Lane Kiffin has been making headlines nonstop in the college football world this past month. First, he led the Ole Miss Rebels to their first-ever College Football Playoff appearance. Then, in a surprising move, he left Ole Miss in the middle of the night and boarded a plane to Baton Rouge to become the new head coach of the LSU Tigers.
Since his arrival at LSU, Kiffin has been publicly discussing his former team while simultaneously hyping up LSU’s future prospects. With the 15-day transfer portal now open, he’s looking to make significant moves to strengthen the Tigers’ roster.
One of the most notable visitors to LSU recently has been star transfer portal quarterback Sam Leavitt, formerly of Arizona State. Additionally, Kiffin is linked to quarterback Demond Williams, who had previously signed a contract to stay with the Washington Huskies but announced on Tuesday his intention to enter the transfer portal. However, Washington is currently denying Williams the right to speak with other schools, citing a binding contract that they believe prevents him from transferring.
In another development, LSU’s best remaining quarterback, Michael Van Buren, has officially committed to a new school. Van Buren is set to be the starting signal caller for the South Florida Bulls next season. He made four starts for LSU this past season and, over 12 games, threw for 2,896 yards and 19 touchdowns. He also contributed six additional touchdowns on the ground.
Van Buren’s move comes after the Bulls’ starting quarterback, Byrum Brown, left the program to reunite with head coach Alex Golesh at Auburn in the SEC.
As Ole Miss prepares to face Miami in the CFP semifinals tomorrow during the Fiesta Bowl, the clock is ticking for Kiffin. The pressure is on for him to lock down a top-tier quarterback for the upcoming season. Meanwhile, Leavitt is expected to leave Louisiana soon to meet with SEC rival Tennessee.
The transfer portal will officially close on January 16, 2026, leaving teams and players a limited window to make their next moves in this dynamic off-season period.
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**More news:**
– SEC Rival Makes Play for Florida 5-Star QB DJ Lagway in Portal Race
– LSU Chases Sam Leavitt in Transfer Portal as QB Preps Shock SEC Rival Visit
https://www.newsweek.com/sports/ncaa/lsu-lane-kiffin-lose-transfer-portal-quarterback-to-south-florida-11324833
