‘Seemed Like a Zombie’ — Paul Finebaum Highlights Lane Kiffin’s Bizarre Behavior During LSU’s Loss to Ole Miss
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LSU coach Lane Kiffin left his old stomping ground empty-handed when the Ole Miss Rebels handed the Tigers their first loss of the season in Oxford. Kiffin’s successor and former defensive coordinator, Ole Miss head coach Pete Golding, led the Rebels to a thrilling win, dropping the Tigers to No. 10 in the AP Top 25 Poll.
Outspoken ESPN analyst Paul Finebaum slammed Kiffin’s withdrawn demeanor on the Vaught-Hemingway Stadium sideline during the game.
Paul Finebaum Slams Lane Kiffin’s Demeanor Against Ole Miss
During Monday’s segment of the “First Take” show, Finebaum roasted Kiffin for being overwhelmed by the occasion against the Rebels, reminiscent of his demeanor when facing Nick Saban’s Alabama Crimson Tide.
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“Lane Kiffin is still the same con man he was before he walked into that stadium and you just saw it right there in living HD,”Finebaum said. “I mean, there’s nothing believable about what he said. He had built everything about going into that stadium and showing Ole Miss that he made the right decision, and ultimately he may have made the right decision. He seemed out of sorts the entire game. He seemed uptight.
“Really more so than any time I have seen him, other than maybe when he used to face Nick Saban every year and blow that game because he wanted to win so bad. He told me that once. He couldn’t handle his own emotions when he faced Saban. He almost seemed like a zombie, and his team seemed to be representative of that until finally, late in the game they came alive and nearly pulled it off.”
Kiffin’s loss against Ole Miss on Saturday brought to light a stunning statistic. The polarizing coach is now 1-9 in true road games against AP top-10 opponents in his career.
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Despite Kiffin’s record against top-10 opponents, he turned the Rebels into a force in the SEC and college football over six seasons at Ole Miss. Kiffin became the first coach to lead the Rebels to three consecutive 10-win seasons in program history.
The loss to the Rebels has put Kiffin’s expensively assembled LSU roster on shaky ground. LSU still has to face the Kentucky Wildcats on the road, alongside home games against the Texas A&M Aggies, Alabama Crimson Tide and the Texas Longhorns, games that could define the success of Kiffin’s first season in Baton Rouge.
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According to PFN’s CFB Meter, after Saturday’s loss, the Tigers have just a 16.1% chance of reaching the SEC championship game and a 59.8% chance of clinching a College Football Playoff berth.
This article originally appeared on Pro Football Network.
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