Lane Kiffin Relied on Surprising Source for Advice in SEC Controversy

Now that the dust has settled regarding the LSU Tigers and coach Lane Kiffin trying to add former NFL players to the team, questions remain about why it took so long to reach a resolution — and why it ultimately required the SEC to consider expelling LSU from the conference to force some contrition from Baton Rouge. Kiffin's reticence to change tack may have come from a certainty he was correct in believing his squad could indeed play NFL players, though that certainty may not have been well-founded. As detailed by ESPN's Mark Schlabach, Kiffin was regularly in contact with an attorney friend of his, Tom Mars.

While Mars "urged Kiffin to back down" from the issue, Kiffin long refused to do so. "Usually, when I would express an opinion about what LSU was doing, Lane would reply with a screenshot from ChatGPT that supported LSU's position, which was almost always wrong," Mars told Schlabach. "Lane ignored most of my unsolicited advice, but I don't think he'll be using ChatGPT anymore for legal advice." It seems the straw that broke the camel's back was Mars encouraging Kiffin to hire a real lawyer, given the potential consequences of his decisions.

"Eventually I told him that a guy with a $91 million contract ought to have a top-notch lawyer on speed dial and not be using ChatGPT for legal advice," Mars said. Kiffin's team is doing just fine, with or without NFL players. The Tigers are ranked No. 7 in the country, and they're facing off against the No. 8 Ole Miss Rebels on Saturday in a much-anticipated matchup, as Kiffin ditched Ole Miss last season to join the Tigers.

If LSU wins what's surely to be a contentious homecoming for Kiffin, the Tigers will find themselves as a major favorite to win the national championship. Kiffin may be less than pleased that he wasn't able to add former Ole Miss players Dae'Quan Wright and Zxavian Harris to the Tigers, but in the long run, he'll likely be happier that the uncertainty of the situation no longer hangs over his program. If the Tigers end up taking the national title, LSU fans should thank Kiffin, not just for his coaching, but also for eschewing the advice he was getting from ChatGPT.