
Sam Leavitt’s Return to Lead LSU’s 2026 Football Ambitions
Ranked No. 25 by CFB HQ, Sam Leavitt returns from a Lisfranc injury to lead LSU’s revamped offense, backed by a strong supporting cast and a season‑opening showdown with Clemson.
Latest Slidescroller coverage mentioning Landen Clark across Football.

Ranked No. 25 by CFB HQ, Sam Leavitt returns from a Lisfranc injury to lead LSU’s revamped offense, backed by a strong supporting cast and a season‑opening showdown with Clemson.
The 2026 college football season is shaping up to be defined by a wave of transfer quarterbacks across the SEC, a trend that has already left its mark on the national stage. In the past two national championship games every starting quarterback was a transfer, and last year’s Heisman Trophy winner and runner‑up both arrived via the portal, signalling a seismic shift in how programs build their offenses.
LSU’s quarterback room for the 2026 season features three new transfers — Sam Leavitt, Husan Longstreet, and Landen Clark — each navigating injury, limited experience, and the pressure of a high‑stakes preseason competition.

After a single year at Louisiana State University, quarterback Emile Picarella has exited the program, while new additions like Kaden Martin signal a sweeping transformation led by coach Lane Kiffin.

After redshirting his freshman year, Emile Picarella has decided to move on from LSU, a program that once courted him alongside Ole Miss, Mississippi State and Kentucky. His departure coincides with the addition of Kaden Martin, son of LSU analyst Tee Martin, who brings a fresh arm to the quarterback room.

Emile Picarella, a top‑ranked Louisiana prospect, has left LSU after a redshirt season. The program also announced the addition of Kaden Martin, son of former LSU analyst Tee Martin.

The Southeastern Conference enters 2026 with a wave of new leadership, key player returns, and strategic shifts that could reshape the college football landscape.

Former Radford High School quarterback Landen Clark, now a member of the LSU Tigers, has come home to run a youth football camp, sharing his journey from Elon University to the SEC while aiming to guide the next generation.