LSU football has finally nailed down a new head coach: Ole Miss’s Lane Kiffin. The Tigers and Kiffin have been tied together in the head coaching rumor mill ever since the Tigers fired Brian Kelly last month, and the deal is finally done.
According to The Advocate’s Wilson Alexander, Kiffin is set to be paid $91 million over seven years, averaging $13 million per year. This makes him the second-highest-paid coach in college football, only behind Georgia’s Kirby Smart.
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The idea of the rosters Kiffin will assemble with the Tigers’ strong recruiting base is enticing enough, but what makes it even more appealing is how much the school is willing to invest in this process. According to Alexander, LSU “has also prepared to commit $25-30 million annually for Kiffin’s roster through revenue sharing and name, image and likeness funds.”
LSU’s roster for the 2025 season cost $18 million, according to former Tigers head coach Brian Kelly.
OXFORD, MISSISSIPPI – NOVEMBER 01: Lane Kiffin of the Mississippi Rebels before the game against the South Carolina Gamecocks at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium on November 01, 2025 in Oxford, Mississippi. (Photo by Justin Ford/Getty Images)
Considering the high-level recruiting Kiffin achieved with Ole Miss’ payroll, he should be able to build rosters that rival those of college football’s upper echelon.
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And it’s not as if he doesn’t have an easy recruiting pitch. According to the NCAA, LSU had the fifth-most former players on NFL rosters at the start of the 2025 season. Kiffin can look at the top wide receiver recruit in the nation and highlight Justin Jefferson and Ja’Marr Chase. He can do the same for quarterbacks, with Joe Burrow and Jayden Daniels. This pitch extends to defensive players as well, featuring talents Derek Stingley Jr. and Danielle Hunter.
Kiffin has an incredibly drama-filled coaching history, featuring several tense breakups and quick departures. However, given the school’s financial commitment to the Kiffin era — and seeming trust in his ability to lead the program — it’s hard not to be excited for the future in Baton Rouge.
This article originally appeared on LSU Wire: LSU football commits to massive roster spending for Lane Kiffin
