Marty Gordon
NRVsports@mainstreetnewspapers.com
Lane Kiffin takes over the LSU football program looking not only for a new identity but also a new quarterback.
Sam Leavitt has transferred from Arizona State but has yet to be healthy after an injury last fall and has not taken a snap in spring practice.
Kiffin has said as Leavitt goes so will his team’s offense, but in the meantime this spring former Radford High School and Elon University transfer Landen Clark is taking most of the first team snaps. He, along with Husan Longstreet, is running the offense in Leavitt’s absence.
This past week, Clark looked sharp, completing several passes including a 20-yard touchdown to junior tight end Trey’Dez Green. Kiffin said the extra work for the QB’s, including Clark, will benefit the team as they move forward.
“Well, for them it’s great because they get so many extra reps,” Kiffin said. “You know, basically like everything in life, there’s a cost, and there’s a benefit to everything that happens. And so, you know, obviously, we would love to have Sam and love to have him taking all the team reps fully healthy. But because he’s not, it benefits them. And they’ve done a really good job with that. And it makes them show up because now they’re up there with the ones.”
Leavitt started seven games at Arizona State last year, completing 145 passes for 1,628 yards and 10 touchdowns.
In September, he suffered a foot injury undergoing season-ending surgery to repair the foot. His recovery has lingered, thus allowing Clark to receive more field time with the first team.
As a senior in 2023, Clark led the Bobcats to a perfect 15–0 record and the program’s first VHSL Class 2 state championship in 51 years, defeating Riverheads 39–21 in the title game. Clark accounted for over 4,300 total yards and 71 touchdowns that season.
He was named Class 2 Offensive Player of the Year by the VHSL, and a two-time region Player of the Year. During his junior year, he accumulated over 3,300 yards and 52 touchdowns while leading the team to a 10–2 record.
Clark committed to Elon University in 2023 and enrolled in 2024.
As a true freshman at Elon University in 2024, he appeared in four games, rushing for 11 yards on four carries.
In 2025, as a starting quarterback, Clark completed 155 of 277 passes (56.0%) for 2,321 yards, 18 touchdowns, and eight interceptions. He added 614 rushing yards and 11 touchdowns on 189 carries, accounting for 29 total touchdowns. He earned three CAA Rookie of the Week honors, was named CAA Co-Offensive Rookie of the Year, and was a finalist for the Jerry Rice Award (FCS freshman of the year). He also received third-team Freshman All-American honors from Phil Steele magazine.
In January, Clark transferred to LSU and was Kiffin’s first transfer QB with three years of eligibility.
So for now, Clark has Kiffin and his staff’s main attention before LSU’s spring game, where he will continue time with the first team.
