LSU coach Lane Kiffin has hit the ground running in Baton Rouge since he was appointed the Tigers’ coach last year. The Tigers have been aggressive in the transfer portal, revamping Kiffin’s roster ahead of next season.
Apart from visiting potential recruits in the offseason, Kiffin has also been cultivating relationships with LSU boosters as the Tigers aim to build a warchest that rivals the biggest teams in the SEC.
Lane Kiffin Cultivates Billionaire Booster Relationship
On Sunday, LSU insider Joseph Hebert revealed on X that Kiffin had developed a relationship with billionaire Tilman Fertitta, who is also the US Ambassador to Italy and San Marino.
“Kiffin continues to work closely with the boosters. He’s either spent his time in high schools, recruits’ homes, or meeting with the boosters. Tillman Fertitta is the owner/CEO of Landry’s Inc. and the Golden Nugget hotel and casinos.
“He also serves as the US Ambassador of Italy and San Marino. Not a bad person to have in your corner when it comes to NIL. #JustDifferent,” Hebert tweeted.
Kiffin promptly quote-tweeted Hebert’s tweet on X with a simple message about LSU’s incredible reach:
“Again. #JustDifferent #1of1 @LSU,” Kiffin tweeted.
According to Forbes, Fertitta, the CEO of Landry’s, is worth $10.4 billion and is ranked No. 299 on the list of the world’s richest people.
Kiffin Backed To Succeed at LSU
Kiffin’s messy exit from Ole Miss, right before they embarked on their first College Football Playoff run, was highly criticized by fans, coaches, and analysts. The fallout from the exit has continued, but during last week’s “McElroy & Cubelic in the Morning” segment, ESPN analyst Paul Finebaum backed Kiffin to emerge as the winner of the saga.
“Everything is different for many reasons,” Finebaum said. “In the end, I believe Lane Kiffin is going to come out of this very well. He took the chance. He took the hits. But ultimately, what was he trying to accomplish? He was trying to get to LSU, get in position, and make them into a contender. He has done that.
“He’s never been in a place quite like this. Neither Tennessee nor Ole Miss equals LSU. He doesn’t have to win the national championship in a year, but I think he will make a run. He’s a smart coach, he’s got a good staff, and he’s at a place where everything is going for him.”
Kiffin’s LSU overhaul included bringing in 42 total players via the transfer portal, a new record for LSU, whose previous biggest portal haul was 18. In addition, 16 freshmen will arrive in Baton Rouge next season. The Tigers lost 34 players from the Brian Kelly era to the transfer portal and 16 to the NFL Draft and eligibility.
The Tigers returned only 10 offensive players, underscoring Kiffin’s aggressive transfer portal approach ahead of what is sure to be a highly scrutinized first season in charge of LSU.
