path — two years in Tempe, then a move to Baton Rouge — could mirror it almost exactly. Weis and Kiffin’s staff know how to develop quarterbacks.
MORE: Alex Golesh’s Auburn Lands Transfer Portal Commitment from 7,690-YD QB
They turned Jaxson Dart into an elite producer at Ole Miss. The question is whether Leavitt believes they can do the same for him.
The stakes are enormous. Kiffin built Ole Miss through aggressive portal acquisitions, churning out top-four portal classes in each of the last four cycles. Now, facing competition from his former program, and losing Chambliss back to the Rebels, the narrative has shifted. The portal king struck out when it mattered most.
That said, the portal window runs through Jan. 16. Leavitt hasn’t committed anywhere yet. LSU and Kiffin are going to do whatever it takes to try to get him to land in Baton Rouge.
If they miss? DJ Lagway remains in the portal, though the former Florida five-star comes with his own questions after a rough 2025. Dylan Raiola’s name has surfaced, but the former Nebraska starter seems destined for a lower-pressure situation.
No, Leavitt is the guy. Kiffin knows it. LSU’s fanbase knows it. And after a brutal opening week in the portal, landing him might be the only thing that keeps this LSU tenure from starting in a deep, deep hole.
