As LSU gears up for the Texas Bowl under interim head coach Frank Wilson, all eyes are already drifting toward what comes next - specifically, how Lane Kiffin plans to reshape the quarterback room in Baton Rouge. With the 2026 season on the horizon and a glaring vacancy at the game’s most important position, Tiger fans are watching the transfer portal like it’s the NFL Draft.
Right now, the quarterback depth chart is paper-thin. Michael Van Buren is the only scholarship QB currently expected to be on LSU’s 2026 roster.
That’s not just a depth issue - it’s a full-blown roster crisis. With no quarterbacks committed in the 2026 recruiting class and Emile Picarella III, a true freshman, listed as the only other QB on the Texas Bowl depth chart, Kiffin is heading into the portal with a clear mission: find not just one, but likely multiple quarterbacks who can lead this team.
And if Van Buren decides to enter the portal himself? That would leave LSU with zero scholarship quarterbacks - a scenario that would force Kiffin to go all-in on the transfer market just to field a functional depth chart.
This is where Kiffin’s reputation comes into play. He’s long been regarded as one of college football’s sharpest minds when it comes to quarterback development, and his work at Ole Miss only reinforced that.
Jaxson Dart blossomed into a top-10 NFL Draft pick under Kiffin’s watch, and Trinidad Chambliss - a former Division II quarterback - made a name for himself in his first year under Kiffin’s system. That kind of résumé matters, especially in a portal era where players are looking for coaches who can elevate their careers fast.
So who might Kiffin target? The portal is already buzzing with big names.
Nebraska’s Dylan Raiola, Arizona State’s Sam Leavitt, Florida’s DJ Lagway, and Cincinnati’s Brendan Sorsby headline a deep and talented group of signal-callers on the move. But don’t discount some of the less flashy - but still highly intriguing - options like Iowa State’s Rocco Becht or Michigan State’s Aidan Chiles.
Both bring upside and experience, and both could fit well in Kiffin’s quarterback-friendly system.
Then there’s the wildcard: Trinidad Chambliss. The former Ole Miss QB is now in the portal, and it wouldn’t be a shock if Kiffin tried to bring him along to LSU. He already knows the system, he’s proven he can play, and he could provide immediate stability while younger QBs develop.
But all of this hinges on how Kiffin wants to build his room. Does he go after a proven Power Five starter to take the reins immediately?
Or does he bring in a mix of experience and youth to foster long-term stability? Either way, the margin for error is razor thin.
With no current depth and no incoming freshmen, every move Kiffin makes in the portal will carry weight.
Van Buren, for his part, has shown flashes. He stepped in late in the season when Garrett Nussmeier went down with an abdominal injury, starting LSU’s final three regular-season games.
He’s expected to start the Texas Bowl on December 27, but what happens after that is anyone’s guess. If he stays, he could be part of the solution.
If he leaves, the urgency for Kiffin to land not just one, but two or more quarterbacks, becomes even more pressing.
This is the new normal in college football - roster building on the fly, with the portal as the main tool. But if there’s a coach who can handle that pressure, it’s Lane Kiffin.
He’s done it before. And now, he’ll have to do it again, this time in Baton Rouge, with a fanbase hungry for a quarterback - and a leader - to take LSU into its next chapter.