BATON ROUGE — LSU's football season kicks off in less than three weeks with a Death Valley matchup against Clemson. Before the Sept. 5 season opener, head coach Lane Kiffin has spent the last several weeks preparing the team for his inaugural season in Baton Rouge. 

While Kiffin still sees LSU's defense as the more established side of the ball, he has been encouraged by the offense's progress, particularly quarterback Sam Leavitt.

“Our offense has started to improve. Sam has been awesome, and I don’t say that very often, but he made two throws back-to-back today that I call 'Adult throws.' Throws that not many people in the country can make. So really pleased with him, and now we got to make more plays around him.”

Leavitt entered the fall healthier than he was during spring practice, when his ability to move and throw comfortably was limited. Kiffin said getting a healthier version of his quarterback on the field has allowed LSU to see more of the player it initially evaluated on film.

“I think going through spring, where you know he couldn’t really push off and move around. That’s hard to throw, you know, and be in rhythm," Kiffin said. "Now you see all these things. So it’s like they’re new. We’d seen them on film, and then they were gone, and then they came back. And it’s just been great.”

The offensive line is a position group where Kiffin wants to see more depth emerge before the Tigers take the field against Clemson.

“It’s a concern, and something that you know is high on our list of concerns right now. And so we’ve got to continue to get guys better. They've got to improve, and so that we feel more confident with that.”

He says one player taking advantage of his opportunity up front is Bo Bordelon. After spending much of his LSU career in a reserve role, the fifth-year senior has worked his way into a bigger opportunity under the new staff.

“It’s really valuable when there is a guy who really hasn’t played as much as they thought or liked, and we come in with new eyes and a new system and give an opportunity, and they rise to the top.”

LSU still has more camp work ahead, but Kiffin and the Tigers will begin turning their attention toward Clemson next week.

"We will go through a mock week really with mostly Clemson focus, especially being a bigger opponent and someone that we’ve opened with over the years, and that will be really a mock week or the mock game, and go through all those, especially with a new team. From the hotel, to Saturday mornings, to everything, to the band.”

The preparation will allow LSU to iron out the details before the Tigers officially begin the "Kiffin Era."

“When we run out there on Saturday in Tiger Stadium, and outside of the fans, we've gone through everything.”

Kiffin was also asked about a recent temporary restraining order that could allow some former college football players to return to the sport and enter the transfer portal, including former LSU EDGE Jack Pyburn.

He declined to comment on the ruling, citing the number of unknowns surrounding the situation.

"Yeah, I think there’s a lot to that, and the questions that come from that. And so, you know, fair question, but I’m just not going to comment on any of it because there are just too many directions of questions that can go."

LSU will face Clemson in Tiger Stadium on Saturday, Sept. 5 at 6:30 p.m. and the game will air on WBRZ.