College football's lone transfer portal window for the 2026 season has, for all intents and purposes, closed. Thousands of players entered and programs across the country vigorously filled needs -- and in some cases radically overhauled their roster. Even in a condensed two-week window, the movement left behind a wake of change. Some programs prioritized retention and leaned more heavily on traditional recruiting, a path that can still produce winning results.
LSU defensive coordinator Blake Baker is remaining with the program, coach Lane Kiffin said Friday on X. Baker, who has led LSU's defense the past two seasons, interviewed for head-coaching vacancies at Tulane and Memphis this week and was a strong candidate, sources said. But he instead will remain with Kiffin, who prioritized retaining Baker, one of the nation's highest-paid assistants at $2.5 million.
We thank Scott for the last six years of service as athletic director, said Scott Ballard, LSU's board of supervisors chair. He had a lot of success at LSU, and we wish him nothing but the best in the future. Our focus now is on moving the athletic department forward and best positioning LSU to achieve its full potential.