The LSU Tigers are going to push the ball down the field in 2026. The vertical passing game struggled mightily for the Tigers in 2025, and Lane Kiffin is looking to change that in his first season in Baton Rouge.
Lane Kiffin and LSU should be all-in on NC State OL Jacarrius Peak
As Kiffin continues building his 2026 roster via the transfer portal, his latest add comes in the form of former Old Dominion WR Tre Brown III. Brown is ranked as the No. 96 overall player in On3's Transfer Portal Player Rankings, as well as a top-25 wide receiver. This past season with Old Dominion, Brown hauled in 38 catches for a team-leading 762 yards and 4 touchdowns. He has 2 years of eligibility remaining.
Holding a 6'2", 180-pound frame, Brown is the second big-body WR has Kiffin has brought to LSU through the portal over the last few days. He signed former Hawai'i WR Jackson Harris on January 4, and he boasts a 6'3", 205-pound frame. With those signings, it's clear that Kiffin is making big play threats in the passing game a priority during the transfer portal season.
BREAKING: #LSU has landed a commitment from Old Dominion wide receiver Tre Brown III.
— Zack Nagy (@znagy20) January 5, 2026
The Top-25 wideout in the Transfer Portal reeled in 38 catches for 762 yards + 4 touchdowns across the 2025 season.
Lane Kiffin adds the 6’2, 180 pounds with 2 years of eligibility. pic.twitter.com/Gmm9IvNy6O
LSU desperate for big plays in the passing game in 2026
LSU's downfield passing game was severely limited in 2025. Garrett Nussmeier was battling a torso injury throughout the season, and it was clear that he wasn't able to push the ball down the field with the same effectiveness that he showed in the 2024 season. The big plays continued to be missing when Michael Van Buren took over as LSU's QB1 down the stretch as well.
On the season, LSU finished last in the SEC in yards per game (333.5) and 14th in points per game (22.8). Furthermore, the Tigers failed to score more than 25 points against an FBS opponent all season. Needless to say, Kiffin is looking to completely turn that around.
This past season, Brown averaged 20.1 yards per catch and Harris averaged 19.7 yards per catch - both of which ranked in the top-10 in the country for wide receivers.
Brown and Harris are great additions to an LSU receiving attack that also features star TE Trey'Dez Green. Green has emerged as one of the best red zone threats in all of college football, as his 6'7" 240-pound frame is a matchup nightmare for opposing defenses.
The additions of Brown and Harris put a clear plan in place. Stretching the field vertically with big-body receivers gives the LSU offense a dimension it desperately missed in 2025