Kade Phillips, a defensive back from Fort Bend Hightower, switched from the Texas Longhorns to the LSU Tigers on Sunday, just six weeks after he had committed to the former. This was a setback for the 2025 recruiting class in the secondary.

BREAKING: Four-Star CB Kade Phillips has Flipped his Commitment from Texas to LSU, he tells me for @on3recruits

The 6’1 180 CB from Missouri City, TX had been Committed to the Longhorns since July

Ranked as a Top 65 Recruit in ‘25 (No. 7 CB) per On3https://t.co/jfZR1XOU70 pic.twitter.com/uHCEVOMWIi

— Hayes Fawcett (@Hayesfawcett3) August 18, 2024

When Phillips announced his commitment to Texas, he said to On3 that he picked the state because of the opportunities it offers. “For me, it was important to be among all the accomplished individuals in Austin. Texas can find a way to get me on the field as soon as possible, and I like that they see me as versatile and able to play different positions. Then, I enjoy the sense of family that UT provides. It comes from every member of the coaching staff, including head coach Steve Sarkisian. They often inquire about me on a daily basis.

But in the end, the Tigers were rewarded for their perseverance during the recruitment process thanks to LSU defensive backs coach Corey Raymond.

He told On3, “LSU has been on me since they first made the offer.” After I moved to Texas, they continued to text and phone me virtually daily for a little while. Even after I made a commitment, the coaching staff was devoted to me.

In the 2025 cycle, Phillips follows Melbourne, Florida-based Eau Gallie defensive tackle Brandon Brown as the second Texas recruit to switch to LSU.

After a disappointing cycle that included last season’s on-field success and the move to the SEC, the loss drops the Longhorns to a single defensive back pledge from Fort Bend Marshall cornerback Caleb Chester, the lowest-rated of the 16 pledges for Texas.

With cornerback Aiden Anding of Ruston, Louisiana, scheduled to make his announcement on August 24 and Jonah Williams of Galveston Ball, a consensus five-star prospect rated as a linebacker but recruited by Texas as a safety, the Horns do have a chance to recover from Phillips’ departure.

The broadcasters for the opening game of LSU Football have been confirmed.

The start of LSU Football’s 2024 season is only eleven days away, and the anticipation grows with each passing day. Allegiant Stadium is already sold out for the Tigers and Trojans, and the Tigers supporters will try to maintain their tradition of running out of booze at stadia.

The LSU football team’s season opener will be special because it will be a stand-alone game that the entire country will watch on Sunday night. Many media businesses now operate in different environments, raising concerns about who would call the big matchup. There can be no more speculating as ESPN and ABC have confirmed that their A-Team, consisting of Holly Rowe, Kirk Herbstreit, and Rece Davis, will cover LSU vs. USC.

Sunday Night Football on ABC@ReceDavis @KirkHerbstreit and @sportsiren will have the call of the season opener in Las Vegas pic.twitter.com/e0HAVR5sA2

— LSU Football (@LSUfootball) August 20, 2024

This showdown feels more like a huge prize fight as it approaches than a college football game. The outcome of this game will affect the playoffs, recruitment, and the fan base’s perception of both coaches—particularly the losing head coach.

Although both of these teams had successful seasons last year, they would both like to forget every defensive drive they made. Two Heisman winners go and two program mainstays in Garrett Nussmeier and Miller Moss will take centerstage and drive the debate around this game.

Which squad is going to be the most altered?

When a new season begins, it’s common to hope that the team looks like it did the year before. Both fan groups will be itching to rip their hair off if LSU or USC defense resembles what they did in 2023. Both of these teams underwent defensive makeovers, and since both teams appear to have excellent offensive lines, the defense with the best equipment will undoubtedly prevail in this game.