By GLENN GUILBEAU, Tiger Rag Editor
The full contact scrimmage that LSU held Saturday morning in Tiger Stadium could be critical for multiple position decisions as far as playing time heading into the season in two weeks.
One position, though, that LSU coach Lane Kiffin will not be sweating over as far as a starter is quarterback with the opener on Sept. 5 against Clemson (6:30 p.m., ABC).
It is and has been left with Sam Leavitt, the No. 1 quarterback and No. 1 overall player in the transfer portal from Arizona State when he signed with the Tigers last January over Tennessee, Miami, Kentucky and Oregon.
“Sam has been,” Kiffin said at his press conference Thursday and paused for a beat. “Awesome. Really has been.”
If a tree falls in a forest, and no one is around to hear it, does it make a sound? If a football team scrimmages, and no one in the media is allowed to be around to see or hear it, did it scrimmage? @racertodd https://t.co/qafuc4ordB
— Glenn Guilbeau (@SportBeatTweet) August 22, 2026
And Kiffin was not asked about Leavitt before that comment. When coaches are asked how a specific player is doing, it tends to put coaches in a corner. And sometimes, they just say something to say something, and it’s usually nice. In this case, Kiffin fielded a general question – “Where is your team now?” And he brought up Leavitt. This is significant.
Kiffin is not one to throw high praise around either, which makes that comment that much more believable.
“I don’t say that very often,” Kiffin said. “But he made two throws back-to-back today that I call them adult throws that not many people in the country can make.”
Kiffin was talking about Leavitt’s play during practice that Thursday morning. The scrimmage Saturday was closed to all media.
“So, really pleased with him,” Kiffin continued on Leavitt. “And now, we’ve got to make more plays around him.”
Kiffin also dropped another critical comment on Leavitt, who missed half of last season because of a right foot injury that required surgery and kept him out of most of spring drills. He has continued to be fleet of foot at practice as if he was never hurt.
“Our offense is starting to improve,” Kiffin said Thursday after saying the defense was clearly ahead after the Tigers’ first scrimmage a week ago Saturday. “A big part of third downs is, ‘Can you get him (the quarterback) down?’ And that was in our favor a lot last year.”
Kiffin was 11-1 in the regular season last year at Ole Miss largely because of dual-action quarterback Trinidad Chambliss.
“He (Leavitt) made a number plays like that today,” Kiffin said.
Kiffin will report on LSU’s Saturday scrimmage on Monday.
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