LSU’s largely rebuilt offense will have one more familiar face and productive piece back in the fold in 2026.
Rising junior running back Caden Durham is withdrawing from the transfer portal and returning to the Tigers, he announced Monday via social media.
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The 5-foot-9, 205-pound speedster from Duncanville High School (Texas) has been the program’s leading rusher the past two seasons with 1,258 yards and nine touchdowns on 251 carries even despite battling injuries.
He also proved a valuable receiving threat out of the backfield with a combined 351 yards and two scores on 44 catches thus far in his college career.
LSU had appeared poised to replace nearly all of its offensive production from this past fall aside from rising sophomore running back Harlem Berry and rising junior tight end Trey’Dez Green.
But Durham represents another huge retention victory in the midst of new coach Lane Kiffin also restocking the roster with 28 new transfer additions during the past nine days with the portal window still open through Friday.
Durham burst onto the scene in Baton Rouge as a true freshman with 12 appearances, including six starts, and 753 yards and six touchdowns on 140 carries and another 260 yards and two scores on 28 catches.
He followed that Freshman All-SEC performance with another 12-game, six-start campaign in which he carried 111 times for 505 yards and three touchdowns and caught 16 passes for 91 yards.
Now, Durham and Berry will have the opportunity to work with Kiffin, new offensive coordinator Charlie Weis Jr. and new running backs coach Kevin Smith.
LSU also landed Arizona State quarterback Sam Leavitt, the highest-ranked player in this year’s transfer portal, earlier Monday to headline the incoming class of college-experienced reinforcements.
The Tigers’ transfer class now includes 28 players as of midday Monday, including Leavitt, Elon quarterback Landen Clark, running backs Raycine Guillory (Utah) and Rod Gainey Jr. (Charlotte), nine wide receivers, four linemen and Pittsburgh tight end Malachi Thomas on offense.