Tag: LSU Transfers

LSU visits NC State transfer quarterback MJ Morris

Quarterbacks coach Joe Sloan reportedly made the trip to Raleigh on Wednesday night to meet with the transfer target.

While LSU seems to be confident in backup quarterback [autotag]Garrett Nussmeier[/autotag] taking over the starting role for [autotag]Jayden Daniels[/autotag] in 2024, the Tigers are looking at an inexperienced depth chart at the position next season.

Coach [autotag]Brian Kelly[/autotag] has not ruled out the team adding a transfer quarterback this offseason, and it seems the primary target is former NC State player [autotag]MJ Morris[/autotag].

The Tigers had reportedly already been in contact with Morris, and on Wednesday night, quarterbacks coach [autotag]Joe Sloan[/autotag] made the trip up to Raleigh to visit Morris at his apartment, according to a report from On3’s Pete Nakos.

Morris has appeared in nine games in two seasons for the Wolfpack, throwing for 1,367 yards, 14 touchdowns and six interceptions. He started at NC State this season, but after playing in four games, he opted to sit the rest of the year and preserve his redshirt season.

He will have three remaining years of eligibility.

As things currently stand, LSU’s quarterback room in 2024 comprises of Nussmeier — who has appeared in 17 games while attempting 174 passes in three seasons but has never made a start — as well as redshirt freshman [autotag]Rickie Collins[/autotag] and 2024 commit [autotag]Colin Hurley[/autotag], who is likely heading for a redshirt season as a true freshman after reclassifying from 2025.

While Nussmeier is likely to get his chance to lead this team after staying at LSU through Daniels’ tenure, it’s not surprising that LSU is looking to add another player with experience at the position.

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LSU is yet to lose a big name to the transfer portal

LSU has held its core intact so far despite the transfer portal opening.

Upon the transfer portal opening on Monday, over 1,000 names flooded the market.

In the case of LSU, the Tigers have avoided bad news thus far and are yet to lose a significant contributor from the 2023 roster.

As of Friday morning, six Tigers entered the portal.

  • RB [autotag]Armoni Goodwin[/autotag]
  • TE [autotag]Jackson McGohan[/autotag]
  • DL [autotag]Bryce Langston[/autotag]
  • CB [autotag]Laterrance Welch[/autotag]
  • DE [autotag]Quency Wiggins[/autotag]
  • RB [autotag]Tre Bradford[/autotag]

The running back depth takes a hit with Goodwin and Bradford out, but Goodwin didn’t see the field in 2023 as he continued to deal with injuries. Bradford made a big play to start the year with a catch and run against Florida State, but after that, he fell on the RB depth chart.

LSU’s losing a combined 22 snaps between its three offensive transfers in the portal.

As for the defense, the losses are slightly more significant. Welch is a former four-star recruit who saw a good bit of time in LSU’s thinned-out secondary. However, LSU opted to play true freshmen in place of Welch down the stretch, so his portal entry comes as no surprise.

Up front, LSU loses Wiggins and Langston. The two combined for 19 snaps this year, but could have had a shot at more time next year.

But they fit the profile of names you’d expect to hit the portal in this era.

You never want to see roster attrition, but to this point, LSU’s core is holding strong. We’re seeing schools across the country lose significant contributors. If you can hold on to those guys, it’s a win. LSU’s doing something right in that regard.

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Five areas LSU needs to address in the transfer portal

Here are some spots LSU football could address in the transfer portal.

Portal season is in full swing. After opening on Monday, a flurry of big names are already on the market.

Brian Kelly’s had some good and bad luck with the portal so far. [autotag]Jayden Daniels[/autotag] proved to be one of the better additions in portal history, but there were some misses last cycle when it came to rebuilding the defense.

LSU will have some holes to fill again this year, on both sides of the ball. The secondary will require attention again and some offensive stars will be off to the NFL.

Here are five needs LSU should address in the transfer portal.

LSU listed as a potential landing spot for former 5-star defensive lineman

The Tigers are one of many programs vying for former Texas A&M defensive lineman Walter Nolen.

On Sunday, former five-star defensive lineman Walter Nolen announced his intentions to leave Texas A&M. Nolen was the No. 1 overall player in the 2022 recruiting class out of Powell High School in Powell, Tennessee.

Lately, there has been a mass exodus of players from Texas A&M after the Aggies fired former head coach Jimbo Fisher. It seems like a new Aggie is hitting the portal every day.

Steve Wiltfong of 247Sports mentioned a few of the schools that are currently high on Nolen’s list and LSU was one of them. Tennessee and Michigan are the main two, just like they were when Nolen was in high school, but LSU, Georgia, Texas and Oregon are all in the running.

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LSU true freshman tight end enters the transfer portal

The Tigers lost one of their 2023 tight end signees on Wednesday.

LSU signed three tight ends in the 2023 class, but with [autotag]Mason Taylor[/autotag] only being a sophomore, some attrition following the season was expected.

We saw that on Wednesday as true freshman tight end [autotag]Jackson McGohan[/autotag] entered the transfer portal. A three-star prospect in the 2023 class from Miamisburg, Ohio, McGohan appeared in eight games during his first season in Baton Rouge.

Most of that action came on special teams, and he didn’t catch a pass.

LSU’s tight end outlook in 2024 still looks good. Taylor is expected to return, as are other 2023 signees [autotag]Mac Markway[/autotag] and [autotag]Ka’Morreun Pimpton[/autotag]. The Tigers also have a commitment from [autotag]Trey’Dez Green[/autotag], a Louisiana prospect who ranks as the top tight end in the 2024 class.

McGohan becomes the fifth LSU scholarship player to enter the transfer portal since the conclusion of the regular season.

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Brian Kelly not ruling out adding a transfer portal quarterback at LSU this offseason

While Garrett Nussmeier is likely to return, LSU could seek out a more experienced option in the transfer portal.

With star [autotag]Jayden Daniels[/autotag] set to move on following the 2023 season, LSU has a quarterback situation to figure out in 2024.

It will likely return [autotag]Garrett Nussmeier[/autotag], who has some experience and will be a redshirt junior, as well as redshirt freshman [autotag]Rickie Collins[/autotag] and incoming true freshman [autotag]Colin Hurley[/autotag].

While that group has talent, it does lack experience. There’s been some speculation LSU could look at adding a transfer quarterback, and it has reportedly been in contact with at least one in former NC State signal-caller [autotag]MJ Morris[/autotag].

When addressing the media on Tuesday, coach [autotag]Brian Kelly[/autotag] didn’t rule out the possibility.

“This is a world that we live in that has to be handled with transparency,” Kelly said. “If not, you’re going to find yourself without the right personnel. So if we were to ever do anything in the transfer portal relative to a quarterback, we’re talking to everybody in that room. We’re talking to recruits, we’re talking to everybody. It is about transparency, it’s about honesty and it’s about saying if we’re doing that, here’s why we’re doing it. And then making a decision and doing it.

“The most important thing here is what’s in the best interest of LSU’s football program. Not what’s in the best interest of a singular person. So everything we do in the portal is going to be to that end… This is not personal.”

Nussmeier could have certainly transferred last offseason with the opportunity to start, so his decision to stay at LSU is likely playing a factor in that decision. Still, the Tigers would enter 2024 with quite a few questions at the game’s most important position if they don’t seek out an experienced portal option.

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Former LSU receiver commits to rival Ole Miss

Former LSU receiver Deion Smith will be joining Lane Kiffin at Ole Miss.

A former LSU receiver finally found a new home on Monday.

[autotag]Deion Smith[/autotag], a former four-star recruit, committed to Ole Miss. Smith began his career at LSU in 2021 before transferring and spending the next two years at the JUCO level.

Smith was a member of LSU’s deep receiver class in 2021, that also included [autotag]Malik Nabers[/autotag], [autotag]Brian Thomas Jr.[/autotag], [autotag]Chris Hilton[/autotag] and [autotag]Jack Bech[/autotag].

At LSU, Smith appeared in six games, catching 11 passes for 186 yards and two touchdowns.

Smith left LSU after some academic issues boiled up but showed promise on the field when he got his chance.

His most impressive highlight came against Central Michigan, leaping over a defender to make the catch inn the back of the endzone.

As a recruit, Smith was the top-ranked player in Mississippi and the eighth-ranked receiver nationally. He now gets back to SEC ball, joining Lane Kiffin’s high-powered offense at Ole Miss.

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Report: LSU pushing Purdue for Notre Dame offensive line transfer

Joey Tanona medically retired in 2022, but the former four-star recruit is attempting a comeback.

The Tigers are likely to take a more conservative strategy this offseason as it relates to the transfer portal than they have the last two years, but there are still some portal players they’re trying to land.

One of them is [autotag]Joey Tanona[/autotag], a former Notre Dame offensive lineman whom [autotag]Brian Kelly[/autotag] recruited to South Bend. A former four-star prospect in the class of 2022, the Zionsville, Indiana, native never appeared in a game for the Fighting Irish.

He medically retired in August 2022 as a result of a car accident on the way to a workout, but now after missing the last two seasons, he’s attempting a comeback.

Tanona entered the transfer portal, and in-state Purdue is the favorite having received a Crystal Ball projection from 247Sports’ Steve Wiltfong on Monday morning.

However, Wiltfong would later report that LSU is in the mix for Tanona as well, and while he still likes the Boilermakers, there could be a surprise in store here.

Tanona will have three remaining years of eligibility at his next stop and will have a decent chance to petition the NCAA for a fourth year, given the fact that he has never played in a collegiate game.

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LSU defensive lineman enters the transfer portal

The Tigers lost another depth piece on defense Sunday night.

LSU hasn’t seen a ton of departures to the transfer portal so far, but it has lost a few depth pieces.

It suffered another loss on Sunday night as defensive lineman [autotag]Bryce Langston[/autotag] announced that he would be entering the portal, which officially opened at midnight on Monday.

A former four-star recruit and top 200 prospect in the 2021 class who signed under [autotag]Ed Orgeron[/autotag], Langston hasn’t seen a ton of action during his time in Baton Rouge. In three seasons, he’s appeared in just four games for the Tigers, totaling three tackles.

Two of those came in his lone appearance this fall in LSU’s 72-10 home opening win over Grambling.

Langston becomes the fourth scholarship player to enter the portal, joining running backs [autotag]Armoni Goodwin[/autotag] and [autotag]Tre Bradford[/autotag] as well as cornerback [autotag]Laterrance Welch[/autotag].

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Former Vanderbilt receiver could be portal target for LSU

LSU needs to rebuild at receiver. Will Sheppard could be a potential target.

As of midnight on Monday, the transfer portal is officially open. It’s set to be another chaotic year, with several big names already in the portal and more expected to join.

One of those names that could interest LSU is former Vanderbilt receiver [autotag]Will Sheppard[/autotag].

Sheppard is from Mandeville, Louisiana, and was a three-star in the class of 2020. LSU tends to be active in the portal when it comes to Louisiana natives.

And with [autotag]Malik Nabers[/autotag] and [autotag]Brian Thomas Jr.[/autotag] likely off to the NFL, LSU will be in the market for some experience at wide receiver.

Sheppard ranks 13th among SEC receivers with 684 yards and is tied for third with eight touchdowns.

Last year, Sheppard ranked second among SEC receivers with nine touchdowns and has racked up 21 touchdowns over the last three years.

At 6-foot-3 with decent speed, Sheppard is a receiver who can fit multiple bills for LSU. There could be some intrigue here as LSU looks to reload at receiver.

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