Sam Leavitt had already been sacked three times as the Rebels repeatedly found ways to break through LSU’s offensive line.

Updated on: Sep 20, 2026, 08:08:39 IST

Prefer HTon Google

Share via
Copy link

The opening half at Oxford could hardly have gone as planned for Sam Leavitt and the LSU Tigers.

Sam Leavitt had a tough first half vs Ole Miss

LSU went into halftime trailing Ole Miss 24-7, with Leavitt spending much of the night under heavy pressure. The 21-year-old quarterback had already been sacked three times as the Rebels repeatedly found ways to break through LSU’s offensive line.

Even when Leavitt had time to throw, he struggled to make an impact. Several of his passes were off target or came in behind his receivers, while LSU failed to produce many big plays through the air. He finished the first half 9-of-14 for just 51 yards with no touchdowns, averaging only 3.6 yards per attempt.

Deep Dive

Powered ByAsk

Leavitt’s struggles did not go unnoticed by LSU fans, with social media quickly filling with reactions to his performance.

Fans raise concerns over Leavitt

One user questioned whether the quarterback was making the most of his role, writing, "Does Sam Leavitt know he’s the QB? "

Meanwhile, journalist Joe Schad added to the speculation surrounding Leavitt’s condition by questioning whether the LSU quarterback might be dealing with an injury.

“Could Sam Leavitt be playing hurt?” he wrote.

One X user responded to Schad’s post by questioning why Leavitt was taking off and absorbing hits if he was potentially playing through an injury. "Then shouldn’t he be throwing instead of running and taking hits?"

Another user appeared to agree with that assessment, replying: “That’s what it looks like.”

An X account tweeted, “Sam Leavitt looks awful”

A fan highlighted what they saw as one of Leavitt’s biggest issues, criticizing his tendency to leave the pocket too quickly even when the offensive line gave him enough time.

"Sam Leavitt continues to make these absolutely insane backyard plays but he’s leaving the pocket WAY too early, even when the #LSU OL does hold up at times."

LSU football insider Preston Guy also pointed to Leavitt’s struggles with keeping his eyes downfield while looking for open receivers.

“Sam Leavitt refuses to keep his eyes down field. I simply do not know how you play QB in this league if you are looking for your open WRs down field. ”

Leavitt’s injury status shifted throughout week

Leavitt’s availability had already been a talking point throughout the week after LSU listed him as doubtful on its first injury report. The designation raised questions about whether the 21-year-old quarterback would be able to take the field against Ole Miss.

Those concerns were eventually resolved on Saturday, when Leavitt was removed from the SEC’s injury report and officially cleared to play ahead of kickoff.

His status shifted several times over the course of the week. LSU initially designated him doubtful on Wednesday before moving him to questionable on Thursday. By Friday, the quarterback had been fully cleared, putting an end to the uncertainty surrounding his availability.

See Less