LSU just found another way to keep the roster churn going, and this time Lane Kiffin used a Louisiana court ruling to pull in another defensive end.
On Friday afternoon, Notre Dame transfer Junior Tuihalamaka committed to LSU, giving the Tigers another body for a defensive line that has already been turned over plenty this offseason. The move came after a Louisiana judge granted Temporary Restraining Orders to 16 players, allowing them to return to college football and enter the Transfer Portal.
For LSU, the timing fit the way this entire offseason has gone. The Tigers entered the year expected to be a College Football Playoff team, then crashed into a disastrous 2025 season that ended with Brian Kelly being fired. LSU answered by bringing in Lane Kiffin, who left Ole Miss at the end of the regular season and immediately helped reshape the roster in Baton Rouge.
That reshaping has not been subtle. LSU has pulled in a lot of pieces from Ole Miss, and reports have the program spending over $40 million on the team as a whole.
Tuihalamaka became the latest addition after the ruling opened the door for him to pursue a fifth year of college football. Pete Thamel reported the commitment on X, writing: "NEWS: Notre Dame transfer defensive end Junior Tuihalamaka has committed to LSU, per his agent Noah Reisenfeld of 21 Sports & Entertainment. Tuihalamaka is eligible for a fifth year of college football from the state court ruling in Louisiana on Thursday. pic.twitter.com/ILB4hJ1trV"
The addition gives LSU more depth up front after a defensive line overhaul that already included Princewill Umanmielen from Ole Miss, Jordan Ross from Tennessee and a trio of freshmen expected to see plenty of time at defensive tackle.
Notre Dame coach Marcus Freeman was asked about the possibility of bringing Tuihalamaka back, and he shut that idea down. Freeman said, "It's just too late in the graduate admissions process. And I don't think it would put a person in a good situation this late - school starts… pic.twitter.com/vkQjo52ylo"
The broader mess is still far from settled. Games are set to kick off in less than a week, and the ruling has now put another wave of players into the open market. The NCAA's move to the 5-for-5 eligibility rule has only added to the confusion, and this latest Louisiana decision may not be the last word, with pushback from the NCAA and the SEC still expected on whether these players should be allowed to suit up this season.
In Other News...
Michael Irvin's Notre Dame CFP Complaint Misses One Huge Reality
Michael Irvins gripe about Notre Dames College Football Playoff path taps into a familiar debate, but it leaves out the part of the bracket structure that matters most to Miami. Under the current rules, Notre Dame can lock up a playoff berth by finishing in the top 12 of the final rankings, a setup that has long fueled complaints from fans of teams chasing spots through conference play. It is the sort of wrinkle that can make a November matchup feel bigger than a single game.
Miami, though, is not boxed out by the Irish being in the mix. The ACC champion gets an automatic playoff bid, alongside the champs from the Big Ten, Big 12 and SEC, plus the highest-ranked Group of 6 champion, so the Hurricanes still control a different route into the field. Even if they stumble against Notre Dame, they can keep their postseason case alive by winning the league, which is why the real stakes in this discussion go beyond one complaint about one opponent. [Read more 🡒]
Notre Dame Could Be Facing A Defensive Line Decision It Wanted To Avoid
Notre Dames late-summer roster picture has picked up another layer of uncertainty on the defensive line, with Junior Tuihalamakas camp indicating the former Irish lineman intends to enter the transfer portal even though he has not officially done so. His path back to campus has already taken a detour, after a temporary restraining order allowed him and other players to return for a final college season and he received special approval to explore that option.
The Irish have discussed the possibility of bringing Tuihalamaka back, but the situation does not appear settled, and that hesitation could end up shaping his next move. For a program that would prefer clarity in the trenches before camp fully takes hold, the unresolved status of a veteran lineman is the sort of roster decision Notre Dame has been trying to avoid. [Read more 🡒]
Marcus Freemans Quincy Porter Update Keeps Pressure On Notre Dame Receivers
Quincy Porters return remains a little farther down the road for Notre Dame, even as the Irish move into the final stretch of their preseason work. The sophomore wideout underwent a minor procedure Aug. 21 to help his recovery from offseason surgery on his left patellar tendon, and Marcus Freeman said Porter is still a few weeks away from getting back, though he is improving. Porter has taken part in some drills, but in recent practices he has mostly been working on the side as Notre Dame gets ready for its season opener.
For a receiver group trying to settle roles and build rhythm, every rep matters, and Porters absence keeps the competition open a little longer. Freemans update suggests there is progress, but also a reminder that this is still a recovery process rather than a quick return, leaving Notre Dame to manage its depth chart while one of its younger pass-catchers works his way back into the mix. [Read more 🡒]