LSU’s push back toward the top of the SEC may come down to one glaring issue: finishing drives.
The Tigers have spent the offseason reshaping the roster and changing the energy around the program, and the results have been strong. They landed the highest-rated transfer portal haul, including three five-stars, and they also own one of the better 2027 recruiting classes in the country. That kind of influx has raised expectations fast.
But one number still hangs over this team.
Last season, LSU was nowhere near good enough in the red zone. The Tigers ranked 87th in red-zone scoring percentage at 81.82, 95th in touchdowns with 23, and 27th in field goals with 13. If LSU wants to be in the SEC title conversation, that has to change.
There are reasons to believe it can. It starts with quarterback Sam Leavitt, who ran for 750 yards and 10 touchdowns at Arizona State. His ability to use his legs and get out of trouble could open things up for offensive coordinator Charlie Weis Jr. and make the offense harder to pin down inside the 20.
Protection will matter too. Sacks can wreck a red-zone possession in a hurry, so Leavitt will need room to work. LSU should at least have help there with an improved offensive line and a backfield featuring Caden Durham and Harlem Berry.
Trey'Dez Green is another piece of the puzzle. He was LSU’s main red-zone answer last season, finishing with seven touchdowns, and his size and versatility make him a dangerous option near the goal line.
Still, there are plenty of unknowns because this is a brand-new roster. Kiffin has the résumé, and he also has a quarterback who has already been to the College Football Playoff.
The talent is there for LSU to make a run at the SEC title. But the formula is simple: score more touchdowns in the red zone, and the Tigers give themselves a chance every week. If that area stays stuck where it was, Kiffin’s first season in Baton Rouge could get difficult quickly.
If there’s one thing to remember about Kiffin, though, it’s that he won’t settle for mediocrity. When something isn’t working, he tends to adjust.
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The clock is part of what makes this such a tense spot for LSU. Cleveland does not have much room to maneuver in its bonus pool, and Schmidts options are straightforward even if none of them are simple: sign with the Guardians, head to junior college and try the draft again next year, or make it to campus and keep LSU in play for a future run at him. For Jay Johnson, landing a front-of-the-rotation type would be a major win, but for now the Tigers are still in the waiting game. [Read more 🡒]
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Leavitts path also helps explain why LSU is betting big here. He has already played at Michigan State and Arizona State, and he helped lead the Sun Devils into the College Football Playoffs in 2024, giving him experience in exactly the kind of pressure games LSU expects to be playing. For the Tigers, the appeal is obvious, but so is the stakes attached to it: landing a quarterback with this kind of pedigree can raise the floor in a hurry, and it can also make every future roster move look a little more consequential. [Read more 🡒]
LSUs Playoff Hype May Hinge On One Unsettled Preseason Question
LSUs preseason buzz has been built on the kind of roster work that usually travels well into September. The Tigers have added help up front through the transfer portal, fortified the offensive line under James Cregg and brought in defensive pieces such as edge rusher Princewill Umanmielen and safety Ty Benefield, all while Lane Kiffin has kept the staff and talent pipeline moving in a direction that makes LSU look like a real factor in the national picture.
The opener against Clemson will offer an early measuring stick, but the bigger question hanging over Baton Rouge is how quickly the new pieces can settle in around quarterback Sam Leavitt and the rest of the offense. LSU has the look of a team built to chase a long postseason run, yet the difference between being merely intriguing and truly dangerous may come down to how one unsettled preseason issue gets answered once the games start counting. [Read more 🡒]