Lane Kiffin has never been one to shy away from social media trolling. His latest post might be his most layered jab yet. It pulls in a former rival QB, a high-profile breakup, and a multi-million dollar NIL deal all in one picture.

On Thursday, the new LSU head coach shared a picture on X, featuring him with the Cavinder twins, Hanna and Haley. That seemed normal considering Lane Kiffin’s love for basketball, until the playful caption appeared, dragging Carson Beck into it.

“Beat them@like we did Beck in 24!! ⁦ @CavinderHaley @CavinderHanna,” wrote Kiffin.

For anyone who has followed all the drama that surrounded Carson Beck, it’s easy to place the jab. But it’s sort of a double entendre. On the one hand, Kiffin is referencing the Georgia game, where his Ole Miss team beat a Carson Beck-led team 28-10. The Bulldogs quarterback was limited to 20-of-31 passes for just 186 yards and was sacked five times. That even formed the backdrop of another jab Kiffin took at Carson Beck.

“Miami gave him $4.3 million? Did they watch his game against us?” said Kiffin during his appearance on The Pivot Podcast.

Simply, Kiffin wasn’t buying Miami’s decision to get Beck with such a hefty package, considering his 2024 performance against Ole Miss. But that didn’t change Beck’s potential. However, the presence of the Cavinder sisters in the post is the ultimate drama material.

At that time, Carson Beck had Hanna by his side. After that rocky season, the former Georgia QB reportedly decided to transfer to Miami, following his love. Although Beck clarified that his move had nothing to do with his relationship and instead was purely about football, some pointed to a $4.3 million NIL for his decision. In fact, Lane Kiffin didn’t miss the chance to stir the pot.

Beck and Hanna Cavinder were college football’s power couple when the former was at the top of his game at Athens. However, weeks after he transferred to Miami, the couple had a public breakup, with stories suggesting that Hanna left him because of his personality and behavior. The sisters even called out Beck for not having any friends.

Since then, Carson Beck led Miami to the national championship game, and Lane Kiffin has left his Ole Miss job for greener pastures at Baton Rouge. This re-ignition of old wounds by the LSU head coach can be seen as bad taste, as Beck is currently preparing for the NFL draft.

Could Lane Kiffin’s LSU move be successful?

In a survey of nearly 30 coaches across the sport, opinions ranged from confident predictions to cautious skepticism. The topic was simply, can Lane Kiffin deliver a national championship in Baton Rouge?

“I’m not saying you can hire a schmuck, but that’s one of the easier jobs to win a national title at,” said one SEC coach.

Because LSU’s blueprint for success has already been proven. With national titles this century under Ed Orgeron, Nick Saban, and Les Miles, the Tigers have long been considered a powerhouse waiting to roar again. Now, Kiffin arrives with a reported $13-million-per-year deal and a roster built aggressively through the transfer portal, including QB Sam Leavitt.

“He’ll have every resource he ever wanted. It won’t be for a lack of resources if he doesn’t get it done,” stated an SEC assistant.

Here, Lane Kiffin’s track record speaks volumes. He turned Ole Miss into a national contender with a 55-19 run over six seasons. Many believe that success could scale even higher at LSU. Still, the doubts haven’t disappeared.

In that case, some coaches question whether Kiffin can handle the intense expectations. However, others wonder if his personality and tendency to create headlines could eventually get in his own way.

“With the resources they have, he should win—but it’s Lane. Sometimes he’s his own worst enemy,” said one Big 12 assistant.

Now, it’s up to the LSU coach to prove critics wrong.