LSU football gets bad news, but it’s not surprising news
By Zach Ragan
LSU football received some not-so-great news on Tuesday.
But it wasn’t surprising news.
Sophomore quarterback Max Johnson announced that he’s entering the transfer portal.
LSU, Thank you for allowing me to pursue my academic and athletic career here. I have made strong relationships that will last a lifetime with coaches, staff and especially my teammates! With careful and prayerful consideration, I am entering the transfer portal.
— Max Johnson (@MaxJohnson14) December 8, 2021
Johnson is a former four-star recruit who signed with the Tigers during the 2020 recruiting cycle.
The Georgia native started the final two games of the 2020 season and led LSU to a 2-0 record. Johnson was set to battle Myles Brennan for the starting job in 2021, but Brennan suffered a broken arm before the season which made Johnson the de facto starter.
In addition to Johnson entering the transfer portal, his brother, 2022 four-star tight end Jake Johnson, also annoucned on Tuesday that he’s decommitting from the Tigers.
With much prayer and thoughtful consideration, I am de-committing from LSU. I am opening up my recruitment! I plan on early enrollment @Jakejohnson2022 @Max_Johnson_14 https://t.co/Zq4oWpdzj6
— Jake Johnson (@JakeJohnson19) December 8, 2021
LSU football losing Max Johnson felt inevitable
LSU was going to have three extremely talented quarterbacks on the roster in 2022 — Johnson, Garrett Nussmeier, and 2022 five-star Walker Howard.
In the age of the transfer portal, teams don’t often get to keep three stud quarterbacks. At least one of those quarterbacks usually ends up hitting the transfer portal. LSU learned this before the 2021 season when TJ Finley transferred to Auburn.
Johnson always felt like the most likely quarterback to hit the portal. Howard has already professed his love for new Tigers head coach Brian Kelly. And Nussmeier looks like the favorite to be the starting quarterback in 2022. Johnson probably felt like he’s running the risk of “wasting” a year in Baton Rouge.
The real downside here is also losing Jake Johnson. He’s the highest-rated tight end in the nation and would’ve been a major asset for LSU’s offense.
Next. Brian Kelly just gets it. dark
Unfortunately, this is college football in 2021. The portal takes and the portal gives. LSU, however, will be on their fair share of the good side of the portal as well.