Lane Kiffin’s LSU HUMBLED & EMBARRASSED By Ole Miss

In the latest episode of Don’t @ Me, Dan Dakich shares his thoughts on Lane Kiffin’s emotional remarks following a gripping loss upon his return to Oxford. Kiffin shifts blame from the game itself to the fan experience, suggesting that despite his high profile, he hasn’t achieved anything substantial as a head coach. Dakich also highlights how Pete Golding secured a pivotal win for himself while keeping his players focused and treating the game like just another day at the office.

Kiffin seems to think that the circumstances surrounding LSU’s loss to Ole Miss were somewhat unfair. Instead of addressing issues on the field, he pointed to Vaught-Hemingway Stadium’s game operations. During a recent SEC coaches’ call, he implied that the music played during LSU’s offensive drives was excessive.

“Those games can go this way, and there’s a lot that contributes,” Kiffin said, referencing the challenging atmosphere at Ole Miss. “We struggled with protection around him [quarterback Sam Leavitt]; the noise and music went on right through the snap.” His emphasis on this aspect feels a bit like an excuse.

SEC regulations dictate that stadium music must cease once the center touches the ball. While there may be some merit to Kiffin’s claim about the music lasting too long, the negativity of his comments could easily be perceived as a deflection.

Kiffin raised this issue when discussing Leavitt’s performance, and bringing it up three days post-game seems a bit unnecessary. It’s worth noting he didn’t directly blame the loss on the music, but mentioning it opens him up to criticism. His return to Ole Miss created a highly charged atmosphere, especially since he left the Rebels shortly before they played their first College Football Playoff game.

During the game, Ole Miss announced a new attendance record for Vaught-Hemingway Stadium, with 70,033 fans present. The Rebels capitalized on this energy, leading 17-0 early in the second quarter and holding a 24-7 advantage at halftime. Although LSU made a comeback, scoring 17 unanswered points, Ole Miss quarterback Trinidad Chambliss played a crucial role, leading the team to a 32-24 victory.

Chambliss had an impressive performance, throwing for 363 yards, while Leavitt managed 158 passing yards and rushed for another 63 yards.