LSU's Lane Kiffin Faces Scrutiny Over NFL Player Roster Decisions

1:03 AM ETDeveloping

Sports Desk

In Short: LSU football coach Lane Kiffin is under fire for controversial roster decisions involving NFL players, drawing criticism from sports analysts.

LSU football coach Lane Kiffin is facing intense scrutiny following his decision to add multiple NFL players to his roster, a move that has sparked controversy and legal challenges.

Kiffin's tenure at LSU began with a bang, leading the Tigers to a dominant 51-10 victory over Clemson in their season opener, followed by a 45-14 win over Louisiana Tech.

However, Kiffin's recent roster decisions have drawn significant backlash, particularly over his attempts to bring back NFL players for a fifth season of eligibility.

Paul Finebaum, a prominent college football analyst, harshly criticized Kiffin's behavior during a rant on ESPN, calling him a '51-year-old man behaving like a 16-year-old.' Finebaum also praised SEC commissioner Greg Sankey for stepping in to prevent what he deemed 'one of the worst moments' in league history.

Kiffin's controversial moves come at a time when he is already known for his cool demeanor and success as a coach, having gone 55-19 in six seasons at Ole Miss before taking the LSU helm.

Despite his track record, Kiffin has yet to lead a team to the College Football Playoff, a feat that would have been possible had he not left Ole Miss last season.

The situation has escalated to the point where legal issues are now involved, as explained in a video featuring college football insider Pete Thamel, highlighting the complexity and severity of the controversy surrounding Kiffin's decisions.

What's still developing

"I think Lane's got that carefree swagger, where the teams play loose," the assistant said.
After going 55-19 in six seasons as the head coach at Ole Miss, Kiffin is looking to enjoy even more success in that same role at LSU.
With Kiffin about to leave, Ole Miss named Pete Golding its new head coach and allowed him to coach during the CFP, leading the Rebels all the way to the semifinals.
NBC Sports college football analyst Yogi Roth heaped heavy praise on LSU head football coach Lane Kiffin this week.
Speaking to Bruce Feldman of The Athletic, Roth recalled the time he spent as part of USC's coaching staff with Kiffin.
Roth was a graduate assistant and then quarterbacks coach from 2005 to 2009, while Kiffin was USC's co-offensive coordinator from 2005 to 2006 before becoming head coach of the Oakland Raiders in 2007.
An anonymous former Alabama assistant, who was part of the coaching staff during Kiffin's tenure as offensive coordinator from 2014 to 2016, addressed that aspect of Kiffin's personality as well.
That would have changed last season had Kiffin not decided to take the LSU head coaching job when he did.

Sources

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