Paul Finebaum Names Major College Football Program That Will Turn On Its Head Coach

LSU Tigers head coach Lane Kiffin was once one of the most beloved coaches in college football.

Lane Kiffin's Career Is a Story of Redemption

That's because Kiffin's story was one of redemption. He was fired as the head coach of the then-Oakland Raiders. He then left the Tennessee Volunteers after one season to take his dream job with the USC Trojans. However, he was fired there after just four seasons.

He then became an offensive coordinator for the Alabama Crimson Tide before leaving to become the head coach of the Florida Atlantic Owls. After three good seasons, he became the head coach of the Ole Miss Rebels.

This is when his redemption took off. After being cast to the side, he had a great tenure in Oxford, going 55-19 in six seasons. He led the Rebels to four double-digit-win seasons in his last five years there. He also made an average-to-below-average program into a constant contender. That includes leading the team to their first College Football Playoff appearance last year.

LSU Tigers head coach Lane Kiffin speaks to the press. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Paul Finebaum Predicts LSU Fans Will Eventuallly Turn on Lane Kiffin

ESPN's Paul Finebaum discussed Kiffin's run on "The Paul Finebaum Show." He mentioned how people often love him early on due to his big personality and bringing the school wins. However, just like Ole Miss fans, LSU fans will eventually dislike him.

"Just like Ole Miss fans went all in for Lane Kiffin and now hate him because he betrayed them, LSU fans will do the same thing," Finebaum said. "You heard it a minute ago; nobody's ever done more for LSU than Nick Saban. And that lady down in Louisiana said, 'How come you aren't talking about Nick Saban, who is a liar?' That's how people are."

Kiffin's Relationship With LSU Fans Could Be Complicated

Kiffin's departure demonstrated just how quickly the relationship between a coach and a fan base can change. Ole Miss fans once embraced Kiffin as the coach who had elevated their program. Now, many of those some fans view his decision to leave very differently.

Finebaum's point isn't necessarily that Kiffin will fail at LSU. It's that winning can create an incredibly strong bond between a coach and a fan base, but expectations and circumstances can change that relationship just as quickly.

Kiffin enters Baton Rouge with the opportunity to build another powerhouse. If he wins, LSU fans will likely embrace him just as Ole Miss fans once did. But LSU is also a program with championship-level expectations.

The same ambition that makes Kiffin such an attractive hire could eventually become the source of tension if he ever decides Baton Rouge isn't his final destination. For now, though, Kiffin has the chance to make his LSU tenure the next chapter of his redemption story, and this time, the expectations are higher than ever.

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