By GLENN GUILBEAU, Tiger Rag Editor
New LSU football coach Lane Kiffin has been called a lot of things, particularly by dumped Ole Miss fans because he left them, and by overly dramatic national media members who seem to conveniently forget that several other coaches agreed to new jobs during the 2025 regular season.
Kiffin has been called a drama queen, a portal king, narcissistic, immature for his age, which is now 51, and an offensive genius.
On Tuesday at the Southeastern Conference Media Days in Tampa, Florida, Georgia coach Kirby Smart offered a new one for Kiffin regarding his ripped physique via daily hot yoga as Kiffin, a former Fresno State backup quarterback, often poses for topless photos via social media.
“He would say I look like a troll,” said Smart, a former first team All-SEC Georgia defensive back who is not ripped. “Certainly, he is the Adonis of all college football coaches.”
Before that, Smart had to ask what a troll was when a reporter referred to Kiffin as a “troll” in a question to Smart.
“People say that all the time,” Smart said. “Can you define what a ‘troll’ is for me, please?”
The reporter said a troll is someone who stirs the pot, pokes fun and/or agitates via Twitter, other social media or in public, such as at press conferences in Kiffin’s case.
“Yep. That’s him,” said Smart, who joined a long line of SEC coaches at this talk bonanza unable to avoid Kiffin discussion. Kiffin will take the stage on Thursday morning – the last day of Media Days.
Lane Kiffin is a talking point in Tampa, and he’s not even there yet.https://t.co/8vJQeLu4IC
— Glenn Guilbeau (@SportBeatTweet) July 21, 2026
Smart also commented about Kiffin beyond the surface two days before Kiffin takes center stage on the last day Media Days on Thursday morning. Smart was Alabama’s defensive coordinator under head coach Nick Saban from 2008-15 before getting the Georgia job, and he coached for three seasons at Alabama with Kiffin, who dramatically improved and modernized Saban’s offense as offensive coordinator from 2014-16 with a national championship in the 2015 season.
“He made coach Saban uncomfortable,” Smart said, and he wasn’t talking about Kiffin at times erratic behavior on and off the field. “Let’s just say what it is. He helped revolutionize that offense and bring it along and do some really good things in a day and age when people weren’t doing that as much. But he does a great job. He’s hard to play.”
Smart and Georgia beat Kiffin and Ole Miss last season, 43-34, in Athens. Then Smart lost to Kiffin’s team being coached by interim-turned head coach/defensive coordinator Pete Golding in the College Football Playoff quarterfinal, 39-34, in the Sugar Bowl behind Kiffin’s players and Kiffin’s offensive coaches, particularly coordinator Charlie Weis Jr., who followed him to LSU.
Ole Miss quarterback Trinidad Chambliss, a transfer from Division II Ferris State whom Kiffin and Weis got ready for the season even though he missed spring football, completed 30 of 46 passes for 362 yards and two touchdowns. He became Ole Miss’ starter when projected starter Austin Simmons got injured. Chambliss finished third in the nation in passing yards with 3,937.
“This guy (Chambliss) was not even spoken about at this time last year,” Smart said. “Nobody knew who he was, and he got his opportunity by way of injury. What if he didn’t? He (Kiffin) has made players successful in his system just as easy as the players can make him successful.”
Smart’s “trolling” of Kiffin in a nice way went on.
“He is very bright,” he said. “He does an incredible job of evolving college football.”
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