Lane Kiffin is headed back to Oxford, and the build-up around this one has been impossible to miss.
LSU’s coach will face Ole Miss this weekend in a matchup that has turned into one of the most watched games of the college football season, with plenty of drama attached to his first return to his former program. The Tigers enter the SEC opener coming off a 45-14 win over Louisiana Tech, a game they opened sluggishly before taking control late.
That finish mattered to Kiffin.
"You're getting ready to go on the road in the SEC versus a really good team that has played really well for years at that place," Kiffin said on Saturday. "So this was good because it's harder to get their attention after last week. There were two really clean games in a row like that."
The scene around Kiffin’s exit from Oxford was ugly, and the reception waiting for him this weekend is expected to be just as harsh. When he left Ole Miss, he had to be escorted by police to the University-Oxford Airport and was met by fans who made their anger clear over his decision to leave Mississippi for Baton Rouge.
Now he’s back, and the temperature in Oxford figures to be high from the moment he arrives until LSU heads home after the game.
Kiffin spoke Monday morning about the emotions tied to the trip and the need to keep his team locked in on the game itself.
In Other News...
LSU Just Exposed A Problem That Could Cost Them At Ole Miss
LSU got the result it wanted against Louisiana Tech, but the tape offered a less comfortable message heading into a much bigger test. The Tigers scored 45 points and controlled the game on the scoreboard, yet the offensive line had real trouble creating push in the middle of the run game and keeping the quarterback clean, a combination that led to five sacks and too many negative plays.
Those issues matter a lot more with Ole Miss next on the schedule. Pro Football Focus grading backed up what showed up on the field, with only two LSU starters on the offensive line finishing above a 70, and the weakest spots coming at guard and tackle. Before a trip to face a defense that can turn pressure into momentum quickly, LSU has some obvious fixing to do up front, and the margin for error only gets thinner from here. [Read more 🡒]
Ed Orgeron Is Back Around LSU But One Ole Miss Question Looms
Ed Orgeron is back around LSU, easing into his role as a special assistant for recruiting and defense after a health issue kept him away from preseason practices and the first two games of the season. Lane Kiffin said Orgeron is doing better and has been spending parts of his weekdays at the football operations building, a welcome sign for a program that has clearly missed his presence in the building.
What remains unsettled is whether Orgeron will be with the Tigers when they head to Ole Miss this week. Kiffin has not confirmed that travel plans yet, and he also did not spell out the nature of the health issue, leaving LSU with a little uncertainty even as one of its most recognizable voices gets back into the routine. [Read more 🡒]
LSU May Have Found The Mismatch This Offense Needed
For a Tigers offense still looking for a steady rhythm early in the season, LSUs 45-14 win over Louisiana Tech offered a promising answer in Trey'Dez Green. The tight end was featured more heavily in the game plan, and it showed in a performance that included six catches for 104 yards and a touchdown, giving the offense a different kind of problem for defenses to sort out.
Lane Kiffin made it clear before the season that Green could be more than a complementary piece, and LSU finally leaned into that versatility in a way that mattered. If this becomes a regular part of the offense, the Tigers may have found a matchup edge that can stress coverages and create room elsewhere, even if the bigger test is still ahead. [Read more 🡒]