Who is LSU's backup QB behind Sam Leavitt? What to know as starter's status in doubt
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LSU football already had a challenging task on its hands in Week 3 of the college football season as the Tigers prepared for Lane Kiffin's return to Oxford.
That difficulty level increased mid-week when uncertainty at quarterback started to rise: The Tigers listed starting quarterback Sam Leavitt as "doubtful" on their initial SEC availability report for the Week 3 top-10 showdown.
It remains unclear what type of injury Leavitt sustained, or when it occurred. Leavitt spoke to reporters after LSU's Week 2 win over Louisiana Tech and didn't indicate he had been hurt. The Arizona Stat transfer does have some injury history, however, including undergoing a season-ending foot injury last season with the Sun Devils. That procedure kept him out for the entirety of LSU's spring practice.
So with LSU set to take on Ole Miss at 7:30 p.m. ET on Saturday at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium, who are the Tigers' backups to Leavitt, and which of them will take the field for their first SEC start in the expected hostile environment in Oxford?
Here's what to know:
Who is LSU football's backup behind Sam Leavitt?
LSU's backup quarterbacks to Leavitt are Landen Clark and Husan Longstreet.
Clark has seen more snaps as Leavitt's backup this season, while Longstreet did not participate in the Louisiana Tech game after seeing some time in the Tigers' blowout win against Clemson.
Who is Landen Clark
Clark transferred to LSU from Elon over the offseason. He was listed as a three-star recruit in the transfer portal, according to 247Sports' Composite rankings, and the No. 64-ranked quarterback in the transfer class.
Clark started in all 12 games for Elon last season, throwing for a career-high 2,321 passing yards and 18 touchdown passes for the Phoenix. He added 11 rushing scores and 614 yards on the ground.
Here's a look at Clark's stats this season at LSU:
- vs. Clemson: 5-of-7 passing (71.4%) for 72 yards with a touchdown; four carries for 23 rushing yards
- vs. Louisiana Tech: 2-of-3 passing (66.7%) for 37 yards; three carries for 19 rushing yards and a touchdown
Who is Husan Longstreet?
Longstreet was a former five-star prospect in the 2025 recruiting class that included the likes of former LSU commit Bryce Underwood and Alabama quarterback Keelon Russell. He didn't see much playing time last season at Southern California behind Jayden Maiava, prompting his decision to enter the transfer portal, where he was one of the top-rated quarterbacks.
The 6-foot-1 quarterback was a four-star recruit and the No. 12-rated quarterback in the transfer portal according to 247Sports' Composite Rankings.
Here's a look at Longstreet's stats this season at LSU:
- vs. Clemson: 1-of-1 passing for 33 yards
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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Who is LSU's backup QB behind Sam Leavitt? What to know as starter's status in doubt
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