LSU’s new offensive voice, Charlie Weis Jr., stepped in front of the media Friday after practice and made one thing clear right away: this move was about more than just football.
Weis, who helped drive Ole Miss to the College Football Playoff Semifinal last season with a fast-paced attack, arrives in Baton Rouge with a resume that jumps off the page. His offense led the SEC in total rushing yards, passing yards, average yards per play and total touchdowns.
But the biggest reason for the jump to LSU came down to loyalty. Ole Miss made a serious push to keep him on staff for the 2026 season, yet Weis chose to follow Lane Kiffin, his mentor and long-time coaching partner.
“He [Kiffin] believed in me at a very early age…I owe a lot to him for my career and so I think that’s the number one factor,” Weis said.
Their partnership goes back to 2015, when Weis was an offensive assistant and Kiffin was the Offensive Coordinator at Alabama. The two later reunited at Florida Atlantic in 2018, and now they’re together again at LSU.
Still, Kiffin wasn’t the only pull. Weis said the chance to coach at LSU carried its own weight.
“It’s just a dream place to be… I just think this environment is the coolest environment in all of sports to go play in,” Weis said. “The thought of playing here and that’s our home crowd just kind of gave me chills.”
Even with Weis taking over as LSU’s newest play-caller, much of the offensive staff came with him, and he said that continuity has helped ease the transition. The biggest adjustment, he noted, has been working with a new group of players.
“We’ve got a lot of familiarity, and so even though it’s a lot of new players that we’re working with as a staff, there’s a lot of cohesion in the group,”.
He also singled out quarterback Sam Leavitt and tight end Trey’dez Green, saying both have made strong impressions early on.
“Sam [Leavitt] and Trey’dez [Green] have been super fun to coach. I think some of the cool things, when you see the best players on your team are the hardest workers, it’s really cool.”
Weis had especially high praise for Green’s approach.
“Seeing Trey’dez and how much work he puts into it. He’s an absolute pro and everything that he does and the extra work.
He’ll just go all day if you let him. I think what’s cool too is how much he can handle mentally… it allows us the ability to put him in a lot of different positions and do some really cool things with him,” Weis said.
As LSU heads toward the Sept. 4th season opener, Weis will be building around a completely new roster while keeping the same aggressive offensive style that made Ole Miss so dangerous. With the depth chart still taking shape, the Tigers are set to unveil a fresh look on offense.
In Other News...
Charlie Weis Jr Revealed What Pulled Him From Lane Kiffin to LSU
Charlie Weis Jr. has been around Lane Kiffin long enough to know how the relationship has evolved, from their early days together at Alabama to stops at Florida Atlantic and Ole Miss before the path led him to LSU. The connection carried real weight, too, because Kiffin was one of the first coaches to believe in him and kept giving him a place to grow as the jobs got bigger.
At LSU, though, the pull was about more than loyalty. Weis Jr. had an opportunity that came with a three-year contract reportedly worth $7.5 million, a figure that topped what Ole Miss was willing to put on the table. For LSU, it was another reminder of how aggressively the program can recruit proven coaching talent, and for Weis Jr. it was a chance to make a new move without leaving behind the influence that helped shape his career. [Read more 🡒]
LSUs Eligibility Fight Just Got Messier For Former Tigers And A Key Transfer
The eligibility battle that has been simmering around college sports got another twist this week, and it carries real stakes for a few players with LSU ties. A U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit granted the NCAAs request to stay a ruling that had opened the door for certain athletes to receive a fifth season of eligibility, leaving those players temporarily ineligible while the case moves to an expedited hearing.
For LSU fans, the wrinkle is that not everyone is in the same legal boat. Some former Tigers, along with a key transfer, remain eligible because of state-level temporary restraining orders, even as the NCAA picked up a significant win against the broader nationwide injunction. The result is more uncertainty in a dispute that could keep affecting rosters, timelines and plans as the legal process plays out. [Read more 🡒]
LSUs Edge Rotation Could Get Even Scarier For 2026
LSUs edge room already has the look of a group that could be one of the Tigers most intriguing units heading toward 2026, and there may still be another veteran piece in the mix. Jack Pyburn, who recently got on the field in a preseason NFL game, now has the option to return to LSU after a temporary restraining order tied to a lawsuit against the NCAA opened the door for some players to reconsider their paths.
For LSU, the possibility matters because the position already features a blend of transfers and returning contributors, giving the staff real flexibility but also a crowded chart to sort through. Pyburn has not made an official decision, and any move will likely hinge on where his NFL opportunity leads, but his return would add another experienced body to a rotation that was already trending toward being a strength. [Read more 🡒]