GLENN GUILBEAU, Tiger Rag Editor
As the LSU Nation sweated out National Signing Day Part I on Wednesday with new coach Lane Kiffin securing five-star, No. 1 defensive tackle Richard Anderson from New Orleans, he was busy recruiting perhaps the most important addition he will make over multiple signing classes to come.
And on Night 3 as LSU’s coach on Signing Day Eve, Lane Kiffin went into Damage Control.https://t.co/QY3P4d4NEp
— Glenn Guilbeau (@SportBeatTweet) December 3, 2025
Kiffin landed a new assistant coach on Wednesday to lead the worst part of the 2025 team and a problem area for the last several seasons at LSU – the offensive line. The Tigers have fielded one of the worst running games in the country the last two seasons, finishing 121st out of 134 major programs this past season with 106.3 yards a game. In 2024, despite an offensive line that featured four starters drafted into the NFL, LSU finished 107th in rushing with 116.4 yards a game.
The only success former LSU coach Brian Kelly had with the running game in his tenure was when Jayden Daniels usually didn’t need an offensive line to be a dangerous runner in 2022 and ’23 as he won the Heisman Trophy in 2023 with 1,134 rushing yards.
LSU NEW OFFENSIVE LINE COACH ERIC WOLFORD KNOWN FOR THE RUN
The new man for LSU’s offensive line is former Kentucky offensive line coach Eric Wolford, who has a track record of success at running the ball, which is something Kiffin made sure Ole Miss did consistently well in his time there.
The College Football Playoff-bound, No. 6 Rebels (11-1, 7-1 SEC) are currently No. 35 in the nation in rushing (188.5 yards a game). In 2022, Kiffin’s offense finished No. 3 in rushing (256.6 yards a game). In no season at Ole Miss from 2020-25, was Kiffin’s rushing attack worse than No. 44, which was in 2024 (175.7 yards a game). And he finished in the top 35 four times.
Wolford, 54, is also a Southeastern Conference veteran, having coached the offensive line at Alabama and South Carolina and Kentucky twice.
Get your ticket in your hand for the Kiffin Express … continuous National Signing Day updates here:https://t.co/ZkXaH9zMmI
— Glenn Guilbeau (@SportBeatTweet) December 3, 2025
Kentucky’s running game finished 86th in the 2025 season with 139.2 yards a game in a 5-7 (2-6 SEC) season that got head coach Mark Stoops fired, setting the record for most SEC head coaches fired in a season at five. In a 4-8 (1-7 SEC) season in 2024, Wolford’s running game finished 81st with 145.6 yards a game.
But when Wolford was at Alabama in 2023 with head coach Nick Saban, the Tide finished 46th in the nation with 172.6 yards a game. In 2022, Alabama finished 30th in the nation with 195.5 yards a game behind Wolford’s offensive line. In 2021 at Kentucky, Wolford got the Alabama job because the Wildcats finished 25th nationally with 199.5 yards a game.
A former guard at Kansas State from 1990-93, Wolford has coached offensive lines every season of his 30-year coaching career – Emporia State (1996), South Florida (1997-99), Houston (2000-02), North Texas (2003), Arizona (2004-06), Illinois (2007-08), South Carolina (2009), Youngstown State (2010-14), San Francisco 49ers (2015-16), South Carolina (2017-20), Kentucky (2021), Alabama (2022-23) and Kentucky (2024-25).
In essence, LSU coach Lane Kiffin will call Ole Miss plays in playoff opener, as he is sending offensive coordinator Charlie Weis Jr. back to Ole Miss to be OC during playoffs. Weis called Ole Miss plays in 2025, but in Kiffin’s likeness and to his liking.https://t.co/xHqqrtONy5
— Glenn Guilbeau (@SportBeatTweet) December 2, 2025
Kiffin now has seven assistant coaching positions filled. Offensive coordinator Charlie Weis Jr., co-offensive coordinator/tight ends Joe Cox, passing game coordinator/wide receivers George McDonald, inside receivers Sawyer Jordan and quarterbacks coach Dane Stevens all joined Kiffin immediately or within one or two days once he came to LSU on Sunday following him from Ole Miss.
Ole Miss analysts Donnie Both and Lou Spanos also joined Kiffin at LSU as of Wednesday.
In addition, Ole Miss general manager/personnel director Bill Glasscock came to LSU on Sunday with Kiffin. And LSU general manager/personnel director Austin Thomas is not expected to be retained by Kiffin, as reported early this week by Tiger Rag.
Thomas had been LSU’s general manager in 2024 and ’25 after leaving that same post under Kiffin at Ole Miss in 2022 and ’23.
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