LSU Tigers

Brandon Harris Transfer Rumors: 5 Schools LSU QB Should Consider

Published Jun. 30, 2017 6:28 p.m. ET

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LSU Tigers quarterback Brandon Harris has caused a stir on social media with some recent Twitter activity. If Harris transfers, here are a few places he should consider.

It has been a rough week for LSU quarterback Brandon Harris. The junior QB was benched last Saturday in the win over Jacksonville State while his backup, Danny Etling, went on to throw for 100 yards, a touchdown and an interception.

To make matters worse, social media is now blowing up over rumors that Harris is considering transferring. The LSU quarterback recently made his Twitter account private after a conversation with a former LSU player while following coaches like Urban Meyer.

Harris hasn’t looked like the right fit for the Tigers, so if he does decide to transfer, here are a few schools he could consider.

Sep 10, 2016; Bloomington, IN, USA; Indiana Hoosiers defensive back Leon Thornton III (21) hands the ball off to Indiana Hoosiers running back Devine Redding (34) during the first half of the game against the Indiana Hoosiers at Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Marc Lebryk-USA TODAY Sports

5. Indiana Hoosiers

Let’s go ahead and ignore the fact that I graduated from Indiana University. Instead, consider the fact that while Harris is playing in the SEC, he’s probably not going to start at another top-tier program after his struggles at LSU.

Harris actually received an offer from the Hoosiers coming out of high school. The program has been rebuilding behind a fast-paced offense, but with Nate Sudfeld now in the NFL, Indiana has called upon Richard Lagow to play under center.

The Hoosiers averaged over 500 yards of offense per game in 2015. Having a dual-threat quarterback in Harris could turn the Hoosiers into a respectable team in the Big Ten provided that their defense can continue to improve.

Sep 3, 2016; Houston, TX, USA; Houston Cougars head coach Tom Herman watches his team warm up before playing against the Oklahoma Sooners at NRG Stadium. Houston Cougars won 33 to 23. Mandatory Credit: Thomas B. Shea-USA TODAY Sports

4. Houston Cougars

No mid-major school is enjoying as much success right now as the Houston Cougars. The Cougars have a real shot to make the College Football Playoff, but their future is cloudy after this season with senior quarterback Greg Ward Jr. set to graduate.

Harris recently followed Houston head coach Tom Herman on Twitter along with a few other guys. The Cougars have thrived the past couple of years offensively thanks to a dual-threat quarterback. Could Harris be the next quarterback to lead Houston to greatness?

Of course, Harris wouldn’t be guaranteed a starting job with the Cougars, but the offensive system is one that we could see the current LSU quarterback being able to handle.

Sep 10, 2016; Tuscaloosa, AL, USA; Western Kentucky Hilltoppers head coach Jeff Brohm reacts to a call during the game against Alabama Crimson Tide at Bryant-Denny Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Marvin Gentry-USA TODAY Sports

3. Western Kentucky Hilltoppers

Western Kentucky head coach Jeff Brohm was another coach that Harris followed on Twitter before making his account private. The Hilltoppers have a high-powered offense and play in a small conference compared to the SEC, making it a tempting landing spot for someone looking to put up some monster numbers.

Coming from a big program like LSU, Harris wouldn’t have much trouble taking over as the starter at Western Kentucky. However, the concern for Harris would be whether or not he’d get enough exposure with the Hilltoppers to get looks from NFL teams.

Harris’ draft stock couldn’t get much lower, however, so any chance to help an offense put up 30 to 40 points a game would have to be awfully appealing.

Hopefully Brohm would be able to fix some of the struggles Harris has had in the LSU passing game.

Sep 3, 2016; Fayetteville, AR, USA; Louisiana Tech Bulldogs quarterback J

2. Louisiana Tech Bulldogs

If Harris doesn’t feel like traveling very far to find a new home, he could always consider going a little over 200 miles north to play with the Louisiana Tech Bulldogs.

The Bulldogs also gave Harris an offer when he was a four-star recruit. Louisiana Tech has produced NFL quarterbacks in the past, including Terry Bradhsaw, Luke McCown and most recently Jeff Driskel.

Like Western Kentucky, the Bulldogs play in Conference-USA and put up big-time numbers on offense. If Harris is looking to prove the Tigers wrong, Louisiana Tech will play LSU in 2018, so it could be a great opportunity for a revenge game down the road.

Louisiana Tech could make sense, but if Harris is really considering transferring, there’s probably only one school on his mind.

Apr 16, 2016; Columbus, OH, USA; Ohio State head coach Urban Meyer leads the Scarlet and Gray teams onto the field prior to the spring game at Ohio Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Aaron Doster-USA TODAY Sports

1. Ohio State Buckeyes

There is arguably no better place to play quarterback than Ohio State thanks to the coaching and mentorship of Urban Meyer. That’s probably why Harris followed him on Twitter.

While that’s reason enough to suspect Harris would want to go to OSU, it also helps that Meyer tried to recruit the LSU quarterback out of college in 2014. Current Buckeyes quarterback J.T. Barrett could be heading to the NFL after this season, leaving the starting job wide open next year.

The big question is whether or not Meyer would actually be interested in having Harris as his quarterback after the junior has struggled so much through two games this season. However, if there’s any school for Harris to consider transferring to, Ohio State has to be at the top of the list.