Lane Kiffin is enjoying the offseason in Baton Rouge as the new LSU head coach. On Sunday night, Kiffin spent his best time in the state of Louisiana by celebrating Mardi Gras as the co-grand marshal for the Krewe of Endymion Parade along with historian Arthur Hardy in New Orleans, which is 81 miles away from the LSU campus.
Lane Kiffin Talks About His First-Ever Mardi Gras in Front of New Orleans Crowd
Clad in an LSU Odell Beckham III jersey, a backwards cap, and beads, Kiffin addressed the crowd in New Orleans, standing on a float that had a giant tiger on it, commemorating the LSU mascot.
“Thank you. This is awesome. It’s been amazing. I’ve never been to a Mardi Gras,” Kiffin said. “And everybody said: ‘One of the most amazing days of your life,’ and it has been. So, thanks so much for hosting us and thank you for the key and Geaux Tigers!”
Kiffin soaked in the chaos of the parade, as the shouting and festival scenes seemed to disrupt his train of thought. When reporter Garland Gillen asked him about his reaction to Tiger fans screaming on the route, demanding a national championship, he responded as if he had been sacked violently by two powerful defensive linemen.
“I don’t know. They were just yelling at us, we were throwing beads,” Kiffin said. “It was just great. The energy, the passion we felt from the state of Louisiana.”
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Kiffin, who accepted the job as LSU’s head coach on Nov. 30, also received the key to the city of New Orleans after serving as co-grand marshal and councilman. During the event, councilman Matt Willard said the expectation is for the new coach to bring the national championship to Baton Rouge.
He is coming to LSU with a 116-53 head coaching record and national championship experience, having been part of the 2003 and 2004 USC teams and the 2015 Alabama team. Last season, he guided Ole Miss to an 11-1 record and the No. 6 seed in the college football playoffs before passing the baton to Pete Golding after his request to continue coaching Ole Miss in the postseason was denied.
The Rebels, under Golding and led by quarterback Trinidad Chambliss, trounced No. 11 seed Tulane 41-10 before stunning No. 3 Georgia 39-34 in the CFP Quarterfinals Sugar Bowl. They tried to make it to the national championship final, but No. 10 Miami blocked their way, beating them 31-27Â in the CFP Semifinals Fiesta Bowl.
LSU last won the national title in 2019, when Ed Orgeron led the Tigers to a 15-0 season that culminated in a 42-25 win over Clemson in the title game. Joe Burrow was the quarterback, and his receivers were Ja’Marr Chase and Justin Jefferson. Other notable players in that championship roster were Clyde Edwards-Helaire and defenders Grant Delpit, K’Lavon Chaisson, and Patrick Queen.
Last season, the Tigers went 7-6 under coaches Brian Kelly, who was fired after eight games, and Frank Wilson, who took over from the ninth game through the Texas Bowl. The hope is that Kiffin would put LSU back in the national championship picture and lead the Tigers to their first title in seven seasons.
