Despite not winning a national championship since the 2019 season, LSU remains deeply embedded in national headlines. Yet, most of the attention has nothing to do with the players, neither the retirees nor the new transfers. However, head coach Lane Kiffin sits at the forefront of the media storm surrounding the university.
With a long history of winning and alumni who played in the NFL, the school established itself as a football power. One former player uses the last coach who led the program to a national championship as the standard-bearer for excellence while offering a strong critique of what he sees in the current coaching regime.
Ex-LSU DT Breiden Fehoko Explains Why Real Culture Beats Heavy NIL Money
In previous eras, building a team culture included developing freshmen into quality upperclassmen who become standouts.
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That painstaking process seems to have become obsolete. On the surface, that appears to be a direct insult aimed at Kiffin, who embraces the buzz and clout that social media can offer.
”No NIL. No begging guys to be here. No fluff. No social media [expletive] Just straight up grind & culture.“ Fehoko wrote.
In the tweet, Fehoko highlights his former head coach, Ed Orgeron. Under his tutelage, Fehoko played two seasons at LSU, including an undefeated national championship year. Orgeron returned to Baton Rouge as one of Kiffin’s assistants. The two worked together at USC, where he served as a defensive line coach and recruiting coordinator.
Fehoko maintains, and as some of the replies to his tweet from former NFL players like Gerald McCoy, the sport has changed. McCoy also urges getting used to the change, as the old way will not return.
Over the last few days, Fehoko has continued to take issue with Kiffin’s roster construction. Instead of balancing established talent with a smattering of transfers, LSU seemingly took it to the extreme, practically liquidating last season’s roster and stacking new players into spots where former talent had resided.
Moreover, the former defender recently took the fanbase to task over recruiting former NFL players, signing them to the active roster.
Essentially, the school signed tight end Dae’Quan Wright after the Cleveland Browns released him during training camp. The LSU fanbase chose the program’s side over the alumni’s.
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Marketplace athletics is a strong aspect of college sports. When a high school player commits on signing day, the surprise will be if he stays at one school for the entirety of his collegiate career.
With NIL money flowing in the millions, LSU sits in the foreground of the movement. How that will translate to wins remains up in the air.
