LSU AD takes shot at Brian Kelly, says Lane Kiffin is 'going back to the Saban model'

TL;DR

LSU's athletic director Verge Ausberry criticized Brian Kelly's tenure, citing a lack of connection. He indicated that the program is shifting back to the 'Saban model' under new coach Lane Kiffin.

Key points

LSU AD Verge Ausberry criticized Brian Kelly's leadership
Ausberry mentioned a lack of connection under Kelly
The program is shifting back to the 'Saban model'
Lane Kiffin is the new head coach at LSU

Mentioned in this story

LSUBrian KellyVerge AusberryLane Kiffin

BATON ROUGE, LA – LSU football suffered from “no connection” under Brian Kelly, and now the program is pivoting back toward “the Saban model.”

That’s how LSU athletic director Verge Ausberry described it in an exclusive interview with USA TODAY Sports, during which Ausberry spoke at length about the program’s direction under first-year coach Lane Kiffin.

While not mentioning Kiffin’s predecessor directly by name, Ausberry took a clear shot at how the program operated under Kelly.

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“It’s going back to the Saban model,” Ausberry told USA TODAY Sports of the program’s redirect. “(That means) running the whole program. Then, you have to go do some things with alumni and do things with boosters and do things with fundraising, with NIL. You have to be a part of that.”

“That’s what Lane will do,” Ausberry continued. “He’ll go out there and have that conversation with the donors and the people who support the program and (say), ‘We need your help,’ and give them his cell number.

“He’s not one who’ll say, ‘OK, I don’t want people to contact me. I don’t want people to touch me. I don’t want people to be around me.’ That’s who we had. That’s why we got what we got. There was no feel, there was no connection between the LSU football program, the coach, and the fans.”

Q&A

What did LSU's athletic director say about Brian Kelly?

LSU's athletic director Verge Ausberry criticized Brian Kelly's leadership, stating there was 'no connection' during his tenure.

How is LSU football changing under Lane Kiffin?

LSU football is pivoting back to the 'Saban model' under first-year coach Lane Kiffin, as indicated by athletic director Verge Ausberry.

What is the 'Saban model' in college football?

The 'Saban model' refers to the successful coaching and program management strategies implemented by Nick Saban at Alabama, focusing on strong recruitment and team cohesion.

Why did Verge Ausberry not mention Brian Kelly by name?

Verge Ausberry chose not to mention Brian Kelly directly, but his comments clearly implied criticism of Kelly's approach to leading the LSU football program.