If you’re trying to get your squad to the College Football Playoff and you’ve struck out three years in a row, what do you do next? Well, if you’re the LSU Tigers’ head coach, Brian Kelly, you bust out the checkbook and go shopping like your job depends on it (because it does). But this time, he didn’t hit the portal for a 5-star or 9-sack-a-season player—he dipped into Ole Miss’ backroom and snagged one of Lane Kiffin’s behind-the-scenes masterminds.

Per CBS Sports, LSU is bringing in Kevin Bolden—yep, the same staff who’s been cooking up recruiting blueprints at Ole Miss—as their new Assistant General Manager. It’s a big-boy title in Brian Kelly’s grand roster renovation scheme. After dropping nearly $17 million in the transfer portal this offseason and after fumbling on QB Bryce Underwood, Coach Kelly is clearly flipping every rock he can find to avoid a fourth straight playoff miss. Bolden isn’t just any staffer though. The Mississippi native was a low-key architect behind Ole Miss winning 21 games in two seasons. That’s not luck, that’s resume ammo.

Bolden’s roots run deep in the SEC. From Florida to Arkansas to UCF, the man’s been climbing through the ranks with the hustle of someone who knows what sleeping on floors to chase a dream feels like. His stops at UCF under Gus Malzahn and with Dan Mullen at Florida made him an expert in personnel and recruiting strategy. Ole Miss knew what they had. Now, LSU just stole that trust and reunited Bolden with Austin Thomas, LSU’s Senior Associate AD, who originally helped bring him to Oxford. Plot twist? That bromance might be one of the sneakiest chess moves in the conference.

Bolden even got bumped to tight ends coach at Ole Miss in January 2024, proving his work wasn’t going unnoticed. From JUCO hustles to national strategy boards, the man’s got range. Bolden’s own playing career at Southern Miss—where he dropped 1,393 yards and 13 TDs—adds extra street cred with players. Recruits know when a coach speaks from the trenches. This LSU move isn’t just about recruiting stars—it’s about building a machine that runs itself. And Bolden’s a perfect part for that engine.

Garrett Nussmeier keeps it real on why he stayed put instead of hitting the portal

The way the portal’s been spinning, you’d think college football was hosting a clearance sale. Every offseason, quarterbacks dip and bounce looking for that perfect fit or that perfect NIL bag. Nothing wrong with it. End of the day; everybody’s trying to secure the bag. But Garrett Nussmeier? He stuck around. After a 9-4 season that left LSU playoff-hungry, the senior QB said no thanks to the portal madness and yes to Baton Rouge loyalty.

“For me, I’m just focused on our team,” Nussmeier told Yahoo Sports. “I’m focused on our team goals and I’m focused on being the best that I can be for my teammates.” Garrett Nussmeier watched the transfer window open wide and still chose continuity over chaos. Why? Because he sees unfinished business.

Nussmeier’s numbers are loud enough to justify the noise: 4,052 yards, 29 touchdowns, and yeah, 12 picks too—but show us a gunslinger who never throws one and we’ll show you a QB who’s not taking chances. LSU led the SEC in pass attempts last season for a reason. They trust him to air it out. And with targets like Nic Anderson and Aaron Anderson on the outside, the Tigers’ air raid has the arsenal to make some real playoff noise.

“You can’t completely ignore all the outside noise. You’re lying if you say that you don’t hear it,” he admitted. But that noise? That was just fuel. “My main goal is to help lead the LSU Tigers to a national championship and let the rest fall into place.” With so many quarterbacks bolting for one-year wonders, Nussmeier chose the long game. He’s got the playbook in his back pocket, the locker room in his corner, and a legacy he’s not ready to leave incomplete. LSU’s had two QBs—Joe Burrow and Jayden Daniels—hit the Heisman stage in recent years. Garrett Nussmeier got the 2nd best odds to win the Heisman.