July 23rd 2026 seems like a lifetime ago.

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THE MODERATOR: Welcome to the podium LSU Head Football Coach Lane Kiffin.

LANE KIFFIN: Thank you, Commissioner. You know, I met the Commissioner 17 years ago. I was a head coach at Tennessee. I just think about, you know, you can never predict the future of your life and the directions that it goes. 17 years later, third SEC job. He was the Associate Commissioner at the time for Commissioner Slive. I just have great respect for Greg and what he's done.

Then I think about the 17 years, and I think about how far the SEC has come since then when I first got into the conference and through his leadership. You know, leadership especially in the public eye, is not easy. He has a really difficult job. I think Greg does an amazing job, amazing job of communicating even with us as head coaches.

We don't always agree on his decisions, but I also understand now, being around longer, he has 16 schools to please and fan bases and athletic directors, head coaches, and presidents to answer to.

Many times his decisions that he has to come up -- and I appreciate him for the strength that he shows -- is really he's just making a decision based off what he's told to do by the ADs and specifically by the presidents. So I appreciate Greg. I appreciate our friendship and kind of growing through a lot of things together throughout the different stops of coming back to the SEC.