Lane Kiffin has barely had time to settle into his new job at LSU, yet the head coach has already found himself at the center of one of college football’s strangest controversies. LSU is ranked No. 11 entering the season, and the Tigers are preparing to open the Kiffin era against Clemson on Saturday night. ESPN’s College GameDay will also be in Baton Rouge for the matchup.
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Instead of spending the final days before his first game talking only about football, Kiffin has been answering questions about former NFL players, court cases, and whether LSU helped create a legal fight over college eligibility. That’s where Stephen A. Smith came in.
“If Lane Kiffin was smart, he’d go Bill Belichick,” Stephen A. Smith said on ESPN’s September 1 show. “He’d give one-word answers. He’d give barely half-sentence answers. He wouldn’t say much, and he’s unapologetic about it. That’s what Lane Kiffin needs to be. The problem is that Lane Kiffin wants it all. He wants to win football games.”
“He wants to be recognized as a great coach overseeing a great program. But he also wants to come across as what’s impossible for him, which is a paragon of virtue. It ain’t happening. And just give that up. Stop worrying about being a good guy. Go about the business of getting out there and beating Clemson and everybody else that stands in your path.”
The whole fiasco started when former Ole Miss tight end Dae’Quan Wright and defensive lineman Zxavian Harris returned to college ball after being released by NFL teams. Wright had signed with the Eagles after going undrafted, was waived, claimed by Cleveland, and was later released again. Harris signed with the Saints and was eventually waived. Both then pursued a return to college football and wanted to play for Kiffin at LSU.
The NCAA had changed its eligibility rules in June, giving players who began college in 2023 or later five years to play five seasons. The legal fight centered on whether players from the 2022 recruiting class could also receive another season. A Louisiana ruling opened the door for players in that position. Kiffin then became the most visible coach willing to take advantage of it.
His argument is fairly simple. These athletes were granted a path back to college through the legal process, and he did not believe they should be blamed for taking it. He has also pushed back on the idea that LSU was somehow exploiting the situation. In Kiffin’s view, the players were given another year of eligibility because they had been caught in a change to the NCAA’s eligibility rules.
Still, Kiffin admitted the decision was not as easy as simply adding more talent.
He had to think about the players who had spent the entire offseason preparing for the season. Bringing in Wright or Harris could mean fewer snaps for someone who had already earned a role. Kiffin said that concern was part of his decision-making process. That is why he turned to LSU’s leadership council.
Kiffin met with the team’s leadership group and put the decision in their hands. He wanted to know how the players felt about adding former NFL players after months of practicing together. According to Kiffin, the response was overwhelmingly positive. The message from the leadership group was that if those players were eligible and could help LSU win, they wanted them on the team.
The backlash has not slowed down. Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney has called the practice embarrassing, while Texas’ Steve Sarkisian has questioned the morality of bringing former pros back into college football. Kiffin, however, has continued to defend LSU’s position. For now, Wright is practicing with LSU. He cannot play against Clemson because he must complete the NCAA’s seven-day acclimatization period.