Lane Kiffin Reloads LSU Through Transfer Portal, but Says the Real Work Starts Now
Lane Kiffin isn’t easing into his new role at LSU - he’s diving headfirst into the deep end of college football’s new reality: the transfer portal era. And if you’re wondering whether he and his staff are up for it, consider this - 43 new players, a No. 1-ranked transfer class, and a quarterback room that suddenly looks a lot more intriguing.
Speaking to the media for the first time since taking the job, Kiffin gave a candid look at what it took to pull together this massive roster overhaul. It wasn’t just about finding talent - it was about doing it in the middle of a whirlwind.
While LSU was preparing for a bowl game under the previous staff, Kiffin and his new crew were still wrapping up a playoff run at Ole Miss. Talk about juggling chainsaws.
“You’re trying to build a staff, keep the current players from jumping ship, and recruit - all at once,” Kiffin said. “It was uncharted territory for us.”
Still, the results speak for themselves. LSU landed the top transfer class in the country, according to both 247Sports and ESPN. Headlining the haul: quarterback Sam Leavitt from Arizona State - the top-rated player in the portal - and offensive tackle Jordan Seaton from Colorado, who brings elite upside to the trenches.
But Kiffin isn’t handing out championship rings just yet.
“We’ve got a really talented roster,” he said. “But does that mean we’re going to win games?
Not necessarily. Does that mean they’re going to be a great team?
No. We’ve got a lot of work to do.”
That message was delivered loud and clear in the team meeting room earlier that day, where Kiffin reminded his players that talent alone doesn’t win Saturdays in the SEC. Chemistry, buy-in, and hard work - that’s where the real battle begins.
And when it came to landing guys like Leavitt and Seaton, Kiffin didn’t just sit back and hope. He got on planes.
He showed up. He put in the miles.
“I don’t do well with no,” he said. “That just makes me more competitive.”
That mindset is part of what’s made Kiffin such a force on the recruiting trail. Whether it’s walking through Knoxville’s airport to make a pitch or using social media to connect with players and fans, he’s all in - and he doesn’t care if it ruffles feathers elsewhere.
“My job is to LSU,” he said. “To go sign the best players, however that has to happen.”
As for Leavitt, he’s still working his way back from a foot injury that cut his 2025 season short after seven games. Kiffin expects him to throw in spring seven-on-seven drills, though he’ll likely be limited when it comes to full-team reps.
That’s part of why LSU also brought in Landen Clark from Elon and Husan Longstreet from USC to shore up the quarterback depth chart. In Kiffin’s up-tempo offense, the quarterback is the engine - and spring ball will be the first real test drive for this group.
“Our offense is very much driven by the quarterback,” Kiffin said. “So we needed to make sure we had multiple guys ready to go.”
The countdown is already on. Kiffin’s first game at the helm comes September 5, when LSU hosts Clemson in what promises to be a high-stakes opener under the lights in Tiger Stadium.
Until then, it’s all about building - chemistry, culture, and a cohesive team out of 43 new faces. The portal gave LSU a shot of talent. Now it’s on Kiffin and his staff to turn that into something real.