The LSU Tigers have been the main storyline in college football since the end of the 2025 regular season.

Lane Kiffin, LSU Creating National Headlines

Things started when the Tigers were able to lure head coach Lane Kiffin away from the Ole Miss Rebels after six incredible seasons in Oxford. Kiffin went 55-19, including an 11-1 season last year, taking the team to its first College Football Playoff berth. However, he elected to take on a new challenge instead of staying with the program he built into a consistent contender.

Kiffin continued to generate headlines this offseason following comments he made about his former school. But now the program is at the center of controversy. The Tigers have reportedly earned the commitment of tight end Dae'Quan Wright. He had 635 yards and five touchdowns last season at Ole Miss.

That doesn't seem controversial on the surface until you realize that this past week Wright was on the field for the Cleveland Browns in the preseason. However, due to a new "five-for-five" rule that gives players five years to play five years, meaning no more redshirts, players like Wright are fighting to get another year of eligibility.

Wright was part of the 2022 class. He played four seasons and never redshirted. So, after his season ended, he thought he was out of eligibility. That was until this rule passed. The SEC has since said that players who signed a contract with an NFL (or other professional football league), NBA/G-League, or WNBA (or affiliate) team are not eligible to play in the conference.

Paul Finebaum Rips Kiffin Over LSU's Dae'Quan Wright Controversy

This incident led ESPN's Paul Finebaum to go after Kiffin on "The Paul Finebaum Show."

"If Kiffin would just tell the truth once in a while and say, 'Yeah, it's legal,'" Finebaum said. "I mean, instead, he has to try to equivocate... He's always just this awkward defense of whatever you can get away with. Sometimes you do have to show some character. That will be very difficult to find in terms of him."

Wright's Move Creates New Questions Around Kiffin

Kiffin's arrival at LSU was already one of the biggest stories of the offseason. Now, the Wright situation has added another layer of attention to a program that seems incapable of staying out of the headlines.

Whether Wright ultimately gets the opportunity to play for LSU remains the bigger question. The SEC's position on players who have signed professional contracts could determine whether this experiment ever gets off the ground.

For Kiffin, the controversy is another reminder that every decision will be scrutinized closely at LSU. The Tigers have the talent and resources to become a national contender, but as Kiffin's enters his first season in Baton Rouge, navigating the increasingly complicated rules of college football may prove just as important as what happens on the field.