LSU quarterback Sam Leavitt is officially listed as “doubtful” for Saturday night’s huge showdown against Ole Miss, and honestly, that news hits like a gut punch. Dealing with “soreness” and “spasms,” Leavitt’s chances of suiting up are pegged at roughly 25 percent. That’s SEC terminology for “unlikely to play due to significant concerns,” which means the Tigers are staring down a top-10 clash without their starting signal-caller.
The Depth Chart Gets a Jolt
You gotta give it to Lane Kiffin, he’s known as a quarterback guru for a reason. In his short time at LSU, he’s built some serious depth at the position, which is a godsend right now. The Tigers brought in three transfer quarterbacks this offseason, and while Leavitt was the starter, the other two have flashed some serious talent. Throughout the offseason, Elon transfer Landen Clark and USC transfer Husan Longstreet were battling it out for that backup spot. Their roles became clearer when Leavitt got pulled from the season opener against Clemson in a blowout, and it was Clark who got the call first. That gave everyone a pretty good idea of who steps up if Leavitt’s out.
Landen Clark: From Unranked to the Spotlight
Clark was definitely the less heralded of LSU’s three offseason QB additions. The guy was an unranked recruit out of high school and ended up at FCS Elon. But don’t sleep on him! Last season, he really opened some eyes, completing 56.0% of his passes for 2,321 yards, throwing 18 touchdowns against eight interceptions. And get this: his legs are a massive weapon, too, as he rushed for 614 yards and 11 scores. He led Elon to a 6-6 record overall and a 4-4 conference mark, earning him the 2025 CAA Co-Offensive Rookie of the Year award. One Group of Six general manager called him an “explosive playmaker” with “super twitched up” talent who “can make all the throws” and has a “strong arm.” Even though he was listed as third-string heading into Week 1, he stepped in against Clemson, connecting on five of seven passes for 72 yards and a touchdown. He certainly didn’t do anything to lose that backup job, and he’s clearly earned the trust of Lane Kiffin and the coaching staff.
Now, with Leavitt likely sidelined, it’s either Clark or Husan Longstreet, the USC transfer who’s shown high-end talent as a high-profile recruit, stepping into the fire. LSU’s heading into a massive game against a top-10 Ole Miss squad. Tigers fans know this is when true depth gets tested, and everyone will be watching to see which of these talented backups takes the reins and leads the charge this Saturday night.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by CBS Sports.
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