By GLENN GUILBEAU, Tiger Rag Editor
Sam Leavitt, the mystery man, new quarterback for the LSU Tigers, broke his public silence on Thursday night at “The Huddle” team event at the LSU Indoor football facility.
Leavitt, a redshirt junior transfer from Arizona State, has been at LSU since January but has done no interviefws. He went through only part of spring practice because of recovery from surgery on his right foot after last season. Leavitt also did not attend the Manning Passing Academy this month in Thibodaux as he continued to rest his foot.
But for 83 seconds Thursday, he succinctly described his time as a Tiger so far.
LSU QB Sam Leavitt on why he chose to transfer from ASU to LSU at The Huddle event at LSU’s Indoor Practice Facility.
— Juliette Marino (@MarinoJuli23940) July 30, 2026
This is the first time Leavitt has spoken since his arrival to Baton Rouge. #lsufootball pic.twitter.com/zQebFl2cEu
“Just looking back at my process, leaving Arizona State, I had a comfortable situation,” he said. “Walking into the building, I saw my guys, built great relationshsip, won a lot of games there. But I want to do something a little bit different, you know.”
Leavitt completed 145 of 239 passes for 1,628 yards and 10 touchdowns with three interceptions in seven games before missing the rest of the season with the foot injury. He also rushed 73 times for 365 yards and five touchdowns. When healty in 2024, he took the Sun Devils to the College Football Playoff and 11-3 finish as he hit 216 of 350 passes for 2,885 yards and 24 touchdowns while rushing 110 times for 443 yards and five touchdowns.
LSU coach Lane Kiffin called Leavitt “100 percent healthy” at the Baton Rouge Rotary Club on Wednesday and previously at the Southeastern Conference Media Days last week.
Leavitt then caught himself repeating the mantra of his new coach, who started saying, “LSU’s just different,” back at his introductory press conference on Dec. 1 in Tiger Stadium.
“He has a super powerful arm and is extremely confident. And he can run. What he’s really good at, too, is deciphering a lot of information in half a second.” LSU QB Sam Leavitt’s coach at West Linn High in Oregon – Jon Eagle. https://t.co/RoUUULDayE
— Glenn Guilbeau (@SportBeatTweet) January 13, 2026
“It’s funny, that’s kind of what everyone’s been saying around here, ‘It’s just different,'” Leavitt said. “It really is in every aspect. You come out here to the practices, the way individual reps are ran, the way that every single coach is just so poured into this, the time that we meet outside the facility, outside the initial time we’re supposed to meet – it truly is just a different situation. You talk about being a pro, trying to become the best version of yourself, there’s no other place to do it, other than here.”
Leavitt and the Tigers report for practice for the 2026 season on Tuesday and begin workouts on Wednesday. The season opens on Sept. 5 in Tiger Stadium against Clemson (6:30 p.m., ABC).
“Every single day I walk into the facility, I see (linebacker) Whit Weeks and (safety) Ty Benefield, all these dudes,” Leavitt said. “And you’ve got to go against them every single day. Some pretty good players to play.”
Be the first to comment