LSU football QB Sam Leavitt is on fire. In LSU's last two games, Leavitt has completed 75.9% of his passes for 677 yards, eight total touchdowns, and no interceptions. In the same span, Leavitt's passer rating was 172.3, and he's averaged 8.2 yards per throw and 5.2 yards per rush.
This is exactly what LSU envisioned when it paid for the top-ranked quarterback in the transfer portal. Leavitt had some rough moments early in the year. He was turnover-prone and struggled to throw the ball from the pocket. Now, Leavitt is protecting the football and looks to be in complete command of the offense.
Leavitt is seeing the field and getting the ball where it needs to go. The veteran QB has been aided by the emergence of wideout Jackson Harris, who stepped
up when LSU tight end Trey'Dez Green missed a few games with a knee injury.
LSU heads into the bye with a 6-2 record. If Leavitt continues to play like this, LSU will contend for a spot in the College Football Playoff. Here are five stats that tell the story of Sam Leavitt's emergence at LSU.
Sam Leavitt leads the SEC with a 91.0 PFF grade
PFF grades are a good way to encapsulate a player's total performance. They aren't perfect, but the number is stable and relatively predictive of future performance. After Week 8, Leavitt leads the SEC with a 91.0 PFF grade. Leavitt was near the top of this list earlier in the season, too, even when the box score wasn't reflecting an elite level of play. That suggests Leavitt played better than critics suggested in September.
Sam Leavitt's passer rating vs. the top 35 defenses is the best in the SEC
Sam Leavitt's passer rating vs. the top 35 defenses (as classified by SP+) is better than any other QB in the SEC. Leavitt's overall passer rating is dragged down by three interceptions vs. Louisiana Tech, but for the most part, when LSU has played good defenses, Leavitt has been at his best. This bodes well for LSU with three of the best defenses in the SEC on the schedule for the next three games.
Leavitt has 25 total touchdowns
Leavitt has been the engine for this LSU offense, finding the end zone 25 total times. Seventeen of Leavitt's touchdowns have come through the air, and eight have been on the ground. Leavitt has totaled eight touchdowns in his last two games alone.
Leavitt's turnover-worthy play rate is just 1.3%
According to PFF, Leavitt's turnover-worthy play rate is one of the best in the nation. Leavitt leads the SEC with eight picks, but several of the interceptions were either tipped by defenders or off receivers' hands. Leavitt certainly deserves some blame for the turnovers, and he does have a tendency to be hazardous with the ball. However, Leavitt's interception total doesn't reflect the true quality of his play.
Leavitt adds .350 EPA/play, ranking second among SEC quarterbacks
Leavitt's .350 EPA/play is also among the best in the SEC. I believe EPA better reflects teams than an individual stat, but it's hard to post gaudy EPA numbers without elite quarterback play. This stat reflects the positive value Leavitt is providing to the LSU offense on a down-to-down basis.
This article originally appeared on LSU Wire: 5 stats define LSU football QB Sam Leavitt's jump forward
