Joe Burrow isn’t ready to sound the alarm on Lane Kiffin at LSU.
After Kiffin’s much-hyped arrival in Baton Rouge and Saturday’s loss to Ole Miss, the early returns have been uneven. The Tigers were supposed to get an instant jolt from one of the biggest names in college football. Instead, they ran into the Rebels - the team Kiffin helped build - and came out on the wrong end of a 32-24 decision.
Burrow, though, sees the rough patch as part of the process.
“I think Lane Kiffin is good for LSU,” Burrow said during an interview with Julian Edelman on The Gronk & Jules Show. “I think you need somebody like that for LSU.
You need somebody that doesn't care what people think. You know, he's gonna do what he thinks is best, and I think guys gravitate towards that.
“And in Louisiana, you kind of have to have a little chip on your shoulder like that. ... The Coach O mentality, the Lane Kiffin mentality, I think bringing that is something that I think Louisiana needs. I think in the long run that will be successful.”
That belief comes even as Kiffin’s start has looked shaky. LSU handed him major resources - a roster with a $50 million price tag, a record contract and handpicked assistants - with the expectation that he would turn the program back into a national title contender. The idea is simple: trust Kiffin to do what he already proved he could do at Ole Miss, where he built the Rebels from the ground up and pushed them to a new level.
Saturday’s result added a layer of scrutiny to how Kiffin exited Oxford, a departure that drew criticism because it came before the postseason. Still, there’s rarely a clean time to make a move when a bigger job opens up.
The Rebels backed up Kiffin’s old blueprint with a strong showing, led by quarterback Trinidad Chambliss in the win over LSU. And now both programs enter a stretch that should reveal plenty: what Ole Miss really is, and which direction LSU is headed after a loss that landed early in Kiffin’s tenure.
It’s still early, and the possibility of a College Football Playoff rematch remains out there.
In Other News...
LSU Secondary Gets A Timely Boost Before A Huge Texas A&M Test
LSU heads into a top-25 SEC matchup with Texas A&M still searching for its first conference win, and the timing could hardly be more important for a secondary that needs a steadier night. The Tigers are already dealing with season-ending losses to tight end Trey'Dez Green and safety Dashawn Spears, but they did get some encouraging injury news this week as cornerback Ja'Keem Jackson was upgraded to questionable and safety Tamarcus Cooley was listed as active.
That matters because Texas A&M brings a receiving corps that can stress the back end, and LSU's secondary is coming off a performance that left room for plenty of correction. The Tigers do not need a perfect health report to make this one interesting, but getting bodies back into the mix at least gives them a better chance to match up with a passing game that could put real pressure on the defense right away. [Read more 🡒]
Joe Burrow Just Reignited A Loaded LSU Mount Rushmore Debate
Joe Burrow has never been shy about weighing in on LSU history, and on a recent podcast with Julian Edelman he jumped straight into one of the programs favorite debates: who belongs on the schools football Mount Rushmore. Burrows list mixed different eras and different kinds of greatness, bringing together Billy Cannon, Justin Jefferson, JaMarr Chase, Odell Beckham Jr. and Tyrann Mathieu as the names he felt best captured what LSU football has been.
It is the kind of conversation that can go on for hours in Baton Rouge because each pick comes with its own case and its own crowd of supporters. Burrows choices also say plenty about how he sees the programs identity, rewarding not just championships and accolades but the players who helped define LSUs national profile. And as always with a Mount Rushmore discussion, the real intrigue is in who gets left out. [Read more 🡒]
LSU Just Proved Again Why The Tigers Are Must See TV
LSUs trip to Ole Miss delivered exactly what the sports biggest windows are supposed to produce: a packed stadium, a high-stakes SEC matchup and a national audience that could not look away. The game on ABC drew 10.9 million viewers, making it the second most watched college football game of the season, and Ole Miss 32-24 win came in front of a record crowd at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium.
It was the latest reminder that LSU remains one of the sports most reliable ratings draws, no matter the opponent or the setting. The Tigers have been part of some of the biggest-viewed games in recent college football history, and even in defeat they continue to command the kind of attention that turns a regular Saturday into appointment viewing. [Read more 🡒]