LSU is trying to build its roster for the 2026 season, and new head coach Lane Kiffin just added a massive piece to his first secondary with the commitment of Boise State defensive back Ty Benefield.
The 6-foot-2, 204-pound Benefield is an Irvine, Calif., product, so he’s not just coming a long way to Baton Rouge and the SEC from Boise State, he’s a West Coast kid who’s choosing to continue his collegiate career with Kiffin.
Both head coach and player will be starting fresh in 2026 at LSU, and on Tuesday morning they had a chance to pose together in celebration of Benefield’s arrival from Boise State. Benefield posted the picture with his new coach on his social media, with the ever-popular LSU rallying cry: “Geaux!”
Benefield was one of the most coveted defensive backs in the transfer portal, ranking at No. 2, according to 247Sports. He’ll have one more season of eligibility as he heads to a whole different world from the blue turf at Boise State to Death Valley in Baton Rouge.
He was a first-team All-Mountain West selection this past season for the Broncos, piling up a team-high 107 tackles, 8.5 tackles-for-loss and 2 interceptions. Benefield has made 33 starts of his 41 games played at the college level, so he’s used to being counted on as he enters the pressure-cooker that is LSU and the SEC.
Benefield becomes the first defensive player to commit to LSU since the transfer portal officially opened last Friday.
LSU also added help on defense in the trenches on Tuesday with the commitment of Clemson transfer defensive lineman Stephiylan Green.
Cory Nightingale, a former sportswriter and sports editor at the Miami Herald and Palm Beach Post, is a South Florida-based freelance writer who covers Alabama for SaturdayDownSouth.com.
