Few programs in college football command the gravitational pull of LSU. The Tigers sit at the unique intersection of elite in-state talent, massive financial backing, and championship-level expectations. That combination has made LSU one of the biggest “destination” jobs in the sport—so big, in fact, that every coaching carousel seems to revive a familiar question: Who could LSU realistically land?

Two moments—four years apart—stand out as particularly intriguing comparison points. In 2021, LSU fans dreamed about poaching Lincoln Riley, then the hottest offensive mind in the country at Oklahoma. In 2025, a similar conversation has resurged this time with Lane Kiffin, the flamboyant, fearless offensive strategist who transformed Ole Miss into a consistent SEC threat.

Despite occupying similar places in the sport’s imagination, the two pursuits unfolded under very different circumstances. Here’s how Kiffin-to-LSU in 2025 compares to Riley-to-LSU in 2021and why the dynamics could feel like a bit of Déjà vu for tiger fans.

Lane Kiffin

By 2025, Kiffin has reinvented himself. The once-mercurial prodigy is now a proven SEC head coach who has built Ole Miss into a consistent nine- or ten-win program. Unlike Riley in 2021, Kiffin has already lived the week-to-week rigors of the SEC. He knows the division, the recruiting wars, the pressure, and the booster expectations. Where Riley was ascending, Kiffin is evolving. His program has settled into a mature identity: offensive innovation paired with delegated, well-funded defensive leadership. He would walk into LSU as someone who knows the terrain intimately. The only difference is there are other programs publicly pursuing him

Lincoln Riley

In 2021, Riley had just delivered four Big 12 titles, multiple playoff appearances, and the development of two Heisman winners. He was young, hot, and viewed as the next long-term superstar of the profession. LSU fans didn’t just see a coach—they saw the closest thing to a college version of Kyle Shannahan. But Oklahoma was still a comfortable, legacy program for Riley: stable administration, fertile recruiting base, a smooth path to the Playoff, and minimal institutional pressure compared to the SEC. At the 11^th hour he famously told a reporter “I’m not going to LSU, only to announce he was going to USC the next day.

Conclusion

Comparing Lane Kiffin in 2025 to Lincoln Riley in 2021 ultimately reveals more about LSU’s evolution than the coaches themselves.

• In 2021, LSU wanted a tactician, a rebuild, and a clean new identity. Riley represented a modern schematic revolution, even if the cultural fit was shaky.
• In 2025, LSU wants swagger, offensive juice, and a coach who thrives in the SEC’s hyper-competitive ecosystem. Kiffin checks every one of those boxes.

Overall, LSU thought they had Riley on lock 4 years ago. Now its 2025 and LSU fans think Lane Kiffin will be the next head coach of the tigers but ABL sports think the silent but deadly program in the swamp will be naming Lane Kiffin as their next head football coach.