LSU football has been widely regarded as the winner of the offseason for hiring former Ole Miss head coach Lane Kiffin, seen by most as the best head coach to make a move this cycle. Kiffin did an excellent job turning around an Ole Miss program that had been mired at the bottom of the SEC for several years before his arrival, and it’s expected that his success will continue in Baton Rouge.
The Athletic’s Stewart Mandel has a somewhat different opinion, however. Mandel published his grades for every college football hire this offseason, with LSU earning a “B+” for landing Kiffin. This was the same grade Virginia Tech earned for hiring James Franklin and Penn State for hiring Matt Campbell, two hires that were strong but, for the most part, have not been as highly praised.
“Lane Kiffin is a really good offensive coach, and he did a great job at Ole Miss,” Mandel explained in a separate video explaining his choice behind the grade. “But there’s a reason that every school he’s been to ends up rioting, or something to that effect… He is always a walking controversy.”
Mandel’s remarks about the controversy and discontent Kiffin has caused in the past are understandable, and to be honest, it’s hard to expect things to change in Baton Rouge.
But you have to take the good with the bad. At USC, the controversy he generated didn’t come with much success, but that began to change as Kiffin moved on.
Kiffin’s time in Oxford was marked by a 74.3% win rate, and the reputation he’s built as a recruiter should only be further enhanced by LSU’s resources and prestige. And that’s not to mention his on-field coaching ability, which has produced high-quality offenses year after year throughout his career.
So, sure, it may be more likely than not that things will end poorly between Kiffin and LSU. In that sense, Mandel’s grade is fair. But would an eventual rough exit be worth a title? Absolutely. And in this year’s hiring cycle, it’s hard to find a coach who seems more likely to get his new team there.
This article originally appeared on LSU Wire: LSU football earns surprising grade for Lane Kiffin hire
