Lane Kiffin Challenges LSU Coaches As Injuries Continue To Pile Up

LSU’s injury list continues to grow, and Lane Kiffin is challenging his coaching staff to find ways to overcome it.

The Tigers have already lost safety Dashawn Spears, linebacker Charles Ross II, and wide receiver Phillip Wright III to season-ending injuries. Edge rusher Gabriel Reliford and cornerback Aidan Anding were also lost for the year after suffering injuries during spring practice.

LSU is also expected to be without two of its biggest impact players for an extended stretch.

Tight end Trey’Dez Green and linebacker Whit Weeks are both expected to be sidelined until at least November, if not longer. Weeks underwent foot surgery on Monday after suffering his injury against Texas A&M.

With LSU’s depth being tested, Kiffin said Monday that the coaching staff must adjust its schemes and personnel instead of simply relying on a “next man up” mentality.

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“And I challenge our coaches, too. You know, this is part of why you’re supposed to be good coaches and you’re paid a lot. It’s not just coaching the elite player, but now, how can you fit our systems to the players that are going to need to play?

“Because I think that’s one thing that’s screwed up in coaching a lot: ‘Next man up,’ just call your plays, and then you just blame the player: ‘Well, he’s not good enough.’ But that’s not the coach’s job, in my opinion. The coach’s job is to find a way to get other players, get different schemes, get different things to overcome injuries. And it’s challenging, especially in college, when it’s not like you can just go replace them.”

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LSU will now have to lean on several younger and less-experienced players as the Tigers move deeper into SEC play, while Kiffin and his staff look for ways to adjust around the growing number of injuries.