By ANDRE CHAMPAGNE, Tiger Rag Staff Reporter
New LSU football head coach Lane Kiffin plans to make his first public appearance in front of the Tiger Nation in person tonight.
Kiffin, who left Ole Miss on Nov. 29 to become LSU’s coach, plans to attend the women’s basketball game between No. 5 LSU (14-0) and No. 11 Kentucky (13-1) tonight in a Southeastern Conference opener at the Pete Maravich Assembly Center (7 p.m., SEC Network +).
There were reports that Kiffin would attend the Sugar Bowl College Football Playoff quarterfinal between his formerly coached No. 6 Rebels (12-1, 7-1 SEC) and No. 3 Georgia (12-1, 7-1 SEC) in New Orleans at the Superdome (7 p.m., ESPN), either with Louisiana governor Jeff Landry or on his own.
Six members of Kiffin’s offensive staff at Ole Miss that he hired to join him at LSU will be coaching the Rebels in the Sugar Bowl tonight as LSU agreed to let them do that. Those future LSU assistants wearing Ole Miss colors will be offensive coordinator Charlie Weis Jr., co-offensive coordinator/tight ends Joe Cox, pass game coordinator/receivers George McDonald, running backs coach Kevin Smith, inside receivers coach Sawyer Jordan and quarterbacks assistant Dane Stevens were.
Instead of cheering them on, Kiffin is expected to stay closer to home, according to LSU sports information director Michael Bonnette.
It will be the first LSU athletics event Kiffin attends.
Kiffin may not need the hassle of getting in and out of a crowded New Orleans late Thursday amid major security at the Superdome as he has a big day ahead of him on Friday. The NCAA Transfer Portal window opens on Friday and runs through Jan. 16. And Kiffin is expected to be extremely active on the first day and throughout as he tries to rebuilt an LSU roster that fell to 7-6 last season under coach Brian Kelly, who was fired on Oct. 26 at 5-3, and interim coach Frank Wilson (2-3).
The NCAA Transfer Portal officially opens at midnight eastern time on Friday – 11 p.m. central time Thursday. Ole Miss and Georgia will likely not be done by 11 tonight.
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