LSU will open the Lane Kiffin era on Sept. 5 with a home game against Clemson at Tiger Stadium. That opener is still months away, but the pressure and expectations surrounding Kiffin’s first season in Baton Rouge keep rising by the day.
Former NFL Star Praises Lane Kiffin’s Aura as Son Targets LSU in Growing Recruiting Story
Kiffin has stayed active on the recruiting trail since taking over at LSU, and he may have received word of another potential addition.
In a conversation with Louisiana Sports’ Matt Moscona, former Mississippi State standout and ex-Minnesota Vikings cornerback Fred Smoot revealed that his son hopes to play for Kiffin at LSU.
“This is what I love about Lane,” Smoot said. “If Lane can’t come into your living room with your mom and dad, he (is) leaving with the child. That’s who he is. Lane has that type of aura to him. Brian Kelly had the aura of a snail. He didn’t have a chance to come recruit my kids or anybody else’s kids.
“By the way, I might be sending y’all a Smoot. I would hate to see a Smoot with the LSU jersey zone, but my son is one of the top receivers in Virginia. That is his dream school (LSU). I can’t hate him.”
Following Kiffin’s arrival, more than 30 LSU players from the 2025 roster entered the NCAA Transfer Portal shortly after the window opened on Jan. 2. While the mass exits initially raised concerns, Kiffin responded by bringing in 41 transfer additions, a class that 247Sports ranked No. 1 nationally.
That group marked the strongest portal haul Kiffin has assembled since the transfer portal era began in 2021-22. The class is headlined by No. 1 portal quarterback Sam Leavitt and No. 1 offensive tackle Jordan Seaton.
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Take Leavitt’s case, the PFSN College Football Playoff Meter’s No. 15 team, LSU, seemed to lose momentum once in his recruitment. However, Kiffin flew to Knoxville to meet with Leavitt during his Tennessee visit, and the commitment eventually followed. It once again reinforced his reputation as the “transfer portal king.”
During his first press conference on Wednesday since being introduced as LSU’s head coach on Dec. 1, Kiffin addressed his approach to recruiting.
“I don’t know, I just know how I do things,” Kiffin said. “There’s a good and bad to it. I’m extremely competitive and I don’t really do well with no. So that just makes me more competitive when someone says no. So sometimes that happens in recruiting. They say no. But I think that’s my job. That’s my job to LSU.”
Kiffin has also secured a 2026 recruiting class that ranks among the nation’s best. He successfully signed the top two players in Louisiana in December: defensive linemen Lamar Brown from University High and Richard Anderson from Edna Karr. He downplayed his own role, suggesting his importance is smaller than many might assume.
However, it’s easy to see why parents like Smoot are drawn to Kiffin, as he is not only a strong coach but also an elite recruiter. By balancing transfer portal additions with blue-chip high school talent, Kiffin aims to build sustained success in Baton Rouge, and it wouldn’t be surprising to eventually see Smoot’s son wearing the LSU colors at his dream school.
