Lane Kiffin appeared at SEC Media Days in Tampa on July 23 and said he no longer reads coverage about himself after stepping away from social media at the urging of his son, Knox. Later that morning, ESPN analyst Stephen A.
Smith challenged Kiffin’s claim on First Take, telling the LSU coach to stop lying and be honest about whether he remains aware of online criticism. The exchange added another off-field storyline ahead of Kiffin’s first season at LSU.
Kiffin claims he ignores all the noise
Lane Kiffin took the podium in Tampa on July 23 for his first SEC Media Days appearance as LSU’s head coach. Asked whether he receives a bad rap, Kiffin said he did not know because he no longer reads coverage about himself.
Kiffin said his teenage son, Knox, challenged him to leave social media. What began as a test was not intended to become a long-term break, but Kiffin eventually deleted the apps from his phone. He accepted that bet from his son and never really looked back.
The coach said stepping away helped him become more present and freed him from the constant comparisons encouraged by social media. Kiffin insisted the change was never meant to be some long-term plan. He said he now avoids checking what fans or reporters post about him.
Stephen A. Smith calls out the excuse
Stephen A. Smith addressed Kiffin’s remarks on First Take later on July 23. He said he did not believe the coach was completely disconnected from criticism. Smith told Kiffin to stop lying and live in his truth.
Smith speculated that even if Kiffin no longer personally uses social media. Someone likely monitors online discussion for him so he can decide which subjects to address. Smith believes the coach stays aware of criticism either way.
First Take shared the segment through its official social media account, extending the debate beyond the television broadcast. Fans and other commentators spent the day debating whether Smith had a fair point. The short clip became one of the bigger storylines out of media days.
Smith channels his mother for a comeback line
Smith described honesty as less stressful and said it can feel cathartic to exhale and let go. He recalled advice from his mother that it is easier to make other people live with your truth than to live with your lies. Smith said dropping every pretense always feels better once the dust settles.
Smith used that advice to urge Kiffin to be more direct about whether he remains aware of online criticism. Even after deleting social media apps from his phone. He urged Kiffin to simply be honest with everyone.
The line drew laughs and plenty of reactions from fans watching the segment live online. Many viewers called it one of Smith’s sharper and more memorable moments on air lately. Others felt Smith was being a bit unfair toward a coach still in his first year.
Kiffin breaks an SEC media days record
Kiffin’s opening statement lasted more than 16 minutes and totaled 2,807 words, according to media-day tracking cited by multiple outlets. It beat the previous record of 2,787 words, set two days earlier by South Carolina coach Shane Beamer, and the lengthy introduction left time for only 4 questions.
His five opening statements as Ole Miss coach averaged just 5 minutes, 32 seconds, making his first LSU appearance substantially longer than his previous introductions. The sudden jump in length caught plenty of reporters off guard, and a longtime SEC media tracker confirmed the unusual record afterward.
Fun fact: The Raiders hired Kiffin at age 31 in 2007, making him the youngest head coach in franchise history and the NFL’s youngest head coach at the time.
Ole Miss exit still follows Kiffin at LSU
Kiffin left Ole Miss for LSU after an 11-1 regular season and before the Rebels began their College Football Playoff run. Ole Miss promoted defensive coordinator Pete Golding to replace him, and reporters in Tampa brought the sensitive topic right back up this week.
At SEC Media Days, Kiffin said he regretted prolonging the dispute over whether he could coach Ole Miss in the playoff. He said he wished he had told athletic director Keith Carter that he was leaving, asked once to coach the team, and moved on after Carter declined.
Kiffin will return to Oxford on Sept. 19, when LSU faces Ole Miss at his former home stadium, Vaught-Hemingway Stadium, though he largely steered the conversation back toward his excitement about his new job.
LSU coach explains his social media exit
Kiffin said some of the most meaningful changes in his life have come from subtracting things rather than adding them. He compared stepping away from social media with other forms of personal change and said the break showed him how dependent many people had become on their phones.
He said he has encouraged players, friends, and coaches to try taking a break from social media. Kiffin added that being offline has helped him avoid constant comparison and become more present. He wants his team focused only on football this fall.
Kiffin’s most recent X post was published June 18 and referenced May 11, when he indicated that he was going quiet online. He said he deleted the apps from his phone, but did not say that he had deleted his accounts. The coach had once ranked among the most active personalities in college football.
Smith once defended Kiffin over Ole Miss remarks
In May, Kiffin faced criticism after saying some recruits and their families viewed Oxford, Mississippi, as less diverse than Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Kiffin later apologized for how he framed the comparison.
Smith defended the substance of Kiffin’s remarks on First Take, saying the coach was not lying and noting that he had previously made a similar argument about recruiting Black athletes to Oxford. Smith even noted he had made similar points himself in the past.
That response contrasts with Smith’s July 23 criticism of Kiffin’s claim that he no longer reads anything about himself. The pattern shows how closely tied these two public figures have become.
What the feud means for LSU football
The exchange adds another off-field storyline as Kiffin enters his first season at LSU. Several Ole Miss players joined the Tigers through the transfer portal, while 8 of the 11 coaching additions LSU announced in December had worked with Kiffin at Ole Miss.
LSU opens the season against Clemson on Sept. 5 and visits Ole Miss on Sept. 19. Once the season begins, attention will shift from Kiffin’s social media habits to LSU’s performance on the field, and wins and losses will likely settle this particular debate in their own way.
Little-known fact: Kiffin’s son Knox was named after Knoxville and his grandfather, Monte Kiffin.
TL;DR
- Stephen A. Smith told Lane Kiffin to stop lying about ignoring criticism.
- Kiffin claims he quit social media after his son challenged him.
- Smith says someone is likely tracking online chatter about Kiffin regardless.
- Kiffin’s SEC Media Days opening statement set a new record for length.
- The Ole Miss-to-LSU move continues to shadow Kiffin’s tenure.
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This article was made with AI assistance and human editing.
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