Lane Kiffin may not be on the sidelines for the Texas Bowl against Houston, but he will certainly feel the impact of a thinning roster. With the transfer portal set to open in just six days, LSU suffered another setback as offensive lineman Tyree Adams announced his decision to look for other opportunities.

As per CFB insider Hayer Fawcett, the Tigers’ OL will have two years of eligibility left. Adams allowed 0 sacks through 11 starts with the Tigers.

At this point, the depth chart has taken a serious hit. Adams spent three seasons with the program and appeared in 17 career games. He played eight games in each of the last two years. LSU used him at both tackle and guard. He also logged 38 special teams snaps in 2024 as a redshirt freshman. Adams arrived in Baton Rouge as part of the 2023 class and came with real hype.

He was a four-star recruit out of Marrero (La.) St. Augustine, ranked as the No. 11 prospect in Louisiana, the No. 13 offensive tackle in the class, and No. 195 overall, per the Rivals Industry Ranking. And he’s far from the only loss up front. LSU has now seen multiple offensive linemen head to the transfer portal as Lane Kiffin looks ready to hit the reset button. One of the bigger names is DJ Chester, who also spent three seasons at LSU.

Chester is a former four-star recruit from Georgia. He signed with LSU as the No. 1 interior offensive lineman in the country, with the Bayou Bengals thrilled about his upside. He played a major role last season, starting every game at center and logging 925 snaps. While he saw plenty of action, he struggled at times, especially against SEC competition.

In 2025, Chester shifted into more of a “sixth man” role under Brad Davis, bouncing between left tackle and center. He finished the season with 291 snaps in a reserve role. On top of Adams and Chester, LSU has also seen Coen Echols and Carius Curne announce their intentions to enter the portal. It leaves the Tigers with plenty of questions and a lot of work to do in the coming season.

The depth chart just gets thinner and thinner

The situation for the bowl game is about as rough as it gets. These decisions could have long-term implications for LSU once Kiffin fully takes control. But even in the short term, the Tigers are walking into the Texas Bowl losing key players. Injuries have sidelined some players, while others have opted out to prepare for the NFL Draft or entered the transfer portal. In total, at least 15 LSU players will not suit up for the Texas Bowl.

The list is headlined by quarterback Garrett Nussmeier (abdominal strain/opt-out). He’s joined by a long group of skill-position losses. That includes wide receivers Aaron Anderson, Barrion Brown, Jelani Watkins, and Kylan Billiot, along with running back Kaleb Jackson, all out due to transfers or opt-outs. LSU will also be without offensive lineman Josh Thompson, defensive end Jack Pyburn, linebackers Harold Perkins Jr., Whit Weeks (ankle injury/opt-out), and West Weeks.

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Plus defensive backs Mansoor Delane (core injury/opt-out), AJ Haulcy, and Wallace Foster. Backup QB Colin Hurley is also unavailable after entering the portal. And the roster issues aren’t the only problem. Houston has a clear home-field edge, with the game being played just a few miles from campus. On top of that, the Cougars are coming in with virtually no opt-outs. It’s a sharp contrast to LSU’s depleted lineup. Houston’s offense, led by quarterback Conner Weigman, looks well-positioned to take advantage of an LSU defense missing several key playmakers.