Transfer portal has rejuvenated LSU, Tulane sports

By Ed Daniels, Sports
Clarion Herald

The next time you hear that name, image and likeness and the transfer portal are ruining college sports, just laugh.

Especially if you wear purple and gold.

The transfer portal is itself responsible for one of the greatest years in the history of LSU athletics.

In the fall, quarterback Jayden Daniels, a transfer from Arizona State, was brilliant in a three-game stretch as LSU went from last in the SEC West to Division champions.

In those three games – on the road against Florida and at home against Ole Miss and Alabama – Daniels threw seven touchdown passes and ran for seven more.

Last week, in a spare moment at the office, I went to youtube.com to watch the last few minutes of the overtime win over Alabama all over again. It was almost as much fun as it was that unbelievably terrific Saturday night in Tiger Stadium.

In the spring, LSU won its first national championship in men’s or women’s basketball when the Lady Tigers defeated Iowa for the title.

LSU would have been a second- or third-round NCAA team without Angel Reese, but when the third team All-America at the University of Maryland decided to come to south Louisiana, the Tigers became champions.

Reese averaged 23 points and 15.4 rebounds. Her return, no doubt, influenced the decision of Louisville transfer Hailey Van Lith. Van Lith, an honorable mention All-America, makes LSU the preseason No. 1 next season.

The Tigers have a great chance to repeat.

And, there’s Paul Skenes and Tommy White. White, a transfer from North Carolina State, hit 22 homers on the way to Omaha, five more than any other Tiger.

Before Omaha, Skenes started 17 games, and LSU won 12 of them. He was the epitome of the Friday night starter, striking out 188 in 107 innings pitched.

LSU head coach Jay Johnson said to win in Omaha, you must have future major leaguers on your roster. Paul Skenes is a lock to be a Top Five selection and could be picked No. 1 overall.

The portal also aided Tulane University on its march to a 12-win season and Cotton Bowl championship.

Guard Prince Pines, from Baton Rouge, left Sam Houston State, to be one of the anchors of a vastly improved Wave offensive line.

Wide receiver Lawrence Keyes, of McDonogh 35, left Notre Dame and was a big play threat for the Wave all season.

Defensive tackle Patrick Jenkins, of John Ehret, had one of the signature plays in that Cotton Bowl win over USC, making a huge tackle in the Trojan end zone for a safety in the fourth quarter of Tulane’s comeback victory.

I don’t know about you, but this fall, I won’t watch less college football; I will watch more.

The game, a great, great game, is as compelling as ever.

The game still has all of the great traditions that we love while also showing us that change can be a superb thing, if you embrace it.

Many coaches don’t like the portal because they can’t control it.

But, the games are as good or better than they have ever been.

Especially in south Louisiana.

Ed Daniels is sports director of ABC26 WGNO. He can be reached at [email protected].