By RON HIGGINS, Journal Sports
BATON ROUGE – New LSU and former Arizona State starting quarterback Sam Leavitt insisted all summer his right foot had healed from last Halloween’s Lisfranc surgery that prematurely ended his 2025 season.
But since he was held out of the Tigers’ spring practices and then wore a no-contact jersey in preseason camp, no one outside of LSU’s football operation had evidence his repaired foot felt better than before.
Everybody got their answer on Leavitt’s third offensive snap in last Saturday’s season opener. He instinctively bailed from a collapsing pass pocket and scrambled eight yards into the heart of the Clemson defense.
Before the night was over, Leavitt ran for a career-high 113 yards on 12 carries, scoring on TD romps of 8 and 13 yards in a decisive 51-10 demolition of No. 23 Clemson.
While the victory may advance No. 11 LSU in the Associated Press and Coaches polls when they are released today as the Tigers head into Saturday’s 6:30 p.m. home date against Louisiana Tech, Leavitt already has made an impression nationally.
His 343 total offense yards (16 of 238 for 230 passing yards and a TD) earned him the SEC’s Offensive Player of the Week award.
The least person surprised about Leavitt’s honor probably was Clemson coach Dabo Swinney. He watched Leavitt run for six first downs and score twice.
“I don’t think their (LSU) quarterback last year (Garrett Nussmeier) could quite win with his legs like that,” said Swinney of Nussmeier, who engineered a 17-10 win at Clemson in the 2025 season opener. “But that kid (Leavitt) made a lot of plays. It (LSU’s offense) started with him.”
Having a dual-threat quarterback has always been a key to Kiffin’s offensive show wherever he’s coached. Three of his Ole Miss starting QBs where he was previously head coach for six seasons – Matt Corral (2020-21), Jaxson Dart (2022-24) and Trinidad Chambliss (2025) – averaged a combined 52.4 rushing yards and 5.8 TDs per season.
Some runs were scrambles, and others were designed plays.
“The game is not in rhythm all the time as a quarterback,” Kiffin said. “One of the biggest things as quarterbacks is how you play when it’s out of rhythm, you don’t block everybody and receivers get covered. Sam plays really well (in those situations).”
Leavitt said he has no pregame expectations of a heavy running load.
“I never know whether I’m gonna run more or not,” Leavitt said. “Sometimes, depending on the pass concept when people (receivers) get covered or get bumped, running lanes open.
“It’s the best play at hand. I’m going to take the plays when they come to me. Anything I can do for the guys to get in that end zone.”
Here’s Kiffin on other subjects …
On the importance of playing well in the first game:
“It’s critical for recruiting. But when you have this many new players that haven’t played with us, it’s critical to them to see it works if they buy in, do the preparation, do all the things these coaches ask. So, when they feel that on Saturday and you see what it can look like, it makes it that much easier for them to continue doing that.”
On everyone preparing the same for Saturday’s game vs. Louisiana Tech as they did for Clemson:
“We got to get ready to play well. Everything’s got to be the same as last Saturday. The fans were electric the whole (pregame) walk, the beginning of the game, the first quarter. I challenge our fans (to do) the same thing (again). If you got to have a mock College Gameday stage – whatever it is – come out here early, start drinking at 7 a.m. Whatever you did last week, do it again.”
On the performance of the offensive line:
“The offensive line can do some things better. We had no sacks, but at the same time, (QB) Sam (Leavitt) got us out of trouble a couple times, so you gotta be careful with that stat and think,`Oh, we played great up there.’ So, we did some good things, but we’ve got to improve. We got to play better at the guard spot if we’re going to continue to improve and play consistently.”
GAME 2
No. 11 LSU (1-0) vs. Louisiana Tech (1-o), Tiger Stadium, Baton Rouge, Saturday, 6:30 p.m. (SEC Network+)
Last game for Bulldogs: Won season-opener 80-6 over Northwestern State, the most points the Bulldogs have scored as an FBS (Division I) school. Tech scored TDs on its first 11 possessions, including a 75-yard Blake Baker to Jalen Mickens scoring strike on the Bulldogs’ first play of the game.
Series record and last meeting: LSU leads 20-1. Last season in Baton Rouge, QB Garrett Nussmeier threw for 237 yards and a TD in a 23-7 Tigers’ victory. LSU was favored by about five touchdowns but didn’t lead by more than 10 points until late in the third quarter.
Louisiana Tech head coach: Sonny Cumbie (22-34 in six seasons overall and 20-31 in five seasons at Louisiana Tech).
THIS AND THAT
Early betting line: LSU by 35½
Betting tip: LSU was 0-3 against the spread last season when favored by 20 or more points.
Terms of game contract: $1.6 million guarantee and 400 complimentary tickets for Louisiana Tech
Number of Louisiana natives on Louisiana Tech roster: 40
Number of Louisiana natives on LSU roster: 42
Number of transfers on the Louisiana Tech roster from 4-year schools: 18 players from 17 schools.
LOUISIANA TECH PLAYERS TO WATCH
QB Blake Baker (10 of 14 for 232 passing yards, 2 TDs) TDs, 0 interceptions, RB Dylone Brooks (48 rushing yards and 1 TD on 6 carries), WR Jalen Mickens (3 catches for 133 yards and 1 TD), LB Zheric Hill (7 tackles, 2½ TFL), DB Janard Lockhart (6 tackles, 2 PBU), PK Kent Kaegan (10 of 10 PATs), P Lexington Matthews (2 for 37.0 ypk, 2 inside the 20).
DID YOU KNOW. . .
LSU is 144-25-8 (.836) against 13 Louisiana-based schools. This year marks the 118th of the Tigers’ 133 football seasons they have played an in-state team. They’ve won 38 straight games vs. in-state opponents. LSU’s last loss to an in-state team was 31-28 to Tulane on Nov. 27, 1982, in Tiger Stadium.
Contact Ron at ronhigginsmedia@gmail.com