Spotlight COMMENTARY Lane Kiffin didn’t stumble into controversy. He leaned into it | Opinion Matt Hayes USA Today May 15, 2026 May 15, 2026 0 × Stadium Coach and Company discuss the comments made by LSU head coach Lane Kiffin about his previous school, Ole Miss, in a recent interview. Prefer us on Google Learn More Facebook Twitter WhatsApp SMS Email Print Copy article link Save This isn’t that difficult to decipher. And certainly not a complex, misunderstood personality flaw.kAm{2?6 z:77:? :D 2 492>6=6@?] p?5 x D2J E92E H:E9 2== =@G6[ 2?5 :? E96 AFC6DE D6?D6 @7 E96 H@C5]k^AmkAmw6 252AED E@ 9:D 6?G:C@?>6?E]k^AmkAmw6 492?86D 4@=@CD — @C :? E9:D 42D6[ A6CD@?2=:E:6D — E@ 7:E 9:D DFCC@F?5:?8D] %96C6 2C6 E:>6D H96? :E H@C<D[ 2?5 E:>6D H96? J@F 86E D966C DEFA:5:EJ]k^Am kAmr2D6 :? A@:?Ei E96 '2?:EJ u2:C :?E6CG:6H[ 2?5 E96 3:K2CC6[ F8=J 6IE6?D:@? @7 9:D 3:EE6C?6DD E@H2C5 ~=6 |:DD]k^Am People are also reading… White Point partners with Liles family to recapitalize Gibson Mill in Concord Cabarrus landfill worker honored for saving $1 million piece of equipment Friday Five: Burrage Road construction, historical program, a rant and fun Concord Police Department welcomes 11 new officers A New Home: Cabarrus Sports Hall of Fame display unveiled at arena Cabarrus County launches online tool to expand access to social services Concord, Kannapolis, Harrisburg enact mandatory water restrictions starting May 15 Pardoned Jan. 6 rioter who opened Asheville business faces backlash Friday Five: Historic clock, dinosaurs, music and war on litter Afton Ridge Library adds podcast equipment for public use 'Don Colossus' statue of Trump not a 'golden calf,' pastor insists NBA Hall of Famer coming to Collectors Jam in Concord Trump says federal gasoline tax to be reduced 'till it's appropriate' $2M gift boosts heart, cancer care at Atrium Health Kannapolis manager presents $134.2 million budget proposal kAm%96 r92>6=6@? <?6H 9@:EJ\E@:EJ '2?:EJ u2:C >282K:?6 H2D :?E6C6DE65 :? AC@7:=:?8 @?6 @7 E96 >@DE F?:BF6 492C24E6CD :? 2== @7 DA@CED] z?6H '2?:EJ u2:C :D 2 A@AF=2C 4F=EFC6 >282K:?6 E92E EJA:42==J HC:E6D AC@7:=6 A:646D @? 72D9:@? @C A@=:E:4D @C A6@A=6 J@F ;FDE 42?’E :8?@C6]k^AmkAm~C :? E9:D 42D6[ z:77:?]k^Am LSU new head coach Lane Kiffin speaks at South Stadium Club at Tiger Stadium in Baton Rouge, La., on Dec. 1. Matthew Hinton, Imagn Images kAm$@ 96 E9C6H @? 9:D ;62?D 2?5 H9:E6 E\D9:CE 2?5 D2E 7@C 2 A9@E@ D9@@E :? %:86C $E25:F>[ 2 7@C=@C? =@@< @? 9:D 7246[ C:89E 2C> 4C@DD65 @G6C =67E D:56] p >2? 2?5 9:D <:?85@>]k^Am kAms@?’E 36=:6G6 :En %96 {$& 7@@E32== ) 244@F?E A@DE65 2 A:4EFC6 @7 E96 A9@E@ D9@@E[ 2?5 ECF>A6E65 E96 7FEFC6 AC@7:=6]k^Am kAm%96? r9C:D $>:E9[ @?6 @7 E96 36DE HC:E6CD @7 @FC 86?6C2E:@?[ DA6?E 2 4@FA=6 52JD H:E9 z:77:?[ 2?5 %96 r92>6=6@? @A6?65 FA] |2J36 2 3:E E@@ >F49[ @C >2J36 6I24E=J H92E 96 H2?E65 3642FD6[ J@F <?@H[ :E :D '2?:EJ u2:C 2?5 :E :D D66? 3J E96 9:89 C@==6CD :? }6H *@C< r:EJ 2?5 !2C:D 2?5 |:=2? 2?5 w@?8 z@?8]k^AmkAm$@ %96 r92>6=6@? 7:E :?[ 2?5 3C@F89E FA — H:E9@FE $>:E9 2D<:?8[ 244@C5:?8 E@ 9:D :?E6CG:6H @? E96 Q!2F= u:?632F> $9@HQ — D68C682E:@? :? E96 $@FE9[ 2?5 9@H :E :>A24E65 C64CF:E:?8 2E ~=6 |:DD]k^Am kAmz:77:? E@=5 '2?:EJ u2:C H96? 96 H2D 4@249:?8 2E ~=6 |:DD[ E@A C64CF:ED H@F=5 E6== 9:>[ “V(6 C62==J =:<6 J@F[ 3FE >J 8C2?5A2C6?ED 2C6?’E =6EE:?8 >6 >@G6 E@ ~I7@C5[ |:DD:DD:AA:]V %92E 5@6D?’E 4@>6 FA H96? J@F D2J q2E@? #@F86[ {@F:D:2?2] !2C6?ED H6C6 D:EE:?8 96C6 E9:D H66<6?5 D2J:?8 E96 42>AFD’ 5:G6CD:EJ 766=D D@ 8C62E] ‘xE 766=D =:<6 E96C6’D ?@ D68C682E:@?[ 2?5 H6 H2?E E92E 7@C @FC <:5 3642FD6 E92E’D E96 C62= H@C=5]’”k^Am kAmp82:?[ $>:E9 5:5?’E 2D< z:77:? DA64:7:42==J[ z:77:? @776C65 :E FA]k^AmkAm“x H:D9 :E H2D D@>6 86?:FD BF6DE:@? x 925 2D<65 9:>[” $>:E9 E@=5 u:?632F>] “qFE 96 G@=F?E66C65 E96 :562 23@FE 8C2?5A2C6?ED ?@E =6EE:?8 E96:C <:5 8@ E@ ~I7@C5[ |:DD]”k^Am kAm%96 r92>6=6@?[ 6G6CJ@?6[ 252AE65 E@ 9:D 6?G:C@?>6?E 2?5 82G6 '2?:EJ u2:C H92E :E H2?E65 E@ 962C]k^Am kAmyFDE =:<6 96 5:5 J62CD 28@ 2D E96 4@249 2E %6??6DD66[ H96? 96 8@E :?E@ G6C32= DA2ED H:E9 &C32? |6J6C 2?5 $E6G6 $AFCC:6C] ~?6 H2D E96 4@249 7@C %6??6DD66’D 3:886DE C:G2= Wu=@C:52X[ 2?5 @?6 H2D E96 8FJ '@=D 72?D 92E65 >@C6 E92? ;FDE 23@FE 2?JE9:?8 W$AFCC:6CX] z:77:? E96? =67E 27E6C @?6 D62D@?[ H:E9 3FC?65 3C:586D 2?5 `c }rpp D64@?52CJ G:@=2E:@?D :? 9:D H2<6]k^Am kAm%96 r92>6=6@? 252AE65 2E &$r[ E@@[ H96? 96 3642>6 E96 9:A 4@249 H9@ 5:5 E96 4@@= E9:?8D W;FDE =:<6 9:D >6?E@C !6E6 r2CC@==X[ 3FE 4@F=5?’E AF== :E @77 @? E96 7:6=5 3642FD6 E96 AC@8C2> H2D D255=65 H:E9 b_ =@DE D49@=2CD9:AD 7C@> }rpp G:@=2E:@?D 62C?65 3J E96 AC6G:@FD DE277]k^Am kAmp 4@FA=6 J62CD =2E6C[ %96 r92>6=6@? 252AE65 2E p=232>2 2D @776?D:G6 4@@C5:?2E@C[ H96? 96 DE@@5 :? E96 D925@HD 2D E96 8@@5 D@=5:6C 2?5 E@@< 4@?DE2?E 2DD\496H:?8D 7C@> =686?52CJ %:56 4@249 }:4< $232?] p?5 >256 ;@<6D 23@FE :E]k^AmkAmp7E6C 2 3C:67 DE@A 2E up&[ %96 r92>6=6@? 2CC:G65 2E ~=6 |:DD[ H96C6 96 DE2CE65 @FE 2D 2 D@4:2= >65:2 32== @7 7:C6 E@ 3F:=5 :?E6C6DE :? E96 AC@8C2> — “r@>6 E@ E96 ‘$:A” — 3FE 6G6?EF2==J D6EE=65 :?E@ A@DE:?8 3:3=6 G6CD6D 2?5 >@E:G2E:@? BF@E6D] w25 6G6CJ@?6 36=:6G:?8 96 925 8C@H? 3@E9 A6CD@?2==J 2?5 AC@76DD:@?2==J[ 2?5 925 7@F?5 9:D H966=9@FD6]k^Am kAm%96? 96 564:565 E@ =62G6 ~=6 |:DD[ 2?5 H96? ~=6 |:DD H@F=5?’E 2==@H 9:> E@ 4@249 2 ?2E:@?2= 492>A:@?D9:A\C625J E62> :? E96 r@==686 u@@E32== !=2J@77[ 96 96=5 @?E@ E92E 3:EE6C?6DD — 2?5 :E 7@==@H65 9:> 2== E96 H2J E@ q2E@? #@F86]k^Am kAm%96? '2?:EJ u2:C 42>6 42==:?8[ 2?5 5@?’E <:5 J@FCD6=7[ z:77:? <?6H 6I24E=J H92E 96 H2D 5@:?8] w6 86ED 9F?5C65D @7 :?E6CG:6H C6BF6DED 6G6CJ >@?E9[ E96 72?E2DE:4 AF3=:4:EJ 56A2CE>6?E 2E {$& D:7E:?8 E9C@F89 H92E H@C<D 2?5 H92E H@?’E — 2?5 E96? @776C:?8 FA 25G:46]k^AmkAm&=E:>2E6=J[ :E’D z:77:?’D 564:D:@?] w6 3:E @? '2?:EJ u2:C =:<6 @?6 @7 E9@D6 82E@CD :? E96 DH2>AD 36=@H x\`_ — 2?5 D2H :E 7@C H92E :E H2D H@CE9]k^Am kAmq6 E96 A@A 4F=EFC6 DE2C[ 2?5 5:8 ~=6 |:DD 2E E96 D2>6 E:>6] w6 244@>A=:D965 3@E9[ 2?5 E96? EFC?65 492>6=6@? E@ 4@>A=6E6 E9:D H:4<65 82>6]k^AmkAmw6 :DDF65 2? 2A@=@8J[ 364@>:?8 H9@ 96 D9@F=5 36[ H92E 96 D9@F=5 5@[ @?46 282:?]k^AmkAm%96 r92>6=6@? 2=H2JD 252AED]k^Am Football Steve Sarkisian goes scorched-earth on college football’s wild West culture MATT HAYES USA Today Football Big Ten football took the SEC's power. Then, it broke its brain | Opinion Blake Toppmeyer, USA TODAY 0 Comments Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Related to this story Lane Kiffin Just Continues To Stir the Pot Coach and Company discuss the comments made by LSU head coach Lane Kiffin about his previous school, Ole Miss, in a recent interview. Recommended for you Watch Now: Related Video Is the NFL Getting Too Greedy With Its Current Scheduling? Netflix To Showcase First-Ever NFL Thanksgiving Eve Game Netflix To Showcase First-Ever NFL Thanksgiving Eve Game Two-time champion Svitolina fights back against Rybakina in Rome Two-time champion Svitolina fights back against Rybakina in Rome 4 Quarterbacks Under The Most Pressure Entering 2026 4 Quarterbacks Under The Most Pressure Entering 2026
Football Steve Sarkisian goes scorched-earth on college football’s wild West culture MATT HAYES USA Today
Football Big Ten football took the SEC's power. Then, it broke its brain | Opinion Blake Toppmeyer, USA TODAY
Lane Kiffin Just Continues To Stir the Pot Coach and Company discuss the comments made by LSU head coach Lane Kiffin about his previous school, Ole Miss, in a recent interview.
