CADEN DURHAM PULLS NAME OUT OF TRANSFER PORTAL & WILL RETURN FOR 2026

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By LONN PHILLIPS SULLIVAN

After LSUODYSSEY broke the news that LSU sophomore running back Caden Durham would enter the portal, there was a sort of acceptance....an expectation that the Texas native would like to head for one of the Lone Star schools or for Oklahoma...the school that (outside of LSU) always held the keys to his heart.

But after just a week in the portal, rumors began to circulate....Lane Kiffin and RBs Coach Kevin Smith definitely wanted Durham to return for 2026.....and, after some quick negotiations, Durham is back as a Tiger.....like he never left!

According to sources close to Durham's family, and a contact close to his agency, Durham didn't receive the mega dollar offers he expected his LSU departure would generate....instead, schools saw the regression from 2024 to 2025 & the injury woes and offered far less than Durham was willing to accept....in fact, I was told some of these offers were "like a spit in the face"....

Simultaneously, LSU missed out on Ole Miss sophomore Kewan Lacy, the superstar running back with over 20 TD runs this past season, who unexpectedly pledged his 2026 future to Ole Miss.....leaving the Tigers well short of their ambitions at running back.

So, RBs Coach Kevin Smith made the pitch to Durham.....return at the right price (which I'm told had a "pay cut sticking point") and compete for the starting job in 2026....and Durham duly accepted, a return which was met with widespread love for the Texas Tiger from LSU's fanbase....

CADEN DURHAM @ LSU

2024

753 RUSHING YARDS

260 RECEIVING YARDS

6 RUSHING TDs

2 RECEIVING TDs

5.4 AVG PER CARRY

2025

505 RUSHING YARDS

91 RECEIVING YARDS

3 RUSHING TDs

4.5 AVG PER CARRY

By LONN PHILLIPS SULLIVAN

©️ 2025 Uninterrupted Writings Inc