Lane Kiffin Provides Rave Review on LSU Football's Transfer Signings at Quarterback

Kiffin and Co. revamped the roster in Baton Rouge this offseason, new-look quarterback room stealing headlines.
Aug 30, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Southern California Trojans quarterback Husan Longstreet (4) carries the ball against the Missouri State Bears in the second half at United Airlines Field at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
Aug 30, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Southern California Trojans quarterback Husan Longstreet (4) carries the ball against the Missouri State Bears in the second half at United Airlines Field at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Lane Kiffin and the LSU Tigers overhauled the quarterback room in Baton Rouge this offseason headlined by the No. 1 overall player in the NCAA Transfer Portal, Sam Leavitt.

In what became the storyline of the offseason, Kiffin zeroed in on Leavitt as his top target where he refused to take no for an answer after flying up to Knoxville during the elite signal-caller's official visit with the Tennessee Volunteers.

Kiffin met Leavitt at the Knoxville Airport to continue his pursuit where he ultimately inked the No. 1 overall player in this year's cycle.

The 6-foot-2, 205-pounder made his way to the Bayou State following a productive two-year stint at Arizona State - throwing for 4,652 yards and 36 touchdowns with 11 interceptions.

Leavitt also added 816 yards and 10 scores on the ground on his way to posting a 16-4 record that includes a Big 12 Championship and a CFP appearance in 2024.

But his status for Spring Camp remains up in the air after suffering a foot injury in 2025 - cutting his season short last fall for the Sun Devils.

LSU Tigers Football.
Oct 18, 2025; Tempe, Arizona, USA; Arizona State Sun Devils quarterback Sam Leavitt (10) against the Texas Tech Red Raiders at Mountain America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Kiffin provided an update on Leavitt during a Wednesday press conference - his first since being introduced as the program's shot-caller on Dec. 1

"Sam will be able to throw some and participate in seven-on-seven stuff in the spring. Probably not the team stuff," Kiffin said. "Regardless, we would have done what we did, but it's also imperative to get quarterbacks because that's going to be a lot of how your spring ball goes, which is your first time of your team feeling an offense. Our offense is very much pushed and driven by the quarterback because of the tempo piece of it."

LSU also signed former five-star USC Trojans quarterback Husan Longstreet - a Top-10 quarterback in the Transfer Portal - and Elon signal-caller Landen Clark.

Longstreet and Clark will take pivotal reps during Spring Camp while Leavitt works back from his foot injury with Kiffin detailing the process.

LSU Tigers Football.
Aug 30, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Southern California Trojans quarterback Husan Longstreet (4) carries the ball against the Missouri State Bears in the second half at United Airlines Field at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

"The other two guys, very talented players. I think that's really maybe the thing I'm most proud of from our GM to our personnel to our coaches department of being able to do that at the quarterback position," Kiffin said on Wednesday.

"Three guys that I think are really talented, different styles of players. It says a lot about them, to come to the same place. Nowadays, a lot of guys don't want to do that. They want to go to where I'm guaranteed I'm going to start. So I think it says a lot about their competitiveness."

In what will be a critical offseason for Kiffin and the Bayoy Bengals, there will be no storyline bigger than the quarterback room as Leavitt works back from hit foot injury in the coming months.

More LSU News:

Five-Star LSU Football Signee, No. 1 Player in America Labeled 'Most College Ready'

Lane Kiffin on the Road: LSU Football Travels Across America To See Elite Targets

LSU Football Believes This Transfer Portal Addition Can Elevate Lane Kiffin's Tigers

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Zack Nagy
ZACK NAGY

Zack Nagy is the Managing Editor and Publisher of LSU Country, a Sports Illustrated Publication. Nagy has covered Tiger Football, Basketball, Baseball and Recruiting, looking to keep readers updated on anything and everything involving LSU athletics. 

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