Lane Kiffin says the LSU brand is already doing what he expected it to do.
When he arrived in Baton Rouge, Kiffin made the point plain: “it’s just different.” And with LSU now landing 12 football players in Nike NIL deals - the most of any program - that message is showing up in real numbers.
Kiffin pointed to the mix of LSU’s history, Tiger Stadium and the program’s reach as a major draw, then tied it directly to what he called the “Lane Kiffin factor.”
“I believed in taking this, that all that was going into play into this building. This elite program.
You have the branding of LSU, the history of LSU, you have Tiger Stadium, the most iconic place to play college football, the cathedral. The you put that with our systems, the Lane Kiffin factor.
Now you have 12 players with Nike NIL deals. First offensive lineman ever.
No other school is above eight. I didn’t say, 12, 11, we didn’t say just SEC schools.
It’s a big reason why we’re here. Like I said in the first press conference, ‘it’s just different.
Make this different than anywhere else to go. You combine LSU and us, and you’re seeing that,” said Lane Kiffin.
Kiffin also said the money available through the transfer portal and NIL is helping LSU stand out to recruits, and he used the early results to back up his decision to leave Ole Miss for Baton Rouge.
“When you talk about changing places, they said it the other day. Well he’s been here six months.
He’s had more 5-star signee and commits than the previous six years combined. That’s proof to me of the decision.
The combination of the two, us and LSU,” said Kiffin.
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What makes the conversation more interesting now is the way Kelly has kept himself visible since leaving. He has been talking publicly and signaling interest in getting back into coaching, and that alone is enough to make some schools look twice at a veteran who has proven he can win games, even if the ceiling at LSU never quite matched the hype. For programs trying to climb without demanding a national-title guarantee, that kind of fit can be tempting. [Read more 🡒]
Nick Saban Weighed In On Lane Kiffin's Loaded Oxford Return
Lane Kiffins first trip back to Oxford as LSUs head coach is already drawing plenty of attention, and Nick Saban has seen enough of these homecoming-type scenes to know the temperature can rise fast. Saban, who once faced his own return to Baton Rouge after leaving LSU for Alabama, offered Kiffin some perspective on what it can feel like to walk back into a place where the fans still remember exactly how you left.
Kiffin spent six seasons at Ole Miss and helped turn the program into a playoff team before moving on to LSU, so the backdrop for this game is obvious even before kickoff. Still, Kiffin has tried to keep the focus on the season in front of him rather than the reception waiting in Oxford, leaving the biggest question around this matchup hanging until he actually gets there. [Read more 🡒]
Lane Kiffin Just Put A Massive Label On LSUs New QB
Lane Kiffin has seen enough from LSUs new starting quarterback to put a serious spotlight on him before the season even gets rolling. The Ole Miss coach drew a familiar comparison when talking about Sam Leavitt, pointing to the same kind of playmaking traits that helped define one of his best quarterbacks in Oxford, while also suggesting the Tigers may have landed a passer with real NFL upside.
Leavitt arrives in Baton Rouge after transferring from Arizona State, where he helped push the Sun Devils into the College Football Playoff quarterfinals last season. Kiffin also sounded encouraged about where Leavitt stands physically after missing part of last year with a foot injury, and that combination of recovery, production and projection gives LSU plenty to watch as fall approaches. [Read more 🡒]