The college football transfer portal has been open for a week now, and Lane Kiffin is still searching for his quarterback. LSU currently has zero scholarship quarterbacks on the roster for 2026, and Kiffin's top choices up to this point have either decided on other schools or remain undecided.
LSU's defensive line gets major boost with signing of former 5-star EDGE Jordan Ross
After missing out on Brendan Sorsby, Kiffin turned his attention to Sam Leavitt. The former Arizona State QB visited Baton Rouge earlier this week, but left without a deal in place. He has since visited Tennessee, and is now set to visit Miami (FL).
News: Arizona State transfer QB Sam Leavitt is expected to visit Miami later today, per @PeteThamel pic.twitter.com/fbbfPHN1vx
— CanesMuse (@canes_muse) January 9, 2026
Kiffin's handling of Leavitt's portal recruitment has been bumpy, and there could still be some injury concerns for the former Sun Devil gunslinger. However, he remains the top transfer QB still available on the market, and LSU fans are waiting with bated breath to see what he decides.
But it now seems that there is a very real possibility that Leavitt passes on LSU. Along with LSU, he has visited Kentucky, Tennessee, and now Miami. If Leavitt chooses to go elsewhere, here are 3 backup options Kiffin could pursue in the portal.
Dylan Raiola
Aside from Leavitt, Nebraska's Dylan Raiola is arguably the biggest name still on the market. He is ranked as the No. 5 QB in the portal by Saturday Blitz, and has already thrown for nearly 5,000 yards in his collegiate career. Raiola is efficient and accurate, owning a strong 69.1 completion percentage on 660 career pass attempts through 2 seasons at Nebraska.
During his freshman season in 2024, the former 5-star recruit led all FBS freshmen and broke Nebraska's freshman record with 2,819 passing yards. His strong play led the Huskers to their first bowl game since 2016. His 2025 season didn't go as planned, as he suffered a season-ending broken right fibula in November.
Kiffin seems to be prefer mobile QBs, something that Raiola is not. His sack avoidance is almost non-existent, and he rarely eludes the pocket to make plays with his legs. A Kiffin/Raiola partnership would make for an interesting fit, but the potential is there for the former Cornhusker gunslinger to have an impact.
Beau Pribula
Beau Pribula spent 2 seasons at Penn State backing up Drew Allar before leaving for Missouri. In his first full season as a starter, Pribula threw for 1,941 yards and 11 touchdowns with 9 interceptions. He also added 297 yards and 6 scores on the ground.
Pribula missed 2 games with a dislocated left ankle in the second half of the season, but fought his way back to return to the field earlier than expected. He is tough and has good size, which makes him tough to bring down both in the pocket and when improvising.
Pribula could be a great RPO fit for Kiffin's offense. He most likely isn't going to dazzle with his downfield throwing ability, but is more than capable of running a well-balanced offensive attack.
Landen Clark
One under-the-radar player that Kiffin is already eyeing is Elon QB Landen Clark. Clark was an FCS All-American this past season as a redshirt freshman, throwing for 2,321 yards and 18 touchdowns with 8 interceptions. He possesses elite arm talent, and can also make plays with his legs. He added 614 yards and 11 touchdowns on the ground in 12 games in 2025.
LSU has already extended an offer to Clark, and he is slated to be on campus on Friday and Saturday. The Michigan Wolverines also appear to be firmly in the mix, as Clark visited Ann Arbor earlier this week.
Kiffin experienced great success with Division II transfer Trinidad Chambliss from Ferris State this past season at Ole Miss, and perhaps he can strike gold again with Clark, this time from the FCS level.