Lane Kiffin’s move to the LSU Tigers has already become one of the most polarizing coaching shifts in recent memory. After six seasons at Ole Miss Rebels, and with the Rebels still in the thick of a College Football Playoff push, Kiffin stunned the college football world by leaving Oxford for Baton Rouge on Nov. 30.
LSU hired him with hopes that his offensive acumen and recruiting appeal could rebuild a long-term SEC powerhouse. However, not everyone is convinced the partnership will last. During a recent appearance on Dan Patrick Show, ESPN analyst Paul Finebaum delivered a candid and cryptic assessment of Kiffin’s future at LSU.
Finebaum was asked to discuss where he envisions Kiffin five years from now, and his answer immediately created a buzz across the SEC landscape. As per Finebaum, the only way Kiffin remains in Baton Rouge long-term is by reaching the sport’s highest peak.
“He might still be at LSU but he’s going to have to win a national championship. But I would think that ultimately he’ll move on,” Finebaum said.
Finebaum also revisited Kiffin’s previous NFL stint, a turbulent 20-game run with the Raiders that ended after a 5-15 record and a very messy public firing by Al Davis. He also doubled down with a sharp jab at LSU’s built-in advantages.
“I don’t know if Lane goes back to the NFL at some point,” Finebaum added. “I think now that Al Davis has been dead and buried for a number of years, I think that the reverberations from that are over. But I think that ultimately he’s just never going to be happy anywhere. But I think he could get a national championship at LSU. The two of us could walk in off the street and win a national championship down there. It’s not that hard.”
For LSU, the question becomes whether Kiffin is a long-term culture builder or a short-term accelerator with wandering eyes. The Tigers would like to believe they have hired a coach capable of assembling a dynasty. Finebaum believes the clock is already ticking.
