Lane Kiffin, the head coach of the LSU Tigers, is facing criticism for not securing significant wins despite his expressive style and frequent career moves. Some people compare him to John Gotti, the infamous mob boss, in terms of his coaching persona. Kiffin’s love for excuses seems to rival his passion for coaching, as he prepares explanations for any shortcomings even before they occur.
Kiffin’s first season leading the Tigers has been turbulent. While the team showed a strong start by defeating Clemson, they faltered against Kentucky and Ole Miss. The loss at Ole Miss was anticipated due to the emotional atmosphere but was a crucial game for Kiffin to prove his capability. Now, with two losses from the first seven games and tough matches ahead, including against Auburn, Alabama, Texas, Tennessee, and Arkansas, LSU’s aspirations for the College Football Playoff are uncertain.
During a press conference, Kiffin objected to the SEC’s new nine-game conference schedule, which he believes leads to increased losses for the teams. He noted that the additional games inevitably result in more defeats, affecting the conference rankings. Kiffin also expressed concerns about how more losses, combined with the transfer portal and NIL (Name, Image, and Likeness) deals, make it harder for teams to build depth.
Kiffin talked about Auburn’s situation as an example, stating that without their first SEC loss, and with an extra non-conference win, they might have been ranked in the top 10. However, the reality is that Auburn did not deserve to be ranked based on their performance.
“It’s just where football is, and they can’t see like they do in basketball or baseball, metrics, so it is what it is,” said Kiffin.
Kiffin’s argument resembles the complaints other conferences like the Big Ten have made when they faced the SEC’s eight-game advantage. Now that this advantage is gone, Kiffin is vocal about the difficulties the new schedule introduces, suggesting it’s unfair despite previously benefiting SEC teams.
Currently, the Big Ten seems to have better depth than the SEC, as reflected in ESPN’s SP+ rankings, which indicate efficiency across all team facets. Unlike Kiffin, Big Ten teams do not complain about the tougher nine-game schedule they face.
SEC teams continue to receive favorable rankings despite two losses, whereas no other conference sees two-loss teams in the top 25. Kiffin’s preference for the SEC’s previous advantages is evident as he navigates this season’s challenges.
Despite the existing rankings and metrics, Kiffin is likely to continue expressing grievances regarding the challenges faced by his team and the SEC under the current schedule.