Husan Longstreet, the quarterback for the USC Trojans, made a visit to the LSU Tigers over the weekend. This comes after the Tigers acquired two quarterbacks through the transfer portal, yet they remain the leading candidate to secure the former five-star recruit.
Longstreet, originally from Louisiana, has expressed a desire to return to his roots and compete in the Southeastern Conference (SEC). His ties to head coach Lane Kiffin were formed during Kiffin”s previous tenure, and he had initially shown interest in LSU during high school. However, LSU was committed to Bryce Underwood, the top quarterback for the 2025 recruiting class, before he switched to Michigan shortly before the signing period. Longstreet also considered Auburn, another SEC school, but ultimately committed to Texas A&M for seven months before flipping to USC just weeks before signing.
Longstreet made a late entry into the transfer portal, doing so a week after it opened. As other quarterbacks began to make moves, he had to act quickly regarding his visits. While Oregon was in contact with Longstreet, he opted to spend the entire weekend in Baton Rouge rather than traveling to Eugene.
Disconnect Between Longstreet and USC
Longstreet was anticipated to participate in the Trojans” Alamo Bowl matchup against TCU. Although he played in four regular-season games, he did not take a single snap in the bowl game. Reports indicated that USC spent weeks preparing to integrate Longstreet into the game plan, similar to their strategies against Illinois and Notre Dame, but that plan fell through. Other programs utilized bowl games to give their younger players experience, but USC did not extend that opportunity to the quarterback position.
A disconnect began to surface between Longstreet and the coaching staff regarding the quarterback landscape for 2026. Sources revealed that Jayden Maiava is poised to earn significantly more in NIL deals than Longstreet, despite assurances from the staff of an open competition. Longstreet”s decision to enter the portal was not driven by a desire for increased financial support or a fear of competition. Instead, he felt that USC was not being forthright with him. The assurances of a competitive environment did not align with the actions he observed, leading to a deterioration of trust.
Though Longstreet was willing to accept a backup role—potentially at Oregon or LSU, where Leavitt is likely to be the starter—he seeks clarity in the program”s plans for him moving forward.
While in Baton Rouge, Longstreet learned that LSU was still pursuing Leavitt, who has since made a commitment to the Tigers. Longstreet, recovering from a foot injury that required surgery, has four years of eligibility remaining. He is looking for a program he can trust, and currently, that appears to be LSU under Kiffin”s leadership. The landscape remains fluid, with schools like Tennessee and Miami also active in their search for quarterbacks in the transfer portal.
