LSU quarterback Sam Leavitt was taken off the injury report today, clearing the way for him to start for the No. 7 Tigers at No. 8 Ole Miss. The game kicks off at 7:30 p.m. ET on ABC.
It was a quick turnaround. Leavitt was listed as doubtful Wednesday night, then upgraded to questionable Thursday night with what On3’s Pete Nakos reported as a sore throwing shoulder. He also took part in LSU’s walkthrough on Thursday. That fueled skepticism about how serious the injury really was, given the high stakes and Lane Kiffin’s return to Oxford. He’s also had a history of things like this in the past.
Ole Miss coach Pete Golding knows Kiffin better than anyone and said he expects to see Leavitt on the field, not backup Landen Clark. Golding said Kiffin texted him before the report went out to say the quarterback was out, to which he responded “Yeah buddy, I bet he is.”
Leavitt has two touchdowns and four interceptions through two games, including three picks in the first half against Louisiana Tech. Although the pass game hasn’t been great, Leavitt has been phenomenal on the ground with 5 rushing touchdowns and 135 yards rushing. Saturday’s matchup is a chance for the Arizona State transfer to change that narrative on one of the biggest stages of his career.
— Eric Palmer, TigerSources