LSU athletic director Verge Ausberry didn’t mince words in a recent interview with USA TODAY Sports. When discussing what new LSU football head coach Lane Kiffin will bring to the program, Ausberry mentioned Kiffin’s ability to connect as a key differentiator between Kiffin, and LSU’s previous head coach, Brian Kelly.
“It’s going back to the Saban model. (That means) running the whole program. Then, you have to go do some things with alumni and do things with boosters and do things with fundraising, with NIL. You have to be a part of that,” Ausberry said in the interview.
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Ausberry went on to say Kiffin will be the type to do those jobs — Kiffin will meet with donors and connect with the community.
“He’s not one who’ll say, ‘OK, I don’t want people to contact me. I don’t want people to touch me. I don’t want people to be around me.’ That’s who we had. That’s why we got what we got. There was no feel, there was no connection between the LSU football program, the coach, and the fans,” Ausbery went on to say.
Ausberry’s comment was a not so subtle shot at Kelly. When Kelly was fired last fall, fans and analysts alike cited Kelly’s lack of connection with the program and community as a key factor in Kelly’s downfall. There were concerns about Kelly’s cultural fit when he arrived at LSU, and the critics proved to be right.
Kiffin is facing high expectations in year one. After LSU signed the No. 1-ranked class in the transfer portal, and retained key pieces like cornerback DJ Pickett and tight end Trey’Dez Green, LSU has its sights set on the College Football Playoff.
This article originally appeared on LSU Wire: LSU AD doesn’t hold back when comparing Lane Kiffin and Brian Kelly
