LSU’s second week of fall camp is starting to look like the kind of stretch that can shape an offense, and Lane Kiffin isn’t hiding his early impression of quarterback Sam Leavitt.
Kiffin said Leavitt has already put together a strong week as the Tigers continue building toward a faster, tougher practice identity. The new quarterback has reportedly been sharp with the ball, with Kiffin pointing to his accuracy and timing as the biggest reasons for optimism.
“Extremely pleased with his week and how he looks,” said Kiffin.
That’s the kind of praise that carries weight, especially coming from Kiffin. It also matters because Leavitt has only recently been able to show what he can do at full speed.
Leavitt arrived in Baton Rouge from ASU as the No. 1-ranked quarterback in the transfer portal, and LSU is asking him to step into a much bigger spotlight. With the Tigers, the standard is higher and the expectation is that he helps drive major offensive production in this new era.
His spring was limited because of a season-ending ankle injury with the Sundevils, so the early expectations around him were always going to be incomplete until he was fully healthy.
“Now that he's healthy, he's had a great week. We're really excited about him,” said Kiffin.
This move wasn’t just about Leavitt changing teams. He also stepped into a new coaching setup, one that came together quickly this offseason. Kiffin brought offensive coordinator Charlie Weis Jr. with him on the trip from Oxford to Baton Rouge, and that pairing is already taking shape around the quarterback.
Kiffin said Weis and Leavitt are communicating well, which he described as especially important.
“Those guys are doing really well, communicating really well, which is extremely important,” said Kiffin.
For now, the focus is on building the relationship between Leavitt and his position coach, with Kiffin noting that those connections matter now and will matter even more later when the emotional, in-game decisions start coming. The staff may still be ironing out the full game plan, but Leavitt is already getting an early stamp of approval as a quarterback who can be developed, coached, and trusted in his new role.
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