LSU AD Verge Ausberry calls Lane Kiffin the best coach in the country, a proven winner after hire

LSU got its man, and new Tigers athletic director Verge Ausberry couldn’t be happier. LSU formally hired former Ole Miss coach Lane Kiffin as its next head football coach on Sunday afternoon, ending one of college football’s wildest coaching searches in recent memory.

In the official statement announcing Kiffin’s hiring, Ausberry hailed the 50-year-old Kiffin as “the best coach in the country,” as well as “a proven winner who has thrived in an era of college athletics that requires coaches to adapt and innovate.”

“We are thrilled to welcome Coach Kiffin as the next head coach of the LSU Football program,” Ausberry said in the LSU press release. “We shared when we began this search that LSU would secure the best coach in the country and Lane Kiffin is just that. Lane is a proven winner who has thrived in an era of college athletics that requires coaches to adapt and innovate. His passion, creativity and authenticity make him the ideal leader to guide LSU into the future and consistently position us among the sport’s elite.

“I want to welcome Lane and his family to Baton Rouge, and I’d like to thank our search committee, as well as our university and state leadership, for their critical support and counsel throughout this process.”

Kiffin, who just wrapped his sixth season in Oxford, will replace Brian Kelly, who was fired in late October midway through his fourth year in Baton Rouge following a 49-25 blowout loss to Texas A&M on Oct. 25.

The enbattled former Oakland Raiders, Tennessee, USC and Florida Atlantic head coach is one of the most recognizable and controversial figures in college football today. Despite that controversy, Kiffin rebuilt his career at Ole Miss, posting a 55–19 record in six seasons in Oxford, including three consecutive double-digit win campaigns the past three years.

“After a lot of prayer and time spent with family, I made the difficult decision to accept the head coaching position at LSU,” Kiffin said in a statement posted to social media shortly before LSU formally announced his hiring. “I was hoping to complete a historic six season run with this year’s team by leading Ole Miss through the playoffs, capitalizing on the team’s incredible success and their commitment to finish strong, and investing everything into a playoff run with guardrails in place to protect the program in any areas of concern.

“My request to do so was denied by (Ole Miss AD) Keith Carter despite the team also asking him to allow me to keep coaching them so they could better maintain their high level of performance. Unfortunately, that means Friday’s Egg Bowl was my last game coaching the Rebels.”

Kiffin becomes the 35th head coach in LSU history. Before Kelly, LSU had won national championships under each of its prior three head football coaches — Nick Saban, Les Miles, and Ed Orgeron.

— On3’s Nick Kosko and Pete Nakos contributed to this report.