Lane Kiffin, in his first game as LSU’s head coach, had the Tigers absolutely rolling, up 31-3 on Clemson at halftime. But instead of just soaking it in, Kiffin turned to ESPN’s Holly Rowe as he walked off the field and dropped a bomb: “It took everything not to say ‘Imagine if we had pro players,’” he quipped, repeating the line before bolting into the tunnel at Tiger Stadium. Dude was not holding back, even with a huge lead.
LSU Domination, Kiffin’s Jaw-Dropping Sass
Seriously, LSU was destroying Clemson. They were outgaining Coach Dabo Swinney’s Tigers by a ridiculous 336-54 margin at the break. And get this: that lopsided score came *despite* an LSU opening-drive interception that gifted Clemson a field goal, and a missed 48-yard LSU field goal in the second quarter. So, yeah, Kiffin’s team was playing lights out. Yet, he still felt the need to throw that little verbal jab. It tells you everything about the mind of Lane Kiffin, always pushing, always looking for an edge, or just making a statement. Even when he’s up big, he’s got something to say.
The Courtroom Drama Behind the Quip
That “imagine if we had pro players” line wasn’t just Kiffin being Kiffin; it’s got serious backstory. For weeks, Kiffin’s been in the villain role because two of his former Ole Miss players, tight end Dae’Quan Wright and defensive lineman Zxavian Harris, signed NFL contracts earlier this year but then wanted to play for LSU. The SEC passed a rule banning ex-pros from member schools, but a Louisiana judge approved a preliminary injunction on September 3, basically telling the SEC and NCAA they couldn’t punish schools for suiting up former pros. Even with that favorable ruling, Kiffin didn’t put Wright and Harris on the roster for the opener. He told “College GameDay” it wasn’t easy, that he feels for the players and believes they should have the chance to play like others winning court cases. But as LSU’s head coach, he had to make a decision “for the big picture for LSU” due to “uncertainties” if he added them, even though neither was projected to start.
LSU plays Louisiana Tech next week. It’ll be interesting to see if Wright and Harris could be added to the roster then, or if Kiffin’s still playing the long game. What’s clear is Kiffin expects his team to be even better, telling Rowe, “We’ve got to play better in the second half. We can’t give away something like the first turnover, man.” He’s got his sights set on perfecting this team, with or without those “pro players.”
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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