The door to a fifth year of college football eligibility, which was propped open by a favorable ruling in a Baton Rouge courtroom on Wednesday, enabled the hometown team to benefit two days later.
A day after entering the NCAA’s transfer portal following a judge’s temporary restraining order, Notre Dame transfer defensive end Junior Tuihalamaka committed to LSU to provide depth and experience, ESPN’s Pete Thamel reported.
Thamel confirmed with Tuihalamaka’s agent, Noah Reisenfeld of 21 Sports & Entertainment, the 6-foot-2, 255-pounder’s commitment to LSU’s where first-year head coach Lane Kiffin built the No. 1 class nationally according to 247Sports and ESPN with the signatures of 43 players from the transfer portal.
Two of those signees, senior Princewill Umanmielen of Ole Miss and junior Jordan Ross of Tennessee, gave LSU experienced players at the position before the Tigers lost the services of sophomore Gabriel Reliford with a torn ACL in the spring.
Kiffin also signed talented five-star prospect Lamar Brown of University High.
Tuihalamaka, a native of Rolling Hills, Calif. and four-star prospect out of Bishop Alemany High, completed his fourth season of competition for Notre Dame and was believed to be out of eligibility.
Tuihalamaka’s stock took a downward turn after suffering an injury during his Pro Day. He did not attend an NFL minicamp.
He then received special approval when Louisiana judge William Jordan of the 19th Judicial District Court granted a TRO to a total of 16 football players, allowing them to return to college for one final season.
The NCAA, which has been dealt a series of legal setbacks regarding its eligibility rules, ordered the opening of a transfer portal for one week once the TRO was handed down and instead of returning to Notre Dame, Tuihalamaka opted to finish his career at LSU.
Tuihalamaka started in seven of 54 games, compiling 61 tackles (9 tackles for loss), four sacks, two pass deflections, two fumble recoveries and an interception.
In four years, the 6-foot-2, 255-pound defensive lineman saw action in 54 games, including seven starts, recording 61 tackles (9.0 for a loss), four sacks, two pass deflections, two fumble recoveries and an interception.
A year after making 12 tackles with one sack in 2025, Tuihalamaka enjoyed his best statistical season was in 2024 when Tuihalamaka had 33 tackles, 5 ½ TFLs, three sacks, two fumble recoveries, two passes defensed, a pass broken up and an interception. The Fighting Irish played for the national championship, falling 34-23 to Ohio State.
Tuihalamaka signed with Notre Dame in 2022 as a linebacker before transitioning to defensive end.
