LSU quarterback Sam Leavitt got shockingly listed as ‘doubtful’ to play against Ole Miss this weekend, and it throws a serious wrench into one of the season’s most anticipated games. This Wednesday night twist on the SEC’s initial availability report has got everyone talking, but the biggest question isn’t just Leavitt’s health. It’s whether Ole Miss coach Lane Kiffin is playing some classic mind games with his old stomping grounds in Oxford watching every move. Is Kiffin gaming the system, or is he truly concerned Leavitt might not play?
The Kiffin Playbook: Doubtful Edition
If you’re skeptical about Leavitt’s status, you are absolutely not alone. Lane Kiffin has a reputation, and according to CBS Sports’ Bud Elliott, it’s well-earned. In just the last two seasons at Ole Miss, Kiffin listed players as doubtful 14 times. Wanna know how many of them actually played? Just one. Yeah, you read that right. Thirteen of those players did not suit up. Kiffin’s been renowned for maybe, just maybe, overusing that ‘questionable’ designation, and now ‘doubtful’ is getting the same treatment. The SEC didn’t even respond to a request for comment about how often players listed as doubtful end up playing, which only adds to the mystery here.
The SEC’s policy says ‘doubtful’ is supposed to mean there’s “a less than 25% chance to play.” But when it’s Kiffin, especially with a game this huge, skepticism isn’t just expected, it’s basically mandatory. All eyes are going to be on Oxford for this showdown, particularly with Kiffin returning to his old stomping grounds. It absolutely begs the question: Is LSU playing games with this report, too?
Real Injury or Three-Dimensional Chess?
Here’s where it gets even more complicated: Sources tell CBS Sports that Leavitt is indeed battling a legitimate injury. CBS Sports’ Matt Zenitz even reported that Leavitt sat out Wednesday’s practice with an upper-body injury. It’s totally possible Leavitt will be listed as doubtful on the Thursday night SEC availability report too. The Tigers even have a light Thursday practice, more like a typical Friday walkthrough for most teams, which could support either narrative.
But then you’ve got the wild card: the “three-dimensional chess factor.” One source summed it up perfectly, trying to sort through Kiffin’s possible gamesmanship, saying, “He might be telling the truth, and he might be telling the truth because he knows that nobody’s going to believe him.” Think about that for a second. The idea here is that Kiffin might be trying to mess with his old defensive coordinator, Pete Golding, forcing him to overprepare for LSU’s backups. It’s a classic move, and if Leavitt does play, it wouldn’t be the first significant availability report chicanery we have seen.
Injury reports are still relatively new to college football compared to the NFL. The pro league actually trimmed its own designations in 2016 to just “questionable,” “doubtful,” and “out” because teams were seriously overusing the “probable” tag. They found that players listed as probable were playing 95% of the time, making the designation practically useless. The SEC policy does give the league authority to look into violations and requires schools to “take extra precautions to avoid a surprise in respect to a high-profile student-athlete’s status.” But let’s be real, it’s doubtful anyone in Oxford will truly believe Leavitt is out until kickoff Saturday evening. We are all on edge waiting to see if it’s a legitimate absence or another masterclass in Kiffin’s strategic deception.
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.
Leave a Reply