Lane Kiffin's arrival at LSU was supposed to signal one thing. A faster, more open offense built to put points on the board. The LSU Tigers wasted no time reshaping the roster through the transfer portal to match that vision and the headliner of that haul was quarterback Sam Leavitt.
The problem is Leavitt is still working his way back. He underwent foot surgery that cut his 2025 season short and isn't expected to be fully healthy until after spring practice wraps up. Before LSU can seriously talk about what this offense can become under Kiffin the answer starts with how quickly Leavitt gets right.
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LSU quarterback Sam Leavitt shares encouraging injury update
Leavitt’s track record at Arizona State Sun Devils football gave the Tigers every reason to take the swing. He started seven games going 5-2 and completed 145 of 239 passes for 1,628 yards with 10 touchdowns and three interceptions. He also carried the ball 73 times for 306 yards and five scores. That dual-threat ability is exactly what Kiffin's system is designed around and Leavitt fits it almost too well.
This week brought some encouraging news. Leavitt took to Instagram to share that the pins from his foot surgery have been removed.
"Small step back for a bigger one forward!! Let's GEAUX!!" he posted. "Got the pins out of my foot from initial surgery, lol did not get injured again."
It's a small update but a meaningful one for a program that needs its quarterback healthy and building momentum heading into fall.
LSU counting on Sam Leavitt return to lift struggling offense
There's cautious optimism around the program but the real test hasn't arrived yet. Watching Leavitt move through spring practice in non-contact settings offered some reassurance though foot injuries have a tendency to linger and that uncertainty hasn't fully cleared.
The evaluation that actually matters starts once he's back in full action with pads on.
Last season LSU's offense averaged just 22.8 points per game and 5.2 yards per play both near the bottom of the SEC. That's the floor Kiffin was brought in to raise and Leavitt is the player most responsible for making that happen.
His game is built for moments where things get uncomfortable. He makes defenses account for his legs on every snap and when the pocket breaks down he's just as dangerous scrambling as he is throwing. Broken plays tend to become productive ones in his hands and that unpredictability is what makes him hard to gameplan for.
If Leavitt comes back close to his Arizona State form LSU's offensive ceiling looks very different by September.
