LSU athletic director Verge Ausberry has watched Lane Kiffin’s rise for years, including a harsh first impression at SEC meetings when Kiffin was Pete Carroll’s offensive coordinator at Southern California. After LSU hired Brian Kelly in 2021 instead of Kiffin
When LSU began rebuilding the head coaching seat after firing Ed Orgeron in 2021, Lane Kiffin’s name started surfacing in media circles. Verge Ausberry, then LSU’s deputy athletic director, didn’t buy the idea that Kiffin was ready for the job at the time.
Ausberry’s view of Kiffin long predates LSU. He has monitored Kiffin’s career since Kiffin was Pete Carroll’s offensive coordinator at Southern California, and he got a closer look again after Ole Miss hired Kiffin ahead of the 2020 season.
At SEC meetings back then, Ausberry said, Kiffin’s reputation caught up with him fast. “When he first got to Ole Miss, we all thought he was the biggest a–hole when he’d walk into the room” at SEC meetings, Ausberry said. “One thing about it, when he spoke, he made sense.”
The tension between image and substance is what stuck with Ausberry. The buzz around Kiffin intensified in 2021, but LSU went in a different direction, hiring Brian Kelly. Kelly lasted less than four seasons.
Now, with LSU having brought Kiffin back into the conversation for a different reason, Ausberry says his confidence has grown. “He has matured as a head coach,” he said.
This time, Ausberry also points to timing. LSU wasn’t just looking for a coach with a résumé. “The timing was right (to hire Kiffin),” Ausberry said. “We needed a different type of energy around here.”
In the interview process, Ausberry said the connection was immediate and practical. “Ausberry and Kiffin vibed during the interview process,” and he described how quickly Kiffin’s thinking translated into answers. Kiffin’s plans and processes for success became apparent. and “he’d answer my question before it even came out of my mouth. ” Ausberry said.
The question that hangs over any coaching decision is whether Kiffin’s reputation follows him into the building—the same “a–hole” label that had some people rolling their eyes in early SEC conversations. Ausberry didn’t fully retreat from it, but he also didn’t want to flatten Kiffin into an insult.
“I won’t say he’s an a–hole,” Ausberry said, “but (certain coaches) have that edge.” In his telling, that edge isn’t something to get rid of. “He sees that as a feature, not a bug.”
The sequence—first skepticism. then watching Kiffin mature. then LSU finding the timing to bring that energy back—leaves less room for doubt than the earlier “not ready” verdict. The same traits that once drew side-eye in SEC rooms. Ausberry now argues. may be exactly what LSU needs to compete at the highest level.
LSU Lane Kiffin Verge Ausberry Brian Kelly Ed Orgeron Ole Miss SEC Southern California Pete Carroll college football coaching athletic director
So he’s like, still an a-hole but now it’s good? idk
I didn’t even know Lane Kiffin was that connected to Ole Miss before LSU. But honestly if he “matured” then cool. The whole SEC meeting thing sounds like high school drama though.
Wait… LSU didn’t hire Kiffin in 2021 and picked Brian Kelly instead? That’s the part I keep seeing. If Kelly lasted less than 4 seasons, then yeah obviously Kiffin was the move, right? But also it says Ausberry said Kiffin answered before the question… that’s not even a real metric lol
This reads like he was mean in meetings and then “matured” so now we should trust him. Like can someone just be normal for once? Also the ‘timing was right’ line… timing for what, recruits or chaos? I swear coaches just swap reputations around and call it growth. Anyway Verge Ausberry saying he’s an edge and a feature is wild, like who wants that energy in the first place.