72 hours ago, LSU was without a scholarship QB as the portal window moved toward its final days. It had been a series of swing and miss for Lane Kiffin. Brendan Sorsby visited Baton Rouge and chose Texas Tech. Trinidad Chambliss declined a reunion with Kiffin and Charlie Weis Jr. Demond Williams Jr. flirted with the portal and stayed at Washington. That is why the recent portal wins sparked a reaction of disbelief and respect.
“I genuinely don’t know what feels more improbable, landing Sam Leavitt after his visit ended so badly or adding Husan Longstreet after you added Sam Leavitt,” Matt Moscona said via 104.5 ESPN on January 14. “Lane Kiffin got them both. 72 hours ago you had zero scholarship quarterbacks. I said it was worth watching. I didn’t believe it was going to happen… Y’all, Lane Kiffin is the self-proclaimed portal king. Crown him. Crown him!”
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Matt Moscona’s point was not hyperbole. LSU had no leverage, no safety net, and no time. But Lane Kiffin still pulled off a turnaround that altered the program’s trajectory.
The reset began with Sam Leavitt, and it ended the panic immediately. Lane Kiffin landed the Arizona State QB on January 12, securing the top-ranked player in the transfer portal according to 247Sports. He was pursued by Miami, Tennessee, and Kentucky, and he visited each. He chose LSU late in the process, solving the program’s most urgent problem.
Looking forward, Sam Leavitt is the undisputed starter with two years of eligibility. He has thrown for 4,652 career yards on 61.4 percent passing with 36 touchdowns to 11 interceptions. In 2024, he led ASU to a Big 12 championship and a CFP appearance, throwing for 2,885 yards and 24 touchdowns as a redshirt freshman. He added 306 rushing yards and five scores this season before a season-ending injury.
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What followed is why Moscona’s disbelief resonated nationally. LSU added Elon QB Landen Clark the same day, then stunned the portal again by landing another highly coveted USC freshman one day later.
Husan Longstreet was a 5-star prospect in the 2025 class and one of the highest-rated QBs available. He played sparingly behind Jayden Maiava but flashed his upside in USC’s opener, going 9-for-9 passing with three total touchdowns. Adding a 5-star days after securing a veteran starter defied standard portal logic. But the reason it worked is simple.
QBs trust Lane Kiffin. They trust his system, his clarity, and his track record of development. LSU went from zero QBs to three in a week because the room was honest about roles. Sam Leavitt is the present. Landen Clark and Husan Longstreet are competing for the future. That trust brings us to the broader point the Tigers quietly solved.
Lane Kiffin’s $91 million bet was never about panic
LSU committed $91 million over seven years to Lane Kiffin, making him the second-highest-paid coach in college football. The contract was not about short-term portal wins. It was about offensive certainty. Jake Crain articulated that confidence on an On3 episode with Andy Staples earlier this month.
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“Stop worrying about the offense,” he said. “This guy does not produce bad offenses. He could go get a hobo out on the street to throw for at least 2500 yards and you guys average 30 points a game and it’s LSU. Don’t worry about it.”
The comment reflected a decade-long trend that explains why QBs follow Lane Kiffin. His Ole Miss QB Trinidad Chambliss is the blueprint. When he transferred from Division II Ferris State to Ole Miss, there was minimal attention. Now, he finished 2025 as SEC Newcomer of the Year after completing 66.4 percent of his passes for 3,660 yards, 21 touchdowns, and three interceptions, while adding 520 rushing yards and eight scores. The Rebels went 11-1 in his starts and reached the CFP semifinals.
Now, LSU’s QB crisis is over. The Tigers have hierarchy, competition, and continuity again. That is why Crain’s final projection landed differently once the dust settled.
“LSU will win a national title within the next four years,” he said. “LSU will win a national title with Lane Kiffin in the next four years. Stop worrying about stuff that you shouldn’t worry about.”
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The question now is not whether Lane Kiffin deserves respect in Baton Rouge. It is how quickly that respect turns into results.
The post Lane Kiffin Fixing LSU’s Biggest Problem Earns $91M Coach Much-Needed Respect From Baton Rogue appeared first on EssentiallySports.
