LSU offers a Transfer Portal TE
The LSU football staff is in need of tight ends, and the transfer portal is a route the Tigers appear ready to take.
On Thanksgiving, the LSU staff reached out to Shorter University tight end Kyle Morlock with a verbal scholarship offer.
Morlock, who was a two-time All-American at the D2 level, has two years of eligibility remaining. After entering the NCAA Transfer Portal on Tuesday, the 6-foot-7, 250-pounder has added offers from LSU, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Tulane, Illinois, Florida State, Liberty, Pitt, North Carolina State, Missouri, Georgia Southern and Sam Houston State.
During his time at Shorter, Morlock logged 51 catches for 808 yards and 11 touchdowns. In addition to being twice named an All-American, Morlock was a two-time All Gulf South Conference player.
Morlock, a native of Rome, Ga., said his recruitment is remains wide open as he looks to make the move up to the D1 level.
LSU’s TE Outlook
The LSU football team has worked through the 2022 season with four tight ends, using a combination of a pair of scholarship players in Mason Taylor and Kole Taylor and a pair of former walk-ons in Jack Mashburn and Nick Storz.
Storz took part in Senior Night a week ago, while Mashburn could return to the team again next fall. Mason Taylor will be a sophomore in 2023, while Kole Taylor will be in his senior season.
The Tigers have one 2023 tight end committed in Mac Markway, who will join the team in January.
Mason Taylor has made the most of his freshman season, hauling in 25 catches for 253 yards and two touchdowns. Kole Taylor, Mashburn and Storz have been used primarily in the blocking game, and Taylor has five catches for 55 yards and Mashburn has two catches for 12 yards.
Brian Kelly’s approach to the Transfer Portal
With LSU ranked No. 5 in the College Playoff Rankings and heading into the final game of the regular season at 9-2 overall, first-year head coach Brian Kelly has proven the transfer portal can pay immediate dividends.
After back-to-back .500 finishes to the regular seasons in 2020 and 2021, including the first losing season (bowl game included) since 1999, the Tigers hired Kelly away from Notre Dame.
One of the first objectives: rebuild a roster that had fallen well behind on scholarship numbers.
Kelly took 19 transfers this offseason, and many played key roles as starters for the Tigers this season.
“I think it’s one of the areas that can really get you in trouble or really can get you out of trouble,” Kelly said this week. “And I think it got us out of trouble because we took great character kids that could represent our program in a positive way both on and off the field. I think you bring up the point that both of those guys immediately helped us build the right standards in the program and have obviously been real consistent performers for us. In particular, Noah down the stretch here for us.
“I think when you go into the transfer portal, you better know what you are getting. If you don’t, then shame on you.”
