Lane Kiffin, LSU get encouraging Sam Leavitt update despite SEC rivals’ competition

Lane Kiffin and the LSU Tigers may be finally getting over their first roadblock. Despite the Tennessee Volunteers‘ best effort to spoil their plans, the Tigers are reportedly on track to secure the No.1 QB in the NCAA transfer portal, Arizona State Sun Devils quarterback Sam Leavitt.

“Despite late contract talks with Tennessee, Sam Leavitt will land at LSU,” as reported by college football insider Pete Nakos. The news arrives shortly after reports indicated the Volunteers were preparing a last-minute offer to lure Leavitt away from Baton Rouge and towards Knoxville.

Tennessee’s push was always going to be a long shot in college football. Despite the drama and spotlight that will follow them all season, Kiffin and the Tigers remain one of the most appealing programs in the nation.

Why the move makes sense for Leavitt

For a talent like Leavitt, being under the lights in Baton Rouge could be the best way to prepare before declaring for the NFL Draft—whether in 2027 or 2028. With two years of eligibility remaining, the Oregon native may not get a better shot at an NCAA national championship than with Kiffin and LSU.

Sam Leavitt is headed to the LSU Tigers.

LSU is back in full force

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Not Ole Miss: SEC juggernaut reportedly preparing final offer to poach Lane Kiffin, LSU’s star Sam Leavitt

Now, Kiffin truly boasts an LSU program capable of competing for the SEC Championship and posing a serious threat to the rest of the nation. Who knows? Maybe his dramatic—and frowned upon—departure from Oxford to Baton Rouge will lead to the SEC’s first national title since 2022.

No SEC program has reached the National Championship Game since the Georgia Bulldogs won it three years ago. Perhaps all the conference needed to return to college football’s biggest stage was a bit of drama—in a way only Kiffin could provide.

QB1 dilemma for Tennessee

The Volunteers knew trouble was brewing ever since Nico Iamaleava shockingly transferred to UCLA. However, they may have been blinded by Joey Aguilar’s strong start to the 2025 NCAA campaign. Now, Tennessee finds itself with no silverware to show for Aguilar’s one-and-done tenure in Knoxville—and no clear replacement at the QB1 spot.

Joey Aguilar at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.

Barring a change in NCAA regulations for former JUCO players, Aguilar has exhausted his years of eligibility. Moreover, redshirt freshman Jake Merklinger plans to enter the transfer portal, making the void under center even bigger for the Volunteers.

With Leavitt off the board, who can the Vols go after?

That leaves Josh Heupel with just George MacIntyre (redshirt sophomore) and Faizon Brandon (true freshman) projected to be on campus by spring. Tennessee must add another signal-caller to meet NCAA roster obligations, making a transfer portal signing all but guaranteed.

With Leavitt off the table, expect the Volunteers to focus on the next two top QB prospects: Brendan Sorsby (Cincinnati) and Drew Mestemaker (North Texas). Still, the race for these two arms will be intense, and neither is a sure thing to enroll at the University of Tennessee. Heupel and company have a lot on their plates. This dramatic chapter is only another way in which Iamaleava’s transfer has come back to bite the Volunteers.