The drama surrounding Lane Kiffin, the newly appointed coach of LSU, just keeps getting more intense this winter.
A few weeks back, Kiffin made waves by deciding to leave Ole Miss to take the reins in Baton Rouge. The spotlight shone on him again when he appeared on ESPN during LSU’s match-up against Houston in the Texas Bowl.
This appearance came right at the start of the second quarter, where Kiffin chatted with commentators Tom Hart and Cole Cubelic. He enthusiastically praised Ole Miss for their impressive 41-10 victory over Tulane in the early rounds of the College Football Playoff, calling it “the biggest game in the history of Mississippi.” It seemed like he was stepping into his new role by scouting his future team.
But just shortly after his ESPN chat, Kiffin was seen making a hasty exit from the stadium, hopping into a car before the game was even finished. LSU ultimately fell to Houston by a score of 38-35.
During his guest spot on ESPN, he mentioned how he was only able to catch bits of the game: “Yeah, I didn’t have as much time as you’d think [to watch the game],” Kiffin stated. “I just saw the opening kickoff, then took some calls because we were working with agents. That’s just how it is now. Nonstop.”
Fans, however, had no problem airing their concerns online, criticizing Kiffin for not staying to support LSU through the whole game:
To make matters worse, fans were quick to remind Kiffin of his earlier critiques regarding Ole Miss fans bolting from games early back in September.
He had expressed, “When the players run back onto the field, the difference in the crowd is noticeable, and it matters. I mean, if a concert is rocking, do you leave? It’s all about the experience.” Kiffin recalled.
This isn’t the best way for Kiffin to wrap up the year, that’s for sure.
