Within 6 weeks of becoming the head coach of Baton Rouge’s finest university, Lane Kiffin proved why he’s the best fit for the LSU Tigers by locking in No. 1 quarterback Sam Leavitt from the transfer portal, despite LSU being the least favorite early on. LSU athletic director Verge Ausberry couldn’t be more impressed with the decision.
On January 13, LSU Tigers AD Verge Ausberry sat down with Michael Cauble of WBRZ Sports and explained why Lane Kiffin is the perfect fit among all college football coaches for LSU: “You know, Lane is a football guy. He loves football, and I’ve been in the room with him when he’s been recruiting players back to us here and with recruits and their parents,” Ausberry said.
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LSU AD Verge Berry is basically saying that Lane Kiffin lives football. He’s seen Lane up close while recruiting, talking not just to players but also to their parents, and what stands out is how confident and knowledgeable he is. He admired how Lane Kiffin went out of his way to identify and lock in recruits, just like he did with Sam Leavitt.
Landing Leavitt was anything but easy. Lane Kiffin and his entire coaching crew definitely had to go the extra mile and then some to lock down Sam Leavitt, who was widely considered the absolute top signal-caller available in the transfer portal.
On the contrary, Leavitt wasn’t making it easier for Lane Kiffin and Co. The former ASU QB was making him run for his money. In fact, for a little while there, it really looked like LSU might not be the guaranteed favorite at all, especially with Miami and Tennessee in the race.
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For a split second, it felt like Lane was losing momentum with his recruiting after going behind Washington’s Demond Willaims. That had folks in Baton Rouge questioning Lane Kiffin’s ability. It fueled the fire for Kiffin to pull out all the stops and make a big push.
So, the LSU staff went into overdrive. Kiffin himself got personally involved, even jetting off to Tennessee to meet with Leavitt in person right after he had visited the Volunteers. The offensive coordinator, Charlie Weis Jr., was also flying around to help secure Sam Leavitt’s loyalty. It was an “all-day push” filled with aggressive, personal recruiting efforts.
Ausberry believes the Kiffin–Leavitt pairing will thrive because it mirrors what Kiffin has done before time and time again. To explain why, the LSU AD pointed to the contrast between Ole Miss and LSU during the 2025 season.
“I watched Ole Miss this year, and they were a physical team. Were they as talented across the board as other teams? No. LSU definitely had more talent this season. That was a game we could have won and probably should have won. With only a five-point difference. But that’s what Lane does—he believes in his players and gives them that same belief so they can compete at that level. That’s what I like about Lane Kiffin.”
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In short, Ausberry is betting on Kiffin to translate that same belief and results to Baton Rouge. To ensure his 2026 season mirrors the success he had in 2025, Kiffin wasted no time making the transfer portal his own dimension as usual.
Lane Kiffin’s portal activity so far
LSU football has absolutely crushed the transfer portal this season. Under Lane Kiffin, the Tigers have assembled the No. 1-ranked transfer class in the nation. Truth be told, many analysts had this coming. After all, his reputation precedes him.
Coming off an underwhelming 7–6 season under Brian Kelly. Kiffin understands that simply making the playoff is the bare minimum expectation at LSU. To match that standard, the Tigers had to completely revamp their roster as soon as possible. With 26 commits, including eight four-star transfers.
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The biggest get is obviously Sam Leavitt. LSU snagged some serious receiving talent with guys like Jackson Harris and Jayce Brown. Plus, they bought some stock in experienced defensive athletes like Jordan Ross (Tennessee), Stephiylan Green (Clemson) and Ty Benefield (Boise State). They really stacked up on impact players.
It wasn’t a perfect one-way street, though. About 30 players bounced. They lost their old starting QB, Michael Van Buren, and some key offensive line guys. It’s a bit of a shuffle, but the new guys coming in are hopeful upgrades to work in the trenches.
With that said, Tiger Nation can realistically expect a better chance of winning a national championship next season than they ever had under Brian Kelly.
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