Lane Kiffin’s move to Louisiana State University is one of the most impactful coaching shifts in all of the recent coaching shifts of the past years of college football. Kiffin brings a strong offensive mindset to LSU and various levels of experience of leading numerous high level programs like Ole Miss and Tennessee to leading an NFL team the Oakland Raiders. He has a good record of developing quarterbacks as well as recruiting high-level talent, whiile LSU provides a high level of NIL opportunities which will be beneficial in a highly competitive SEC conference.
Kiffin, however, has a track record of job-hoping and, at times, inconsistency, which raises questions if he can sustain a high powered program like LSU. Kiffin seems always to be focused on the next big job, so the question remains if he’ll be able to handle the pressure of Baton Rouge and its fan base, which will closely monitor Kiffin’s offense strategy to see if he can deliver constant success and national championships.
Kiffin leaves a high powered 11-1 Ole Miss team which seems to be a lock to make the College Football Playoff. But without it’s head coach and the four coaches Kiffin has already hired away to LSU, what chance does Ole Miss have to continue its success from the regular season? Is this sabotage? Maybe; Kiffin will bring offensive coordinator Charlie Weiss, an assistant vital to Ole Miss’s success, with him to LSU, but Kiffin also has a bonus clause in his LSU contract that will pay him for the Rebel’s playoff success.
Kiffin was the heart and soul of the Oxford Community and many fans are not only upset at losing their coach but the numerous recruits and high level players that will follow him to Baton Rouge.
Overall, the move is a big gamble for LSU. This move could either be program changing and bring continued success to the university or be a whole bust. It’s a big story line as Lane Kiffin was in the middle of an historic year in Oxford and left it all for an uncertain, but theoretically better, opportunity in Baton Rouge.
