Lane Kiffin’s conservative fourth-down decision against Kentucky backfired spectacularly, raising serious questions about his ability to win big games.
Lane Kiffin is supposed to be one of the most aggressive offensive minds in college football. But when LSU needed him to make a gutsy decision against Kentucky, he completely folded.
And it might have cost the Tigers their season.
With 1:37 remaining in regulation, LSU faced a fourth-and-one from its own 43-yard line. One first down would’ve given the Tigers an opportunity to run out the clock and escape with a victory.
Instead, Kiffin decided to punt the football.
Seriously?
This is the same coach who built his reputation on aggressive play-calling, explosive offenses, and taking chances. Yet with the game potentially on the line, he couldn’t trust his offense to gain a single yard.
Kentucky got the ball back, marched down the field, tied the game, and eventually stunned LSU 35-34 in overtime.
The decision looks even worse considering the expectations surrounding Kiffin’s arrival in Baton Rouge.
LSU didn’t spend millions hiring Kiffin to play scared against Kentucky. The Tigers brought him in to win championships and make the aggressive decisions that separate elite coaches from everyone else.
Sure, going for it would’ve carried some risk. But championship coaches trust their players to execute when the game is on the line.
Kiffin chose to play not to lose, and LSU ended up losing anyway.
Now the Tigers are sitting at 4-2, already behind Brian Kelly’s pace through six games last season.
For someone who receives so much praise as an offensive genius, Kiffin certainly didn’t coach like one when LSU needed him most.
Maybe this is exactly why he has never coached in a College Football Playoff game.
Lane Kiffin talks like an elite coach, but against Kentucky, he coached scared.
