LSU football star Harlem Berry makes decision on LSU future

LSU running back Harlem Berry will return to LSU in 2026, as first reported by ESPN’s Matt Moscona. Berry just completed his true freshman season with the Tigers, rushing for 481 yards on 104 carries and scoring two touchdowns.

LSU and Ole Miss have swapped coaches frequently over the past month — 19 in total — but LSU interim head coach/running backs coach Frank Wilson was expected to be one of the more significant losses. One key reason for that expectation was that many believed he would take Berry, a former five-star, with him to Ole Miss. Thankfully, those rumors have now been disproven, and Berry will return to Baton Rouge for his sophomore year.

With the number of LSU players expected to enter the transfer portal on January 2, keeping a few of the remaining top talents on the roster was going to be essential for Kiffin and his staff. Berry certainly qualifies for “top talent” status, as the No. 2-ranked player in LSU’s 2025 recruiting class. He struggled with some ball security issues this season, but his flashes were incredibly bright.

There is one problem, however: a talented running back doesn’t always fix a running game. This season is a perfect example of why that’s the case, as the Tigers averaged the 11th-lowest rushing yards per game in the country despite having Berry and Caden Durham in the backfield. The Tigers have lost six offensive linemen to the transfer portal so far, and they have only two coming in from the 2026 class. Unless they get incredibly lucky in the portal, it’s likely Berry will still struggle to find rushing lanes again next season.

However, the 2026 season is too far away to be overly negative. Long story short, LSU football successfully retained one of its top players for the 2026 season.

This article originally appeared on LSU Wire: LSU football star Harlem Berry makes decision on LSU future