LSU Safety Enters the Portal… Then IMMEDIATELY Comes Back | Plus a Shocking Staff Hire

LSU safety Dashawn Spears briefly sent shockwaves through Tiger Nation when he announced he was entering the transfer portal—only to reverse course a short time later. We’ve confirmed Spears is returning for his junior season and is expected to start at free safety, replacing AJ Haulcy in LSU’s secondary.

So what happened behind the scenes? Why did Spears enter the portal, and what ultimately led to him staying in Baton Rouge? We break down the full timeline and how his return stabilizes LSU’s safety room heading into 2026.

With the transfer portal set to open in one day, we take a position-by-position look at LSU’s roster, identifying where the Tigers are strong, where depth is a concern, and where portal additions will be necessary to compete at the highest level next season.

We also discuss Lane Kiffin’s controversial staff move, adding James Cregg from Ole Miss. Cregg previously coached at LSU but was fired for cause following recruiting violations in 2020. Why bring him back now, and what does this say about Kiffin’s approach to roster and staff building?

Portal drama, roster clarity, and a headline-making coaching decision—all packed into one episode.

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