All Aboard the Lane Train
Choo-choo. All aboard the Lane Train. Next stop: One of the most anticipated LSU football seasons of the century.
The conductor of this high-powered, purple-and-gold Cajun locomotive is new head football coach Lane Kiffin, viewed simultaneously as a snake and a savior, depending on which Southeastern Conference football team you root for each Saturday. In Baton Rouge, he's viewed as the latter, an offensive genius hitting his head coaching prime and with a proven track record of success over the last decade.
Kiffin won 10 or more games twice and two conference championships at Florida Atlantic. The Owls have not won more than five games since he departed following the 2019 season. He followed that up by taking Ole Miss to unimaginable heights, including four 10+ win seasons in six years, culminating in an 11-1 regular season in 2025 and berth in the College Football Playoff. He then accepted the job at LSU, was not allowed to coach the Rebels in the playoffs, and became the most reviled man in Mississippi.
Many scorned fans across the SEC have warned LSU supporters not to get too invested in Kiffin, that he will eventually break their hearts, and that he is always eyeing the greener pastures of another university's football program. Yet, those fans did not root for the Tigers, one of the destination jobs in college football.
"Expectations make you uncomfortable," Kiffin said at SEC Media Days this summer. "They make you not be able to just go through motions in any aspect of your program."
LSU is a place rich with college football success over the past quarter-century. It's where Nick Saban resurrected the program during the first George W. Bush presidential term, Les Miles' wacky ways bore chaotic success, and Ed Orgeron orchestrated one of the greatest college football season in the history of the sport.
For all his past faults, flaws, and immature moments, Kiffin made one of the boldest—and most controversial—choices of his career last fall by leaving the program he transformed from mediocre to magnificent to take the leap to the biggest stage of college football.
Players to Watch
Known as the "Portal King" for his ability to lure top talent out of the transfer portal to his programs, Kiffin has amassed a treasure trove of new talent at LSU. Kiffin and his staff added 43 new portal players to enhance a roster that features plenty of returning impact players.
With so many new faces donning purple and gold this season, here are a few to keep an eye on this fall:
Offense
Sam Leavitt (QB) - One of the most talented dual-threat quarterbacks in the nation, Leavitt was the top ranked player in the transfer portal after last season. Two years ago, Leavitt led Arizona State to the College Football Playoff, accounting for over 3,300 combined passing and rushing yards and 29 touchdowns. A foot injury limited Leavitt to just seven games last year, but when healthy, he's one of the most elite quarterbacks in the nation. Leavitt's health is one of the biggest X-factors for this team.
Trey'Dez Green (TE) - With a 6-foot-7 frame, Green is a physical freak and one of the biggest mismatch weapons in college football. During his breakout sophomore year, Green compiled one of the best tight end seasons in program history with 33 receptions, 433 yards, and seven touchdowns—a single-season LSU record for tight ends.
Jordan Seaton (LT) - This monstrous—both literally and figuratively—former Colorado lineman was the third ranked overall player in the transfer portal. The former Freshman All-American (2024) started 22 games for the Buffaloes and only allowed one sack, five pressures, and zero quarterback hits in nine games last season. Seaton is a key cog for LSU's newly revamped offensive line.
Defense
Whit Weeks (LB) - The emotional leader and anchor of defensive coordinator Blake Baker's defense and one of the top linebackers in the country. In three seasons, Weeks has amassed 205 tackles, 16.5 tackles for loss, and 4.5 sacks. Weeks' sideline-to-sideline speed and elite instincts make him invaluable to LSU's defense. Plus, he's dating Lane Kiffin's daughter.
Princewill Umanmielen (EDGE) - A disruptive edge rusher who should reinvigorate LSU's pass rush. After following Kiffin from Ole Miss last season, Umanmielen was the sixth-ranked overall player in the transfer portal, ranking third in the SEC in sacks (nine) and eighth tackles for loss (13) last season. His explosiveness off the edge makes him a nightmare for opposing quarterbacks.
DJ Pickett (CB) - Projected to be the next great product of "DBU," Pickett is a long, physical corner with elite ball skills. The Freshman All-American led LSU in interceptions (three) on a defense that ranked first in the SEC with 17 picks last season. Pickett's lockdown defensive skills allow him to flourish in man-to-man coverage.
Prediction
Expectations could not be higher for Kiffin's first season in Baton Rouge, with many fans salivating at the thought of a College Football Playoff appearance. The Tigers' overhauled roster must gel quickly to weather one of the toughest schedules in the country, and it's imperative Sam Leavitt stays healthy.
LSU's schedule is front- and back-loaded with three formidable games each month. Can LSU survive September (Clemson, at Ole Miss, and Texas A&M), thrive in October, and contend in November (Alabama, Texas, at Tennessee)? With a daunting schedule and questions surrounding the health of Leavitt, the Tigers' margin for error is razor thin this season. A 9-3 team from the SEC will eventually make the College Football Playoff—maybe LSU is the trailblazer for such an achievement. Kiffin will likely have a successful tenure at LSU, but does he have enough magic to satisfy the Tigers' rabid fan base in year one?
LSU: 9-3
