Lane Kiffin’s rebuild at LSU is starting to take shape-and the latest piece is a big one in the trenches.
With much of his offensive staff following him from Ole Miss to Baton Rouge, Kiffin’s been methodically piecing together the defensive side of the ball after several key assistants chose to stay behind in Oxford under new Rebels head coach Pete Golding. That left Kiffin with some major hires to make on defense, and he just landed a notable one: Sterling Lucas is heading to LSU to take over as defensive line coach.
Lucas, who most recently served as South Carolina’s defensive ends coach and run game coordinator, brings a strong blend of SEC experience and NFL pedigree to the table. He’s spent the past five seasons working under Shane Beamer in Columbia, helping shape a Gamecocks front that consistently played with physicality and energy-even when the roster was thin.
This move reunites Kiffin with a coach who knows how to develop talent in the trenches and isn’t afraid of the grind that comes with building a front seven in the SEC. Lucas is a former NC State standout pass rusher himself, and his coaching résumé stretches over a decade, including time spent at the professional level. That kind of background matters when you’re trying to elevate a defensive line in the SEC West-where the battles are won and lost at the line of scrimmage.
For LSU, this hire is about more than just plugging a hole on the staff. It’s about setting a tone.
Kiffin’s teams have always been known for their offensive firepower, but if the Tigers are going to make real noise in the postseason picture, they’ll need a defense that can stand up to the league’s powerhouses. That starts up front, and Lucas will be tasked with bringing that edge to a unit that’s seen its share of ups and downs in recent years.
He’ll inherit a group with talent but also one that needs retooling-especially with the transfer portal already shaking up rosters across the country. The timing here is key. With the first transfer window underway and spring ball just a few months out, Lucas will have to hit the ground running, evaluating personnel, installing his vision, and helping shape the identity of this new-look LSU defense.
It’s a critical hire for Kiffin as he lays the foundation for his tenure in Baton Rouge. And for Lucas, it’s a chance to make an impact on one of the biggest stages in college football.