Countless hearts were broken all over Coral Gables when 5-star transfer quarterback Sam Leavitt spurned the Canes and signed with LSU instead. Give credit to Lane Kiffin there, as he wasn't going to give up on landing his top target.
Miami reportedly paying Jackson Cantwell an eye-opening amount of money
Things ended up working out pretty great for Mario Cristobal, though, as Duke transfer Darian Mensah has signed with the Canes and he's ready to take over the offense for Carson Beck. Mensah will hit the ground running at spring ball, but the same won't be said for Leavitt in Baton Rouge. That's because Leavitt is still working his way back from an injury, with Kiffin confirming he'll be limited and likely kept out of 11-on-11 work:
New: Arizona State transfer QB Sam Leavitt signed with LSU.
— Shea Dixon (@Sheadixon) February 4, 2026
He's coming off an injury that cut short his 2025 season.
The latest injury update: Kiffin said he will "throw" and do "7-on-7", but probably not participate in "team stuff" this spring.
➡️: https://t.co/NQBvX5uk6S pic.twitter.com/9HyIEqVqAr
Darian Mensah is ready to make a splash with Miami this spring and fall
Sure, Leavitt was the top choice for Miami and no one is going to deny that. However, the fact that LSU is already dealing with a Leavitt injury concern isn't great. Spring ball is going to be used for Mensah to get into a quick rhythm with his receivers, while also learning the offense.
Him taking advantage of each and every session is going to be massive for when Week 1 gets here. LSU fans will be quick to bring up that Beck was limited last spring too and he helped power the Canes to the CFP title game - we get it.
However, Beck was far from perfect and the offense sure looked sluggish at times, which had people quite upset with offensive coordinator Shannon Dawson. That's something that can't be repeated, as Miami nearly missed out on the CFP in 2025.
There are still people who think Notre Dame should have gotten in, but we're going to respectfully disagree with that. Looking ahead to next season, Miami has what it takes to once again push for the CFP title thanks to all the returning talent and key transfer additions. The hunt for the glory will start this spring, and having Mensah be a full go could prove to be crucial.