Lane Kiffin Suggests That Nick Saban Played A Big Role In His Decision To Come To LSU

by Staff Reporter

December 1, 20255 Comments

Butch Dill-Imagn Images

During his introductory press conference on Monday, new LSU head coach Lane Kiffin talked about some of the conversations he had with mentors that helped him make his decision to come to Baton Rouge.

Those mentors included Pete Carroll and Nick Saban.

While Kiffin didn't go into much detail about what Saban told him, it seems the former LSU coach played a role in Kiffin's decision.

quote:
Q. I'm wondering if there are things that you can share with your conversations with your mentors and whomever else you sought out to make this decision, what were some of the things they shared with you that sort of helped sway you one way or the other?

LANE KIFFIN: Yeah, I think that it was a really difficult decision. When you're in those difficult decisions and you're torn, very torn, back and forth, back and forth, and there's multiple options, you know. There were really four different places that we had to think about in this. I just talked to them, and it really was apparent to I felt like everybody that I talked to outside of the state that I was in all basically said the same thing.

They all said, man, you are going to regret it if you don't take the shot and you don't go to LSU. It's the best job in America with the best resources and to win it. It's obviously been done here before by a number of people.

Pete Carroll, really he told me that he always told my dad that he would look out for me. When we were talking, he really channelled him from knowing him for so long, and he said, this is exactly what he would do. He would tell you, boy, go get it; go for it.

Coach Saban kind of coached at another place in this conference, so I can't really say exactly what he said, but I'll say I think the world of Coach Saban, and I respect him. So there's a reason I'm here.