Nick Saban doesn’t offer guidance lightly, especially to coaches whose careers he once helped reshape. So when LSU entered the picture for former Ole Miss head coach Lane Kiffin, Saban became one of the key voices weighing in on what might drive such a move. And according to Kiffin, that perspective was the driving force behind his high-profile coaching shift.

“I think Lane’s decision is going to come down to one thing, and that thing is, where is the place where can I recruit the best players? And I think one of Lane’s apprehensions is, he’s had to use the portal to build his team at Ole Miss each year,” Saban said on College GameDay Saturday.

Saban emphasized how LSU’s natural recruiting access as the lone power-conference program in a talent-rich state with reach into East Texas creates an advantage few schools can match. For a coach chasing the playoffs consistently, that kind of foundation matters. Though Kiffin didn’t outright confirm that recruiting was the determining factor, he did acknowledge that Saban’s insight was central to how he approached the transition.

Saban’s advice matters not only because he’s widely regarded as the greatest coach in college football, but also because he understands Kiffin’s trajectory better than anyone. Kiffin worked for him at Alabama from 2014 to 2016, which helped him revive his head coaching career after USC’s firing with a 28-15 record in 43 games.

“Coach Saban kind of coached at another place in this conference. So I can’t really say exactly what he said, but I’ll say I think the word of Coach Saban, and I respect him. And so there’s a reason,” Lane Kiffin said to the media.

Kiffin’s recruiting track record is a major part of this story. At Ole Miss, he earned the reputation of the “portal king,” delivering four straight top-six transfer classes according to 247Sports, including the No. 1 class in 2024. Those additions transformed Ole Miss’ defense — leading the nation in sacks and TFLs — and pushed the program into playoff contention. He even elevated quarterback Jackson Dart into an NFL first-rounder. And the talent pool at LSU is also extensive.

During Brian Kelly’s tenure, he assembled a No. 5 recruiting class and No. 3 in the SEC back in 2023. Getting talented high school players like Zalance Heard, DJ Chester, and Whit Weeks, and adding transfers like Aron Anderson and Bradyn Swinson. Even in 2022, he signed 15 high school recruits and 19 transfers, including Heisman winner Jayden Daniels. During his four seasons, Kelly constantly kept the Tigers inside the top 12 rankings without a playoff berth.

That shows how well recruiting works for the LSU Tigers. With that, Lane Kiffin is already eyeing key recruits.

Lane Kiffin plans on flipping top recruits to LSU

Lane Kiffin wasted no time in putting effort into LSU’s recruiting trail after arriving in Baton Rouge in less than 24 hours. After coming in, he immediately met with defensive tackle Lamar Brown, the No. 1 player in LSU’s 2026 class. Brown, who plays at Baton Rouge University Lab, plans on signing with the Tigers this week, and Kiffin made sure he does it with no doubts.

Then comes in his top target, Lafayette’s four-star wide receiver Brayden Allen, who also visited LSU on Sunday night. Allen decommitted from Oklahoma after flipping from Tulane. Now the 6’1” playmaker who delivered a standout season with 55 catches for 1,155 yards and 10 touchdowns is LSU’s major target.

Then comes in four-star tight end JC Anderson, who committed to Lane Kiffin back in July. He is a top 10 tight end in the class and produced on both sides of the ball in 2024 with 47 receptions, 535 yards with seven touchdowns, 52 tackles, 5.5 sacks, and an interception.

Even four-star Alabama receiver Corey Barber, who decommitted from Ole Miss on Sunday after Lane Kiffin’s move, is also his top target. He is a top 50 wideout, which can push Kiffin’s fate.

Now, let’s wait and see which player finally comes to the LSU Tigers after the new head coaching move.