Sources confirm every twist and turn in the chaotic process that led Sam Leavitt to land with Lane Kiffin and LSU
Unpacking the chaotic backstory for how the LSU Tigers landed top transfer portal quarterback Sam Leavitt.
It was a long and slightly chaotic process, but former Arizona State quarterback Sam Leavitt has officially signed with head coach Lane Kiffin and the LSU Tigers.
Leavitt was considered the top overall player and signal caller available via the transfer portal, according to 247 Sports. The LSU fanbase should be very excited for what the 6-2, 205-pound passer can accomplish in Baton Rouge.
With programs such as Miami, Tennessee, Texas Tech, and Kentucky pursuing the redshirt junior passer before and since the portal opened on Jan. 2, there were a lot of twists and turns, tons of money, and some bizarre negotiations throughout. At different points, it didn’t look like LSU would land Leavitt. When you break it down, this may have been one of the more chaotic portal processes we have ever seen.
It almost feels like Leavitt and Kiffin were made for one another, a perfect marriage, each adoring the spotlight and some occasional drama. After talking with multiple sources, both around the LSU program and others who are a bit more detached but in the know, here is how the puzzle all managed to fit together. It was a wild ride.
Initial interest in Sam Leavitt
Leavitt was linked to LSU from the beginning. His skill set seems a great fit in the Kiffin offense, keeping things simple while also utilizing the natural physical tools a quarterback possesses. While inconsistent, Leavitt has shown that he can be a productive signal caller over the last two seasons. During that stretch, Leavitt threw for 4,513 yards and 34 touchdowns, while adding another 749 yards and 10 scores on the ground. The talent is easy to see when you pop on the film.
With things seemingly in a solid place, most wondered what the hold-up was between Leavitt and the Tigers. The answer seemed to be former Cincinnati quarterback Brendan Sorsby, a talented quarterback that the LSU program made a strong push for.
That interest only drove up the price tag for Sorsby with Texas Tech, eventually signing with the Red Raiders. During that courting of Sorsby, Leavitt was still looking around, including Kentucky with its new head coach, Will Stein. That was a strategic move by the Leavitt camp to keep options open.
As soon as Sorsby was off the board, things once again got serious with Leavitt. Kiffin and the Tigers staff quickly got him on campus in Baton Rouge. Once again, it looked like it was just a matter of time.
The Demond Williams Jr. saga
While Leavitt and his support system were on campus at LSU, the family toured the campus and the facilities. Leavitt also had the chance to check out an LSU basketball game with Kiffin and a couple of other staff members, eventually ending with dinner. That is where things got messy, and quickly.
During that dinner, news broke that Washington quarterback Demond Williams Jr. was potentially entering the transfer portal. LSU was quickly linked to the talented dual-threat signal-caller, with reportedly more than $6 million on the table. When the Leavitt camp got wind of the news, it was not well received. According to a source, that incident led to a shouting match during dinner and ended with the Leavitt family walking out. There had been some breaks in negotiations between Leavitt and LSU, which was a big reason for the Williams push.
Leavitt’s brother had been a big part of these negotiations and the entire portal process. From what I can gather, he has a big influence on the decisions that Sam makes. He is said not to be the easiest person to deal with or negotiate with from the program’s perspective. That led to several holdups in this entire process, not just with LSU.
Once the Williams portal entry fell through due to legal action because of the talented quarterback having already re-signed with the Huskies, things got weirder in a hurry. We saw Williams change his representation, and he opted to return to Washington to bypass those legal disputes. It was a wild 24 hours last week, and now LSU needed to make another pivot.
A desperate move from a desperate Kiffin
Following that fallout, Leavitt and his camp were left to change course. Their relationship with LSU was believed to be fractured. They made the trip to Knoxville, Tennessee, and visited with head coach Josh Heupel and the Volunteers. With LSU now conceivably out of the picture, this felt like the perfect time for the Vols to swoop in. The multi-day visit reportedly went well, and they were viewed as a real contender for a hot minute.
Leavitt had one more visit planned from there: The Miami Hurricanes. With head coach Mario Cristobal and the Hurricanes having so much success, including with back-to-back transfer quarterbacks in Cam Ward and Carson Beck, there was sure to be some natural attraction. Miami also doesn’t have a legitimate successor to Beck in that room right now, which means the transfer route is also the most likely.
The night before departing Knoxville, Kiffin made a move out of desperation to get back in the game with Leavitt. He had been smoothing things over behind the scenes, but the LSU side knew it needed to make its final pitch in person before Leavitt departed for Miami. Kiffin did just that, and things could not have gone any better. By the end of that night, LSU was not only viewed as the frontrunner again, but multiple sources believed that this was a done deal. I had reason to believe that the trip to see Cristobal may not even happen.
What was the hold-up?
I was told that Leavitt told the LSU staff that he was committing to the Tigers. One source even believed that Leavitt had officially signed, although that appears unlikely given that he decided to make that final trip to Miami. I was also told that whether Leavitt committed to the Tigers, Vols, or anyone else prior, there was an intent to make every visit. So that trip to Miami was always going to happen.
Just a day or so after that trip to Miami concluded, reports started coming out that LSU was the team to beat. Then those reports were quickly upgraded to him being committed. It appears that Tennessee made a last-ditch effort to get Leavitt to change his mind, but I was told it was never likely to happen. Although it felt drawn out and tiresome by the end, this deal had been in progress for several days. It was only a matter of time until his announcement to LSU was official.
Tennessee Volunteers News
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