Michael Van Buren is set to be the starter for the LSU Tigers in their game against the Arkansas Razorbacks on Saturday. The Tigers’ usual star Garrett Nussmeier continues to battle an abdominal issue, and the injury reportedly aggravated during the practice session.
LSU sits at No. 36Â in the PFSN College Football Playoff Rankings. As Van Buren is expected to shine on the field in the Arkansas game, let’s take a closer look at his family, ethnicity, and playing profile.
Michael Van Buren’s Parents, Family, and Ethnicity
Van Buren’s father is Michael Van Buren Sr., who has been a steady source of support throughout his development. Buren Sr. stood by his son since he started sports-specific training at the age of nine.
Van Buren’s mother, Monique Walker, has also been consistently motivating him through his high school years, including after a standout 2021 performance in the road game against California powerhouse De La Salle.
“I wasn’t able to be there, but that morning, I texted my son, and I told him, ‘Go out there and show them who you are. You were given this opportunity. Show them why they recruited you to St. Frances,” Walker said.
“And that’s exactly what he did. He went out there and had a breakout game. That game put him on the map of being noticed by colleges everywhere.”
Van Buren grew up in Bowie, Maryland, but his ethnicity has not been disclosed. Information about other members of his family is also not available anywhere.
Van Buren Playing Profile
Van Buren relieved Nussmeier in the 20-9 loss to the Alabama Crimson Tide last week, finished 5-for-11 passing for 52 yards, and was credited with one net yard on six carries.
Following the game, LSU interim head coach Frank Wilson had high praise for Van Buren.
“I felt at the back end, we needed a spark and something to get us going and add another dimension to our game,” Wilson said. “I thought Michael stepped in and gave those things to us as a football team.”
That appearance in the Alabama game marked Van Buren’s third of the season, with the upcoming Arkansas game set to be his fourth. If he participates in one more game this season, his redshirt status will be forfeited.
This is Van Buren’s first season at LSU after transferring from Mississippi State over the offseason. As a freshman with the Bulldogs in 2024, he started eight games, finishing 1-7 while throwing for 1,886 yards and 11 touchdowns.
Van Buren attended Saint Frances Academy in Baltimore, Maryland, throwing for 1,707 yards and 18 touchdowns as a junior.
“He is the whole package,” Baltimore St. Francis Academy coach Messay Hailemariam said about Van Buren. “From day one, he has been very coachable. He’s extremely humble, but he’s confident. He had a different swag to him.”
Van Buren was a four-star prospect in the 2024 class. He initially committed to Oregon but later switched his commitment to Mississippi State in 2023.
Van Buren was ranked as the No. 24 quarterback in the 2024 class, the No. 385 player in the nation, and the No. 12 recruit in Maryland, according to the Rivals’ Industry Rankings.
