Cleveland Browns coach Todd Monken just walked back some head-scratching remarks about LSU’s Lane Kiffin. Monken initially suggested Kiffin called him directly regarding Dae’Quan Wright’s transfer portal availability, but that entire story? Kiffin publicly denied it.
Kiffin Says “Who Dis?” To Monken’s Claim
Last week, Monken dropped a bombshell: Lane Kiffin, Mr. Portal King himself, supposedly reached out about getting Dae’Quan Wright back into college ball. That wild claim immediately lit up the sports world. But then, on Monday, Kiffin didn’t just deny it; he shut it down cold. Kiffin publicly stated “inaccuracies” in Monken’s tale, adding he doesn’t even have Monken’s number or know him personally. The “Kiffin called me” story? It never happened.
Monken Takes The Blame For “Silliness and Goofiness”
After Kiffin’s public denial, Monken cleared the air, accepting responsibility for the mix-up. It wasn’t him hearing from Kiffin. “First off, I should not … one of our staff had said, that’s why I said ‘us’ and not ‘me’ … one of our staff had said they had gotten a text,” Monken explained. He admitted he “should’ve followed through with it,” suggesting the text might have been from “someone from [LSU’s] staff.” Monken called it “silliness and goofiness,” saying he was “just making light of it” and “really not trying to make a big thing of it.” Still, he put Kiffin’s name out there, and now he’s owning up he “probably shouldn’t have” done it without verifying. It shows how wild the transfer portal world is, even for former college coaches like Monken, who worked at LSU previously (2005-06) and was most recently offensive coordinator at Georgia.
Dae’Quan Wright and The New Reality of College Ball
Let’s be real, Dae’Quan Wright entering the transfer portal after hitting the NFL would’ve sounded insane not long ago. But with court victories and eligibility rulings blowing up old NCAA rules, it’s just another opportunity. Kiffin isn’t cleaning up the NCAA’s mess; his job is building LSU’s roster with the best talent. If rules , or a judge , allow him to pursue an NFL player, he’ll do it. As Kiffin said, “Because of the rulings, they are going to play for you or someone else. We made the decision to recruit them. It’s wrong to be critical of these kids. They were granted…” This saga highlights college football’s wild west nature right now.
What’s next? Monken’s learned a lesson about fact-checking. Kiffin’s just doing his job in this new era of college recruiting. Dae’Quan Wright, a “good kid” per Monken, will likely do great at LSU. This whole situation is a perfect snapshot of college football in 2026: unpredictable, controversial, and always dramatic. Keep your eyes peeled; this portal saga is never truly over until pen hits paper.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by CBS Sports.
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