The college football transfer portal has been open for a few days now, and Lane Kiffin is still searching for his quarterback. Michael Van Buren decided to enter the portal over the weekend, which means LSU has zero scholarship quarterbacks on the roster for 2026 at this time. Kiffin was zeroing in on former Cincinnati QB Brendan Sorsby, but he has not decided to play elsewhere next season.
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On Sunday night, Sorsby announced that he will be heading to Lubbock to join the Texas Tech Red Raiders next season. Sorsby had visited both Texas Tech and LSU over the weekend, with the Red Raiders ultimately winning him over. Sorsby is ranked as the No. 1 QB in the portal by Saturday Blitz, and would have been a great fit in Kiffin's offense.
— Brendan Sorsby (@Brendan_Sorsby2) January 5, 2026
Sam Leavitt expected to visit LSU this week
After missing out on Sorsby, Kiffin and LSU have a new plan in place. According to On3, LSU is expected to host former Arizona State quarterback Sam Leavitt this week. More specifically, ESPN's Pete Thamel has reported that Leavitt's visit to Baton Rouge is scheduled to take place on Monday morning.
NEW: LSU is expected to host star Arizona State transfer QB Sam Leavitt this week, @SWiltfong_ & @PeteNakos report🐯
— On3 (@On3sports) January 5, 2026
Intel: https://t.co/zGD21IXmfN pic.twitter.com/2EUZUQMeEZ
Leavitt is one of the best players available in the portal, as he is ranked as the No. 2 player on the market by On3. At this time, it appears that LSU's main competition for his servies is the Kentucky Wildcats. Leavitt's first visit after the portal opened was to Lexington, and it appeared to go well.
With two years of eligibility remaining, Leavitt would be a great get for Kiffin and the Tigers. Not only is LSU in major need of a QB, but Leavitt's dual-threat skill set could fit in very nicely to Kiffin's offensive scheme. Kiffin and new LSU offensive coordinator Charlies Weis Jr have a reputation for building elite offenses, and Leavitt could be the right man for the job.
Leavitt spent the 2023 at Michigan State before transferring to Arizona State. He led the Sun Devils to a historic 2024 campaign, which resulted in a Big 12 Championship and a spot in the College Football Playoff. In his career, Leavitt has thrown for 4,652 yards and 36 touchdowns with 11 interceptions. He's also racked up 816 yards and 10 touchdowns on the ground.