At least one LSU icon is buying into the Tigers’ new edge.
Justin Jefferson, who was in the building for LSU’s game against Clemson during the first weekend, said Friday on Kay Adams that he has no problem with the program leaning into a villain role under Lane Kiffin.
“Not mad at it, honestly. That's Lane, though.
You know, anybody that knows Lane and knows how he carries himself, he is the villain. And that's how he's always been.
I feel like it's about time. We're always the good guys.
We're always the guys that does everything wright. I feel like it's time for the bad guys to come out and show the guys what's really up,” said Jefferson.
LSU’s shift into that identity started when the school poached Kiffin from Ole Miss in the middle of what was shaping up to be the Rebels’ best season in school history and just before a College Football Playoff push. It was a ruthless move, but one the Tigers made to lock down their next coach as early as possible.
The Tigers haven’t shied away from it, either. In the welcome area of the football operations building, LSU has posted a sign that says: "If you want to win at the highest level, you have to become a villain in someone else's story."
That attitude showed up again in LSU’s 51-10 win over Clemson, a game Jefferson watched up close. He’s seen plenty of LSU football over the years, from the runs his older brothers were part of to his own season on the 2019 championship team, and he likes what he sees so far from this group.
“They have a chance to [win a National Championship]. Obviously, it's the first time for the new quarterback, new receivers, pretty much a new defense.
So I mean, it's the first time these guys are really coming together and building that team chemistry and team bond. They put up 50 in the first showcase.
It's only going to get better and better throughout the year as it goes on,” said the Minnesota Vikings receiver.
In Other News...
LSU Is Stuck In An SEC Fight With No Clear End
Pete Thamels latest Week 2 update offered a mixed bag for the SECs heavyweights, with Texas getting healthier up front and still waiting on one key eligibility ruling. Left tackle Trevor Goosby is back from a knee injury, while offensive lineman Cole Hutson is practicing but remains ineligible as his NCAA appeal continues to work through the process.
LSUs news, though, is less about the depth chart and more about the larger picture around the program. After a conference meeting, the Tigers SEC membership situation is still unresolved, and the league is monitoring the issue as legal complications continue to shape the timeline. For LSU, it is the kind of off-field uncertainty that can linger well beyond a single game week, with no clear end in sight yet. [Read more 🡒]
Brian Kelly Just Validated What LSU Fans Loved In Clemson Blowout
A familiar voice chimed in after LSUs season-opening win over Clemson, and Brian Kelly made sure to point toward the parts of the performance that tend to travel well in September. Now working as a CBS Sports analyst after leaving Baton Rouge, Kelly singled out the defense and the running game, two areas that looked especially sharp in LSUs debut under Lane Kiffin.
The praise carried a little extra weight because Kelly was also pointing back to Blake Baker, the defensive coordinator he hired. LSU held Clemson to 145 total yards while piling up 309 on the ground, the kind of balanced showing that gives a new staff a fast way to win over a skeptical fan base and, at least for one night, made Kellys old blueprint look pretty sound. [Read more 🡒]
LSU Fans Can Finally Reframe The Bryce Underwood Heartbreak
For LSU fans still trying to make peace with the Bryce Underwood flip, the bigger picture has started to soften the sting. Underwood arrived as the crown jewel of the 2025 recruiting class before heading to Michigan, a move that fueled plenty of frustration in Baton Rouge and plenty of talk about how the decision came together. But with LSU moving on from Brian Kelly and bringing in Lane Kiffin, the programs momentum has changed fast enough that the old heartbreak no longer feels like the defining chapter it once did.
Underwoods path at Michigan has also added a different layer to the story, with his play looking uneven enough to leave his starting role uncertain. LSU, meanwhile, is being viewed as a legitimate national championship contender under Kiffin, which has a way of reframing even the most painful recruiting misses. The Tigers cannot rewrite what happened with Underwood, but they can point to a present that looks far more promising than the future many fans feared when he left. [Read more 🡒]