By GLENN GUILBEAU, Tiger Rag Editor
New LSU football coach Lane Kiffin became known for finding underrated Transfer Portal talent that then blossomed under him while Ole Miss head coach from 2020-25.
That is the hope for redshirt freshman transfer running back Rod Gainey Jr. of 1-11 Charlotte, which finished 0-8 in the American Conference last season with Gainey leading the team in rushing with 260 yards on 74 carries with one touchdown while catching 16 passes for 44 yards.
Gainey (6-0, 185 pounds) is not ranked as a portal prospect by 247sports.com or On3.com. He was a three-star prospect at Tampa Bay Tech High in Tampa as the No. 151 player in Florida and No. 85 running back in 2024.
But then again Trinidad Chambliss became one of the best quarterbacks in the nation in 2025 at Ole Miss after signing with Kiffin and the Rebels last year as the No. 843 player in the portal and No. 60 quarterback out of Division II Ferris State in Grand Rapids, Michigan.
And Kewan Lacy is one of the top running backs in the country this season at Ole Miss after signing with Kiffin as the No. 18 running back in the portal and No. 277 prospect overall from Missouri.
Gainey followed two other much higher ranked portal commitments to LSU earlier Tuesday – No. 2 safety Ty Benefield, a junior from Boise State, and No. 6 defensive lineman Stephiylan Green, a redshirt sophomore from Clemson.
LSU has seven portal commitments in all. The first four were No. 31 wide receiver Jackson Harris of Hawaii, No. 75 running back Raycine Guillory of Utah, No. 34 tight end Malachi Thomas of Pittsburgh and No. 23 wide receiver Tre’ Brown III of Old Dominion.
Kiffin and the Tigers are hoping for a commitment from the No. 1 player in the entire portal and No. 1 quarterback Sam Leavitt of Oregon State. Leavitt has been in Baton Rouge since Monday.
The portal window began on Jan. 2 and runs through Jan. 16.
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