Sam Leavitt Discusses Turnover Struggles, Message To LSU Offense After Loss

LSU quarterback Sam Leavitt spoke with reporters Tuesday about his turnover struggles this season, including a costly fumble in Saturday's 35-34 overtime loss to Kentucky.

"The fumble was brutal. That one really stung just because of the situation. I really should have just scrambled to the right," Leavitt said.

"I need to be a savvier player, not try to win the game on that play."

When asked about his interceptions this season, Leavitt said some of them have come down to bad luck.

"But the picks that have shown up, honestly, I hate to say it, but it's been pretty unlucky situations," he said. "Sometimes that's how the ball bounces."

Leavitt also discussed the importance of moving past mistakes and keeping the offense focused.

"I got to be that person, the catalyst for the team, especially the offense, and move on and not let things affect us like that."

Despite LSU's second loss, Leavitt said the message moving forward is to keep improving and not panic.

"Our offense has been getting better week by week," he said. "Just constantly improve is really the biggest thing."



Here are Leavitt's full quotes about the turnovers and his message to the team:

Q: What has the message been to the guys about turning the page to this week and what's still in front of you for the second half of the year?

Sam Leavitt: "Yeah, you know, after a loss, sometimes it's difficult because you look into situations like, what did we not do to win the game, or what did we do to lose the game?

"And sometimes, there's not too many coaching points, and there's not too many things to change. So I think it's difficult sometimes. You want to go back and go to work, but there's not necessarily so many things to change, and you don't panic.

"So that's kind of the message right now: just keep putting our heads down. Our offense has been getting better week by week. I'm not on the defensive side of the ball. They've been doing an incredible job all season. Nothing but faith in them there.

"But yeah, offense, just keep getting better. Every single day, what can you do to improve? Write goals on your sheet and go into practice with those goals, and just constantly improve is really the biggest thing."

Q: You mentioned the turnovers a little bit. From your perspective, what's been the common theme as you've gone back and looked at yourself throughout the last five or six weeks? What are some things you think you can do to eliminate those going forward?

Sam Leavitt: "Yeah, man, the fumble was brutal. That one really stung just because of the situation. I really should have just scrambled to the right. I thought about it actually going into the play, kind of tried to force a checkdown, and I was going up to pass it and it slipped out of my hand, or I think it got tipped.

"But that one was pretty brutal. There's not much you can say there other than don't jump and pass the ball, especially at that point in the game. I need to be a savvier player, not try to win the game on that play. I was trying to ice the game out in four-minute.

"But the picks that have shown up, honestly, I hate to say it, but it's been pretty unlucky situations. I was actually just talking to Coach Weiss the other day, and I think there was some grade on PFF that the most balls that I've thrown that are in an opportunity to get picked off, it's less than have actually been picked off. So sometimes that's how the ball bounces.

"And at the end of the day, I place everything in God's hands, and He has a plan for me.
Maybe, there's a parable called the Parable of Maybe. I don't know if you guys have heard of it, but it's like, all these picks are bad, maybe, because maybe that makes me transition my thought process and how I approach the game, and then I play better, and we win more games and things like that.

"So you've got to take everything for what it is. I don't necessarily say there's so many things. Maybe I get more depth in my drops, so I'm further away from the guard, so he doesn't make a play on my hand, and I can get the ball up and down better, so I don't sail it on a dig. Just for an example on the dig versus the Kentucky game.

"But yeah, sometimes the ball just doesn't bounce your way. I don't know how else to say it other than that."

Q: As a quarterback and a leader, how do you and the team around you flush those turnovers and move on, while making sure they don't happen again?

Sam Leavitt: "Yeah, it's really difficult, the balance of how do I approach the teammates after that versus get myself re-centered? Because they didn't throw the pick, so they're probably just upset in general, or like, dang, we just turned the ball over.

"But for me, I know it's my fault. So it's like, how can I get them going while then re-centering myself? So, go kind of take care of myself for a second, move on, flush it, and then go approach the guys and go get it the next drive.

"I can't remember what happened the next drive. I don't know if we went up and put points on the board, but I got to be that person, the catalyst for the team, especially the offense, and move on and not let things affect us like that.

"So it's always going to be a challenge every single game with every single situation. There's going to be different momentums and bigger situations in big games, and I got to be the one that's always going to be the equalizer there."