IS LANE KIFFIN THE "NEXT NICK SABAN"???

Lonn Phillips Sullivan
Apr 28
4 min read

Updated: May 8

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By LONN PHILLIPS SULLIVAN

"...He (Saban) said, 'you'll always regret it if you don't go to LSU, it's the best job in America'..." -Lane Kiffin on Saban's advice during his introductory press conference

"....What more comes from him (Saban) is the obsession...I find myself now, like, the obsession of winning...the obsession of every day there's like gotta be something that we can do better. And I find myself like that...maybe now our coaches get a little annoyed with me, maybe like I did him (Saban), where you're kind of never pleased. I find myself like that...." -Lane Kiffin on adopting Nick Saban's mentality

Lane Kiffin was never supposed to be the most controversial college football coach in America or arguably the most disliked...but upon further examination, maybe he shouldn't be:

His father, Super Bowl winner Monte Kiffin, was one of the game's more revolutionary defensive minds, and as his son followed in his footsteps, many forecasted a bright future:

Young Lane was once the architect of USC's dynastic mid 2000s offenses, then became the NFL's youngest ever head coach at 31....an ill fated move that opened a Pandora's Box of madness in his wake every time he left a team or they left him:

He rewrote the rules, he broke the mould, he made history, and he surely made enemies...

There was the twisted behind the scenes saga involving a legendary NFL owner that led to a highly public and increasingly deranged franchise war in Oakland, the grotesque politics and backstabbing from athletic directors at USC and Ole Miss, the Legend of Joey Freshwater, his rebirth at Florida Atlantic and sustained success at Ole Miss, the Kiffinpalooza Phenomenon that set off a nationwide firestorm last fall...ultimately ushering in his departure from Oxford and LSU arrival (more here)....

Every step of the way was mired in high drama, intense criticism, divided lines of attrition, and widespread scorn....but why???

No school or team ever really wanted him to leave, not even Limp Bizkit-era Tennessee, not even the wrath of Pat Haden or dismissal by Nick Saban on the eve of a title game....the love was so intense that when Kiffin moved on, the fans turned into rage-filled scorned lovers & athletic directors became cosmic fools, simply because they knew the value of the man who just left....

And so, the roles Kiffin was cast to play only grew longer:

Traitor.

Genius.

Money hungry.

Drama Queen.

Social media obsessed.

Brilliant.

Reckless.

Restless.

Innovative.

Lane Kiffin has been called a lot of things during his long career, but undeniable may be the word that needs to sit high atop the list.

Every time failure, crisis or chaos stalked his doorstep like some kind of mutant creature with a taste for blood, Kiffin found renewed opportunity, purpose & career elevation, growing through each punch that landed, accepting the pain as part of an evolutionary process that's brought him to this point.

The truth is:

Lane Kiffin pisses people off because he lives a more authentic life than your usual head coach, daring to be himself unapologetically, calling bullshit when he sees it, vulnerably allowing the world to witness the full scope of his failings, battles, his private scars, as well as his victories, triumphs, and next level football innovation.

At LSU, Head Coach Lane Kiffin now possesses all the resources, backing, staff, and roster to implement a culture created in his unorthodox yet elite image, execute his every design, and achieve everything he's always pursued in the game of football....namely a nonstop commitment to excellence....dominance...the kind he experienced at USC or Alabama.

For all of the genius tags, for all of the hate, for all of the trolling on social media and ESPN documentaries, Lane Kiffin understands now is the time for him to win big....and he's calling upon the wisdom and example of former employer Nick Saban to help him achieve maximum success at LSU.

Instead of burning mattresses, engaging in public feuds, or getting left on abandoned tarmacs, Kiffin's next era in Baton Rouge is all about winning championships, fulfilling his players' NFL dreams, and doing it all while remaining his own wild, trailblazing self.

So, the question is:

Will Lane Kiffin's longtime coaching pedigree finally translate into a championship in Baton Rouge???

And, if victorious with a first National Championship, could Kiffin actually construct a dynasty in Baton Rouge, finishing the work started by Nick Saban back in the early to mid 2000s???

Of course, we are getting completely ahead of ourselves to the point of bewildering insanity, after all, Coach Kiffin's first LSU Spring Camp just ended, and his squad won't play a single down for 4 more months....and yet I still find myself fascinated by the mere possibilities of the question.

In the post-Saban era, where UGA's Kirby Smart, Ohio State's Ryan Day and 2025 champions Indiana's Curt Cignetti remain the standard bearers, there is an ever closing gap for Kiffin to squeeze or even smash through.

In 2026, Lane Kiffin will coach #LSU's #1 portal class (joining a lengthy list of elite Tigers already on campus), #1 ranked QB (and his 5 star backup), the #1 ranked O-lineman, the #1 ranked DE, a trio of LBs at the apex of the SEC, the #1 overall freshman only days away from his debut, the highest paid & sought after defensive coordinator in America, alongside an All-Star staff, backed by everyone from powerhouse Tiger alumni, a rejuvenated donor base, alignment from the Athletic Director down to the equipment staff....while energizing the nation's most rabid, die hard fanbase, Kiffin will have every advantage, resource and opportunity to not only make his championship mark on college football, he will have the chance to make it a habit.

However, the PRESSURE is at 11 & LSU's 2026 campaign just might be the scheduling equivalent of Mad Max Beyond Thunderome if it was directed by Michael Bay: We're talking one giant miasma (or clusterfuck)...a rabbit hole the Tigers must descend & navigate as it happens from all sides, at all times....

For those moments, the preparation has already begun.....

It's time to spot the ball....every day is a grind of blood and bone...a daily sacrifice to the football gods...