Expectations for Lane Kiffin’s first season at LSU are firmly set at a playoff-or-bust level because of the massive investment poured into both the roster and coaching staff. As many analysts are highly optimistic about the Tigers’ immediate outlook, the pressure on Kiffin to deliver right away is even greater.
Paul Finebaum Delivers Make-or-Break Message to Lane Kiffin in LSU Debut Season
Paul Finebaum from the SEC Network tells McElroy & Cubelic what this spring means to Kiffin and LSU.
“Lane Kiffin and LSU are probably the biggest mystery on the board this year,” Finebaum said (29:50). “I’ve seen 11-1 predictions. I’ve seen 8-4 predictions, and I really don’t know which one to believe. Obviously, the third week of the season against LSU is going to be critical.
“But you have to wonder if it’s going to be, you know, what happens after that game for the LSU Tigers. And, you know, can they manage through a season with only two losses? And that’s really the new barometer in the SEC. You can’t, you can’t throw away more than that.”
According to PFSN’s CFB Playoff Meter, LSU currently has a 37.1% chance of reaching the College Football Playoff, a 5% chance of making the national championship, and a 2.9% chance of winning the title.
Following Tuesday’s spring practice, Kiffin said his staff has been focusing on fundamentals, instilling habits in players that will lead to long-term success. Meanwhile, Kiffin earlier cautioned against rushing expectations, as he knows rebuilds take time.
“Things don’t happen overnight,” Kiffin told reporters last week. “It takes a lot of work to get a program up to an elite performing program level. And so we’re making some first steps, but there’s a ton of work to do.
“We’ve assembled a good roster. But at the same time, too, there’s a ton of work that goes into that to get the program back up to where everybody around here wants it to be, and the reason we came here.
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“It was 7-6 last season. So within that comes change. Within that comes a lot of work, because that’s a long jump to go to the level that I came here to get at and all the people around the program want to be at.”
Kiffin also said following Tuesday’s practice that the offense is an area still needing improvement. He chose not to hold a spring game, explaining that it would give away film, especially with another portal wave on the horizon, making player evaluations public. LSU fans will have to wait until the Sept. 5 game against Clemson to see Kiffin’s team in action.
