Kiffin's Bayou Blueprint: A First Look at LSU's 2026 Quarterback Depth Chart
With Sam Leavitt firmly at the helm, the Tigers' most important position appears set as the new staff builds its roster this spring.
A new era of LSU Football is officially underway in Baton Rouge, and it has a distinctly new flavor. Head Coach Lane Kiffin, who took the reins in December 2025, is working alongside his new coordinators, Charlie Weis Jr. on offense and Blake Baker on defense, to reshape the Tigers' identity during the Spring Ball & Recruiting 2026 season.
While many position groups remain a work in progress, the picture at quarterback is sharpening into focus. For this Depth Chart Thursday, the leadership structure of Kiffin's offense is clear: Sam Leavitt is the undisputed QB1. Leavitt has taken command of the offense throughout spring practices, establishing himself as the man to lead the Tigers into the fall.
Behind Leavitt, the Tigers have established their depth chart, providing a clear succession plan under Offensive Coordinator Charlie Weis Jr. Husan Longstreet is slated as the primary backup, with Landen Clark rounding out the top three on the depth chart. This structure provides both a clear starter for the present and developing talent for the future.
Though spring practices have been held, a date for a public Spring Game was not announced, leaving fans eager for a full-squad preview. With the quarterback position settled, Kiffin and his staff will spend the remainder of the summer solidifying the depth chart at other key positions as they prepare for the 2026 campaign.
Published 3 months ago
Staff
Staff writer for SEC Saturday Wire covering college sports.
Process Notes & Methodology
The article centers on the new coaching era under Lane Kiffin and uses the provided quarterback depth chart as the core piece of information. This perfectly aligns with the 'Depth Chart Thursday' theme by analyzing the most clearly defined position group on the roster.
The introduction hooks the reader with the significant news of Lane Kiffin's arrival as head coach, anchoring the piece in the most prominent fact from the team context. It immediately establishes the new leadership on both sides of the ball.
The body is constructed exclusively from the verified context about the quarterback room. It names Sam Leavitt as QB1 and details the depth behind him with Husan Longstreet and Landen Clark, directly reflecting the 'qb1' and 'qb_depth' data.
The conclusion pivots from the certainty at quarterback to the general uncertainty elsewhere on the roster. It uses the lack of a spring game date to create a forward-looking angle about the work still to be done before fall camp begins.
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