LSU has landed the big fish it was seeking all along: Ole Miss head coach Lane Kiffin.
Kiffin has had a drawn-out public wrestling with his future for the past several weeks, but has ultimately chose to leave Ole Miss despite the Rebels clinching the first 11-win season in program history and likely a College Football Playoff appearance.
Now, he’s come to Baton Rouge to take over a program in a tough spot. Here’s what he’ll have to deal with and the decisions he’ll have to make.
Deciding which coaches stay
It’s not uncommon for incoming coaches to clean house when they arrive. However, LSU’s last head coach, Brian Kelly, drew criticism early in his tenure for flushing out many of the established coaches with Louisiana ties.
He was forced to course correct several years later, when he brought back defensive backs coach Corey Raymond and defensive coordinator Blake Baker, both of whom were on the LSU staff when Kelly was hired.
What will Kiffin do? Raymond and Baker have both seen success with their units, as the LSU defense has been one of the only positive parts of this season. Early reports have said Baker will receive considerable consideration to return as the coordinator.
Interim head coach and former running backs coach Frank Wilson is another coach Kiffin will face a decision on. There was sizable outside support for Wilson being given the full-time job, so the respect he’s garnered prompts consideration.
It’s been reported Kiffin has rallied some offensive and administrative staff at Ole Miss to join him. Reportedly coming along to Baton Rouge are offensive coordinator Charlie Weis Jr., wide receivers coach George McDonald, strength and conditioning coach Nick Savage and general manager Billy Glasscock, as well as a few others.
The approaching early signing period
The early signing period for the incoming high school class is Dec. 3-5. Kiffin will immediately have to close deals with recruits, which will likely include assuring them that LSU is still the place they want to go — a difficult pitch with so much uncertainty about the coaching staff.
Kiffin will also be trying to flip recruits and bolster LSU’s class, currently ranked No. 12 in the nation by 247Sports.
The majority of recruits typically sign during the early signing period, but the national signing day is Feb. 4.
Keeping talent in Baton Rouge
With Kiffin being such a high-profile hire, it feels less likely current players will want to leave. The lack of entries into the transfer portal and decommitments in the immediate aftermath of Kelly’s firing speaks to the fact that many in LSU’s bubble were in a wait-and-see mode. Kiffin may well be what they wanted to see.
That being said, he will still need to touch base with LSU’s top talent and convince them to stay. Such core players include freshman cornerback DJ Pickett, sophomore tight end Trey’Dez Green and incoming freshman defensive lineman Lamar Brown, considered by some the top recruit in the 2026 class. Brown has announced that, with Kiffin’s arrival, he’s closing down his recruitment and will join LSU.
Proving he can be a stable force
More than anything, Kiffin has to fight a battle against perception.
Kiffin’s decision to leave Ole Miss in the midst of the program’s best season in history which could very well still end in a national championship is a tough one for many to stomach. It’s not dissimilar to the decision he made in 2009 to leave Tennessee for USC after one season as the Volunteers’ head coach.
With a chaotic month and change that featured the departures of a coach and athletic director, an uncomfortable series of public comments by the governor and the murky status of the sitting athletic director, LSU needs stability. Kiffin will need to prove he can bring that and intends to stay for the long haul.
