The transfer portal and its many happenings continue to provide new talking points in the world of college football, and Wednesday brought with it another intriguing development.
After LSU safety Dashawn Spears had reportedly decided earlier in the day to enter the portal, 247Sports’ Matt Zenitz reported that Spears has now shifted gears.
The change of mind apparently comes as a result of talking with individuals within the Tigers’ facilities over the past couple of hours, as Spears will now remain in Baton Rouge to suit up for Lane Kiffin and Blake Baker next season.
The retention-recruiting win is great news for LSU fans, as Spears showed flashes of promising ability in 2025 and could be poised to become one of the program’s next great defensive backs.
The Denham Springs, La. product has played in mainly reserve roles over the past two seasons, racking up 53 total tackles, 3 pass breakups, 2 interceptions and 1 sack over that span. Both of Spears’ interceptions came during the Tigers’ win over Florida on Sept. 13.
Spears was rated a 4-star recruit by 247Sports coming out of high school, and he also held offers from the likes of Florida, Ole Miss, Tennessee and Houston.
The rangy 6-foot-3, 208 lb. safety figures to be a key piece of Baker’s first defense under Kiffin in 2026.
Parker is currently the sports editor for the Enterprise-Journal in McComb, Mississippi. He's a graduate from Mizzou who has experience covering the Tiger football and basketball beats for SB Nation, and he's worked for a variety of sports news outlets in the past.
