CFB analyst contends Lane Kiffin must deliver immediately at LSU

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The college football season is set to begin in roughly a month. Soon, the race for the 12-team College Football Playoff will begin, with several teams carrying enormous expectations.

One of those teams is the LSU Tigers. After Brian Kelly failed to lead the program to the CFP, LSU hired Lane Kiffin away from Ole Miss. Now, the pressure is on Kiffin to deliver.

On ESPN’s “First Take,” Jordan Rodgers named Kiffin the coach under the most pressure to reach the CFP. And it’s not pressure for some point in the future. It starts this season.

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“Lane Kiffin has a lot to prove,” Rodgers said. “Step one, they’ve got to get to a national championship because they have to be better than his team at Ole Miss was last year with less resources. He’s been gifted everything he wants at LSU. It’s time to pay that back.”

Kiffin has established himself as one of college football’s top coaches. However, he has also stepped into a situation where he could face the same outcome that ended Kelly’s tenure just as quickly.

No excuses?

He has everything a coach could want at a powerhouse program. LSU provides the brand, the boosters and the financial resources needed to compete for championships.

Still, college football has a way of producing unexpected results. Outside of LSU’s fan base, few coaches are likely to generate less sympathy if things go sideways than Kiffin.

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His departure from Ole Miss sparked significant backlash. Although Kiffin said he regretted how he handled his exit, many fans viewed those comments as little more than empty words.

Fans have seen this story before. Kiffin’s exit from Tennessee created similar resentment. He has always embraced the spotlight, but he has also consistently acted in his own self-interest.

LSU made a significant gamble by hiring Kiffin. He embodies the definition of a high-risk, high-reward coaching hire.

For LSU, the payoff isn’t simply reaching the CFP. It’s about winning a national championship. Kiffin now faces the pressure of delivering exactly that.

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