Sam Leavitt's Injury Status Creates Uncertainty for LSU-Ole Miss Showdown
Quarterback Sam Leavitt listed as 'doubtful' on SEC injury report ahead of Lane Kiffin's return to Oxford.
LSU quarterback Sam Leavitt has been listed as 'doubtful' for Saturday's game against Ole Miss, a development that injects significant uncertainty into the highly anticipated SEC matchup. The status of Leavitt, who threw for 366 yards and four touchdowns in the previous week's win over Louisiana Tech, was revealed on the SEC's official availability report.
This designation comes as a surprise, as head coach Lane Kiffin did not mention any injury concerns regarding Leavitt during his press conference on Monday. Sources indicated to OutKick that Leavitt participated in limited practice on Wednesday due to an upper-body injury. The official SEC injury report defines 'doubtful' as 'unlikely to play due to significant concerns.'
The SEC began requiring availability reports several years ago, with initial reports released three days before a game. Subsequent updates are provided on Thursday and Friday, with a final report due 90 minutes before kickoff. Teams can face fines for failing to adhere to this protocol, and penalties can be imposed for gamesmanship concerning these reports.
Leavitt's designation raises questions about his availability for the game, which marks Lane Kiffin's return to Oxford as LSU's head coach. The situation will continue to be monitored as Kiffin is scheduled to hold his coaches' show on Thursday night before the team travels to Oxford on Friday.