Lane Kiffin was handed a $91 million contract to bring LSU back to the top, not get embarrassed by Alabama. But Saturday’s 31-13 humiliation at Tiger Stadium exposed another ugly collapse as the Crimson Tide erased LSU’s second-half lead. Now, a former Tigers national champion is ripping into Kiffin, and he’s holding nothing back.
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Former LSU defensive lineman Breiden Fehoko, who was part of the 2019 title team, had seen enough. He went after Lane Kiffin on X, and this was clearly about more than one bad Saturday.
“So LSU hired a $100 million coach who couldn’t win the big games, fired him with a $50 million buyout, then hired a $90 million coach who also couldn’t,” he wrote. “Got it. Get this hot yoga narcissist instructor away from my school.”
It was a nasty shot at a coach who hasn’t been short of attention since taking over in Baton Rouge. But the money makes the criticism sting even more. Fehoko’s post brought LSU’s recent coaching spending straight into the conversation.
Former LSU coach Brian Kelly arrived in 2021 on a 10-year agreement worth approximately $95 million. After compiling a 34-14 record, he was dismissed in October 2025. LSU subsequently agreed to pay him a $54 million buyout over six years. Then, Lane Kiffin was brought in with a seven-year, $91 million contract.
The expectation of that enormous investment was never just to beat teams LSU was supposed to beat. The Tigers want to compete with Alabama, Georgia, and the other SEC powerhouses. But the game with Kalen DeBoer’s Tide offered another uncomfortable reality check.
LSU briefly led 13-10 in the third quarter before Alabama flipped the game. Keelon Russell, playing through an ankle injury, hit Rico Scott for 57 yards, then threw touchdowns to Josh Ford and Cederian Morgan. LSU had chances but couldn’t finish drives, wasting two fourth-down attempts and a costly first-half interception by Sam Leavitt.
The defeat dropped LSU to 6-3 overall and 3-3 in SEC play. It also marked Lane Kiffin’s sixth consecutive loss against Alabama. The bigger concern is what that means for the postseason.
LSU entered the weekend with legitimate playoff hopes, but another loss against a ranked opponent has made the road considerably harder. Its SEC Championship Game prospects have also taken a serious hit.
Saturday’s outburst wasn’t a sudden change of heart. Fehoko had already questioned Lane Kiffin’s approach in August.
“LSU fans hate hearing the truth but yes Lane Kiffin is already on the hot seat whether you like me or not,” he posted then. “You left Ole Miss cause they couldn’t give you what LSU has to offer. So it’s fair to say at the very minimum we need a playoff appearance this year.”
Now, after the Alabama loss, Fehoko revisited that post and returned with another public message. Tagging Lane Kiffin, he wrote, “I know you see this @Lane_Kiffin I expect a call from you soon.”
Whether that call ever comes is another matter. But the message is clear. LSU didn’t spend this kind of money to keep collecting moral victories.