October has arrived, and one month into the Lane Kiffin era, LSU football has already given its fans a pretty clear snapshot of what this team can be. The Tigers are 3-1 after that convincing win over Texas A&M, and while the Ole Miss loss still lingers, September left LSU with everything it wants still on the table. The injuries have taken some of the shine off the month, but the bigger picture is still encouraging.
One of the biggest questions early on centered on Sam Leavitt, and whether he was leaning too hard on his legs. For three games, that looked like exactly the case.
When the pocket got messy, he got restless, bailed out, and sometimes left throws on the field. That’s the quarterback who prompted the viral line, “Samuel Leavitt plays QB like a Squirrel that abuses Adderall.”
Against Texas A&M, though, the hamstring injury changed the picture. Forced to stay in the pocket more, trust the protection and let his receivers work, Leavitt turned in his best performance of the season.
He and Kiffin both acknowledged afterward that the injury helped in that regard. The real test now is whether he can keep those lessons once he’s healthy enough to run again.
LSU’s offense has also been a little slow to wake up. The Tigers haven’t scored on their opening possession in any of their four games.
Against Clemson, Leavitt was intercepted on LSU’s second offensive play. Against Louisiana Tech, Ole Miss and Texas A&M, the opening series ended in three-and-out.
The first quarter numbers are decent enough on paper - 34 points overall - but that total needs some context. Seventeen came against Clemson, including seven on Jordan Ross’ pick-six, while LSU was blanked in the first quarter at Ole Miss and managed just seven against A&M.
As the competition stiffens, Lane Kiffin would probably like to see a quicker start.
Once the second half begins, though, LSU has looked like a different team. The Tigers have outscored their first four opponents 62-3 in the third quarter, a huge number that points to strong halftime adjustments.
Blake Baker’s defense has repeatedly come out looking sharper and faster after the break, and the offense has done its share of damage too. Four games is still a small sample, but September made one thing hard to miss: LSU has been at its best in the third quarter.
The run game has taken a real step forward as well. LSU is averaging 205.5 rushing yards per game, almost double last season’s 104, and the improvement shows up most clearly in short-yardage situations.
That was a major weakness a year ago. This season, Kiffin and offensive coordinator Charlie Weis Jr. have leaned into creativity - direct snaps, sweeps, special packages for Landon Clark and even the bait-and-switch, over-the-top touchdown on fourth-and-one against A&M.
The offensive line still has its issues, but the Tigers have gotten the push they need more often than not. Dilin Jones runs with power and looks like a strong all-around back, and it was good to see Harlem Berry get a healthy number of carries last Saturday.
The receiver picture is starting to come into focus, too. Coming into the season, the big question was who would become Leavitt’s most reliable targets.
Through three games, WR Winnie Watkins and TE Trey’Dez Green were clearly the main answers, and Green’s injury was a major blow. But with Green out last Saturday, other options started to emerge, led by Jackson Harris.
The Hawaii transfer, who earned first-team All-Mountain West honors as a sophomore in 2025 and led the conference in receiving touchdowns with 12 and yards per reception with 19.65, announced himself to Tiger Nation with six catches for 163 yards and two touchdowns against Texas A&M. He’s now averaging a team-best 25.5 yards per catch this season, boosted by that 57-yard touchdown on the fourth-and-one.
That play was LSU’s longest fourth-down touchdown since Billy Cannon ran for 73 yards from punt formation against Alabama on Sept. 28, 1957.
Watkins and Harris have the look of a dangerous pair, but LSU still needs more from Eugene Wilson III, Jayce Brown and Malik Elzy. There’s also hope that 6-foot-5 Roman Mothershed can grow into the mismatch role Green had been filling.
The offensive side of the ball has already revealed a lot, but September also offered plenty of encouraging signs on defense. That story, along with LSU’s pass rush, the growing injury concerns and a few other takeaways, is still to come.
In Other News...
LSU Suddenly Has Real QB Intrigue Before McNeese
LSU heads into Saturday nights game against McNeese with more uncertainty at quarterback than anyone expected this week. The Tigers are set for a 6:45 p.m. kickoff in Death Valley, but the main storyline isnt the matchup itself so much as who Lane Kiffin will put behind center after Sam Leavitts recent left hamstring injury opened the door for questions about the depth chart.
Landen Clark and Husan Longstreet have both entered the conversation, and Kiffin still has not made a decision on the starter. McNeese brings its own established signal-caller in Devin Lippold, a third-year quarterback with a steady season to this point, but for LSU the intrigue is all about whether the Tigers can navigate the week cleanly enough to get the right answer before kickoff. [Read more 🡒]
LSU Quarterback Situation Just Got More Interesting Before McNeese
McNeese will head into its matchup with LSU without third-year quarterback Devin Lippold, who is out with a right wrist injury and will be replaced by Jake Strong. On LSUs side, the quarterback picture is still taking shape as the Tigers prepare for the game, with Sam Leavitt expected to start while working back from a left hamstring injury.
The bigger question for LSU is how much the offense might need to lean on depth behind Leavitt if he is not fully ready to handle his usual workload. Landen Clark and Husan Longstreet are both candidates to see the field, which gives the Tigers a little more insurance but also leaves some uncertainty in a position group that will be closely watched once kickoff arrives. [Read more 🡒]
LSU May Have Found A New Defensive Contributor Fans Should Watch
Jhase Thomas is starting to look like more than just a special teams piece for LSU. The defensive back saw his playing time rise against Texas A&M after spending most of his first season in that familiar off-to-the-side role, and his growth has been building quietly in the background as he settled into college football and worked his way toward a bigger defensive opportunity.
Thomas prepared for the expanded look by studying film and leaning on veteran teammates, while also drawing on the guidance of his father, former NFL defensive back Fred Thomas. For LSU, it is the kind of progression coaches like to see from a young recruit becoming a real contributor, and it gives the defense another name worth tracking as the season moves along. [Read more 🡒]