The transfer portal has officially closed, and LSU football has undergone a full-blown roster transformation. With over 37 players exiting the program, it’s been a whirlwind offseason in Baton Rouge-and Lane Kiffin has wasted no time reshaping his squad from the ground up.
The quarterback room was hit especially hard. After Garrett Nussmeier went down midseason with an injury, freshman Michael Van Buren stepped in and started four games.
He showed flashes of potential, but instead of sticking around, Van Buren opted to transfer to South Florida. His backup, Colin Hurley, also moved on-he’s headed to Michigan.
That left LSU with zero scholarship quarterbacks on the roster. Not exactly ideal for a team trying to reestablish itself in the SEC.
And the exodus didn’t stop there. Starting wide receivers Kyle Parker and Nic Anderson were among several pass-catchers to hit the portal, creating major holes in a receiving corps already looking for consistency.
Then came the offensive line-eight linemen entered the portal almost immediately after it opened. That’s not just a leak; that’s a full-on flood.
But Kiffin didn’t blink.
By Sunday night, LSU had signed 35 new players, a staggering number that speaks to both urgency and intent. At the center of it all is quarterback Sam Leavitt, a transfer from Arizona State who comes in with serious credentials.
Leavitt, a 6’2”, 205-pound sophomore, broke ASU’s freshman record for total offense with 3,328 yards and ranked second in school history in freshman passing yards with 2,885. He’s not just another arm-he was the No. 1 overall player in the transfer portal.
And if that sounds familiar, it should. The last time LSU brought in a quarterback from Arizona State, it turned into a Heisman-winning move with Jayden Daniels. Now, the Tigers are hoping lightning strikes twice.
Kiffin didn’t stop at Leavitt. He added former 5-star recruit and USC transfer Husan Longstreet, as well as Elon transfer Landen Clark, to reload the quarterback room. That’s a trio with upside and versatility, giving LSU multiple paths forward under center.
Of course, quarterbacks need targets-and Kiffin addressed that, too. LSU brought in 10 new wide receivers, including some names that could make an immediate impact.
Eugene Wilson III, formerly of Florida, was ranked the 12th-best wideout in the portal. He brings SEC experience and production, finishing last season with 27 catches for 239 yards and three touchdowns.
Then there’s Tre Brown from Old Dominion, who posted 762 yards and four touchdowns on 38 receptions. That kind of production translates, no matter the conference.
What Kiffin has done here is more than just plug holes-he’s reimagined the roster. It’s a bold approach, but given the state of the program after the mass departures, it was a necessary one. Now comes the hard part: turning all these pieces into a cohesive team.
With a reloaded quarterback room, a revamped receiving corps, and a roster full of fresh faces, LSU is entering a new era. Whether that translates into wins this fall remains to be seen, but one thing’s for sure-Lane Kiffin isn’t waiting around. He’s building his version of the Tigers, and it’s going to be fascinating to watch how it all comes together.