Mass Exodus at LSU Could Be Major Opportunity for Pete Golding and Ole Miss Football

Pete Golding and the Ole Miss Rebels continue navigating a chaotic stretch in Oxford this month with College Football Playoff preparation and NCAA Transfer Portal evaluations stealing the spotlight.

Across the last three weeks, Golding and Co. have been multitasking with the program also adding multiple new staff members to the mix as the new era of Ole Miss Football gets underway in the Magnolia State.

There's a primary focus on Thursday's Sugar Bowl clash against the Georgia Bulldogs at the Caesars Superdome in New Orleans, but there is also another piece to keep tabs on.

Less than 24 hours after the College Football Playoff showdown between Ole Miss and Georgia, the NCAA Transfer Portal window will open on Jan. 2.

Golding and Co. will be looking to reconstruct the roster via the free agent market with assistance from new Ole Miss running backs coach Frank Wilson as a critical component.

Ole Miss Rebels Football. — Courtesy of LSU Tigers Football.

Wilson was officially revealed as the program's new associate head coach/running backs coach on Sunday night where the former LSU Tigers interim head coach will make his way to Oxford.

Now, with Wilson on staff at Ole Miss, he will certainly be looking to bring in his LSU players to the Magnolia State with the Tigers already seeing 16 members of the 2025 roster reveal plans to hit the portal.

Could the mass exodus work in the Ole Miss Rebels' favor?

The LSU Tigers Departures [16]:

- Kylan Billiot: Wide Receiver
- Jelani Watkins: Wide Receiver
- Ashton Stamps: Cornerback
- Ahmad Breaux: Defensive Lineman
- Wallace Foster IV: Cornerback
- Sydir Mitchell: Defensive Lineman
- Ju'Juan Johnson: Running Back
- Kaleb Jackson: Running Back
- Colin Hurley: Quarterback
- Carius Curne: Offensive Lineman
- Coen Echols: Offensive Lineman
- Javien Toviano: Safety
- DJ Chester - Offensive Lineman
- Austin Ausberry - Safety
- Paul Mubenga - Offensive Lineman
- Ory Williams - Offensive Lineman

LSU Tigers Football: Ashton Stamps. — Courtesy of Ashton Stamps' Instagram.

Three Potential Targets to Know: The Wilson Effect

No. 1: CB Ashton Stamps

Stamps is set to officially enter the NCAA Transfer Portal where he could give Ole Miss a boost in the secondary with two seasons of eligibility remaining.

The Louisiana native started in all 13 games as a sophomore in 2024 where he emerged as the program's go-to guy at the cornerback position.

Across his first two seasons in Baton Rouge, Stamps appeared in 24 games with 17 starts in purple-and-gold. He logged 74 tackles and 16 total pass breakups during that stretch.

No. 2: DL Ahmad Breaux

Breaux, a former coveted Louisiana prospect coming out of high school, signed with the LSU Tigers in the 2024 Recruiting Cycle where he earned meaningful snaps as a true freshman.

Across the 2024 season, Breaux tallied 17 tackles and 1.5 tackles for loss where he also earned a pair of starts against the UCLA Bruins and South Alabama Jaguars.

Fast forward to the 2025 season and Breaux logged 19 tackles and 0.5 sacks along a talented defensive front in the Bayou State.

Now, after appearing in 24 games across two seasons in Baton Rouge, the former Top-25 prospect in the Bayou State will enter the NCAA Transfer Portal with two years of eligibility remaining.

LSU Tigers Football. — Nov 30, 2024; Baton Rouge, Louisiana, USA; LSU Tigers defensive tackle Ahmad Breaux (93) reacts to making a tackle against Oklahoma Sooners running back Sam Franklin (20) during the fourth quarter at Tiger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-Imagn Images | Stephen Lew-Imagn Images

No. 3: RB Kaleb Jackson

The Baton Rouge native signed with the LSU program as a member of the 2023 Recruiting Class after emerging as the No. 1 running back in Louisiana on the prep scene.

Jackson, a four-star prospect, was unable to carve out a significant role in the LSU offense once he arrived on campus after logging 331 total yards on 82 carries with four touchdowns in 30 career games.

The 6-foot-2, 234-pounder suited up in all 13 games for the LSU Tigers in 2023 and 2024 prior to taking a redshirt year in 2025 to preserve his eligibility. Jackson will have two years remaining at his next destination.

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