On Saturday, head coach Lane Kiffin responded to his major critics with his LSU Tigers delivering a massive 51-10 win over Clemson to start the season on Saturday night. That victory came amid the ongoing controversy over Kiffin and his attempts to add players to the roster for a fifth year of college eligibility after they had signed NFL contracts and already participated in training camps. "I get it, even if we won close and ugly, the whole story would have been, 'Man, I screwed the team up by doing this,'" Kiffin said at his postgame press conference.
"I've been criticized heavily the last two weeks, and I get that, I understand that. But my job is not to please you and worry about what you're going to write. My job is what I believe is right, and I believe we were fighting for what was right for those kids," he told reporters.
More news: College Football Fans Are Divided Over Jeremiah Smith-Malachi Toney Debate Kiffin also praised his players for doing "a great job" amid "what most people would consider distractions," suggesting the recent roster controversy. Two particular NFL players were part of that controversy, with LSU attempting to add tight end Dae'Quan Wright and defensive lineman Zxavian Harris to the roster ahead of their opener. That came after a new NCAA eligibility rule created a pathway for certain players to receive up to five years of college eligibility.
With the LSU situation currently facing litigation, Kiffin decided not to activate Wright or Harris for the team's roster against Clemson. They seemed to do exceptionally well without having these players on the roster, completely embarrassing Clemson in a lopsided blowout. LSU finished with 644 yards of offense, including 309 rushing yards, thanks mostly to quarterback Sam Leavitt and running back Dilin Jones.
LSU's defense also came through, recording four sacks and an interception for a touchdown to boost the scoring in a huge win to begin their season. The LSU Tigers will look to make it a 2-0 start when they host Louisiana Tech on Saturday, Sept. 12, at 7:30 p.m. More news: College Football Fans Aren’t Happy With Kirk Herbstreit For more about college football, head over to Newsweek Sports.
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