Greg McElroy debates whether Sam Leavitt can take next step at LSU

In January, LSU landed a transfer commitment from former Arizona State quarterback Sam Leavitt. Leavitt was the No. 1 overall player in On3’s 2026 Transfer Portal Player Rankings.

He will be the cornerstone of LSU’s offense in head coach Lane Kiffin‘s debut campaign at the helm. ESPN’s Greg McElroy recently discussed his expectations for Leavitt’s 2026 season at LSU.

“The LSU Tigers are fascinating, not just because it’s a quarterback change, but it’s a coaching identity change and a quarterback change all at the same time,” McElroy said. “… In 2026, LSU isn’t trying to replace a starter necessarily. They’re trying to reinstall a completely different offensive identity that can immediately contend for a national title.

“Lane Kiffin offenses, historically, are going to be driven by quarterback play, not just in volume, but in the way they can put stress on the opposing defense. Sam Leavitt’s mobility and creativity matter because modern defenses are built to kind of suffocate structure. … When the quarterback can extend plays and when the entire defensive structure changes because of the quarterback movement, that becomes a lot more difficult to defend.”

After leading Arizona State to its first-ever College Football Playoff appearance in 2024, Leavitt failed to capture similar success last season. Leavitt battled a lingering foot injury throughout the season and ultimately opted to undergo season-ending surgery in late October.

In seven appearances last season, Sam Leavitt completed 60.7% of his passes for 1,628 yards and 10 touchdowns while only throwing three interceptions. Moreover, he tallied 306 yards and five scores in the ground game.

McElroy is confident LSU can thrive if Leavitt plays to his potential. However, the Tigers must afford early-season pitfalls if they hope to achieve postseason success.

“The analytical question for LSU becomes how quickly can they build timing and chemistry?” McElroy said. “Portal quarterbacks can raise ceilings really quickly, but in the early weeks of the season, that’s where seams show up from time to time. The timing routes are maybe just a half tick late. The protection checks aren’t fully automatic.

“The receivers and the quarterbacks are maybe seeing the leverage of a defender a little differently. And, in the SEC, being just a half beat late becomes a pick six. LSU is both really dangerous but also pretty volatile too because there might be a bit of a learning curve there.”