Lane Kiffin Addresses High Expectations as LSU Opens Spring Practice

New LSU coach cautions that rebuilding the program will take time despite influx of transfers

Apr. 10, 2026 at 5:21pm

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A cubist-style painting depicting a fragmented, geometric interpretation of a football practice, with sharp planes of color representing the energy and intensity of the team's work to rebuild under a new coach.Kiffin's first spring practice at LSU signals the start of a complex rebuilding process for the storied program.Baton Rouge Today

In his first spring practice as the new head coach of the LSU Tigers football team, Lane Kiffin addressed the high expectations surrounding his arrival in Baton Rouge. Kiffin cautioned that rebuilding the program to the level that fans expect will take significant time and effort, despite the team adding close to 40 transfer players and over a dozen signees this offseason.

Why it matters

Kiffin's hiring at LSU was a high-profile move that came with significant financial investment from the university and political influence from Louisiana's governor. As the new face of the Tigers' program, Kiffin faces immense pressure to quickly return LSU to national championship contention after the team went just 7-6 last season under previous coach Brian Kelly.

The details

Kiffin, who was previously the head coach at Ole Miss, said 'Things don't happen overnight' and that 'there's a ton of work' required to get LSU back to the level that fans expect. The Tigers have added a large influx of new players, including quarterback Sam Leavitt from Arizona State, edge rusher Princewill Umanmielen and linebacker TJ Dottery from Ole Miss, and numerous new receivers. However, Kiffin downplayed the team's overall depth, saying 'we're going to have some depth issues' due to the challenges of roster building in the current era of college football.

  • LSU opened spring practice on April 10, 2026.
  • Kiffin was hired as LSU's new head coach on November 30, 2025 after the school fired Brian Kelly.

The players

Lane Kiffin

The new head football coach of the LSU Tigers, hired in November 2025 after previously serving as the head coach at Ole Miss.

Sam Leavitt

A quarterback transfer from Arizona State who is recovering from a foot injury and participated in individual drills during LSU's first spring practice under Kiffin.

Princewill Umanmielen

An edge rusher who transferred to LSU from Ole Miss, following Kiffin from his previous coaching job.

TJ Dottery

A linebacker who transferred to LSU from Ole Miss, also following Kiffin from his previous coaching job.

Brian Kelly

The previous head football coach of the LSU Tigers, who was fired in late October 2025.

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What they’re saying

“Things don't happen overnight. We're making some first steps. There's a ton of work to get the program back up to where everybody around here wants it to be.”

— Lane Kiffin, LSU Head Football Coach

“We're going to have really good front-line talent guys on our roster, and we're going to have some depth issues. I'm sure all programs probably feel that way nowadays.”

— Lane Kiffin, LSU Head Football Coach

What’s next

Kiffin and the Tigers will continue spring practice over the next several weeks as they work to build chemistry and depth with their new-look roster ahead of the 2026 season.

The takeaway

Kiffin's arrival at LSU has generated immense excitement and high expectations, but the new coach is tempering those expectations by acknowledging the significant work required to rebuild the program to championship-caliber levels. Despite an influx of high-profile transfers, Kiffin recognizes that developing depth and cohesion will be an ongoing challenge in the current college football landscape.