Ole Miss linebacker TJ Dottery drew significant attention after entering the transfer portal. Widely regarded as one of the top defensive players in the conference, Dottery’s decision has quickly caught the eye of two major SEC programs. Despite testing the portal, the linebacker appears set to remain in the SEC, especially after Ole Miss’s strong conference run that saw the Rebels finish third overall.

TJ Dottery’s next destination appears to be down to two familiar options: Ole Miss and LSU. He could choose to stay with Ole Miss, where he played a key role during a deep postseason run and helped the program finish the year with a 13-2 record. However, LSU presents a compelling alternative, led by head coach Lane Kiffin, who previously worked closely with Dottery before departing for Baton Rouge ahead of Ole Miss’s playoff appearance.

Dottery has been a significant contributor under Kiffin over the past two seasons, recording 174 tackles, 3.5 sacks, three pass deflections, and three forced fumbles. Kiffin’s influence has already been felt at LSU, where the Tigers currently sit first in the nation in the latest 247Sports transfer portal team rankings. Given Kiffin’s reputation as an elite recruiter and his prior relationship with Dottery, LSU could hold the edge in this decision.

If Dottery ultimately chooses the Tigers, it would represent a major blow for head coach Pete Golding and Ole Miss, particularly in the defensive unit.

Lane Kiffin had high praise for TJ Dottery during their time together at Ole Miss Rebels.

“He’s been a great player, a great leader,” Kiffin said. “He worked extremely hard last year on the scout team. He was on the scout team the entire year until they let him play in the bowl game, after they changed one of those rules.”

TJ Dottery, in turn, spoke just as highly of Kiffin and the influence he had on him.

“Him being himself every day,” Dottery said. “Kiffin never tries to be anyone else for the media or anybody. Him being himself is huge for us because it shows that being authentic is good enough, and he sets that example every day.”

Dottery’s public admiration for Kiffin has fueled speculation that a reunion could be possible, with some believing the Tigers could be a potential landing spot if Kiffin makes a move. At the same time, Dottery has also spoken glowingly about Ole Miss, leaving his future unclear.

That uncertainty has made his situation one of the more intriguing storylines in the 2025 transfer portal, with no clear resolution in sight.

TJ Dottery on the new Ole Miss head coach Pete Golding

TJ Dottery’s praise for his coaches does not stop with Lane Kiffin. He has also spoken highly of Pete Golding, reflecting on Golding’s time as a defensive coordinator before taking over as Ole Miss’ head coach.

“He’s really intelligent. Like, he’s really intelligent,” Dottery said. “If you were to see our schemes and the type of things we run, you’d think we’d be doing a lot. But he simplified it, so many coverages are somewhat the same or share details. It may seem like a lot, but he simplifies it.

Just his intelligence of the game and his ability to teach it stand out. A lot of coaches can have all these schemes and not be able to teach them to players. But him being able to take it from the board to the players’ minds, that’s huge.”

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With Dottery publicly praising both Kiffin and Golding, his future becomes a matter of preference between two coaches he clearly respects. That dynamic only adds to the intrigue surrounding his next move, especially in a transfer portal cycle already full of uncertainty.