LSU football thrashed Clemson to open the 2026 football season. The 51-10 romping in Week One showcased the talent possessed by head coach Lane Kiffin's team. One game into his first season at the helm in Baton Rouge, Kiffin made clear to his team that they need to stay focused on the bigger picture.
"That's a big challenge, one that I've been on from the locker room immediately with them, just knowing how that goes and that's a real thing and it happens more now than it used to because of their phones," Kiffin said at his Monday press conference. "It's constantly, if they're on their phones all day long, about how great they are so, just managing against that."
Kiffin learned from one of the best college coaches, Nick Saban, who consistently
referred to lighter non-conference opponents as "rat poison." Keeping a team level-headed after a lopsided win, according to Kiffin, must be prioritized, and it appears the Tigers are doing just that. He says they hold meetings focused on the mental game and identifying areas for improvement even after a near-perfect win.
"You need to practice the way that we do, prepare the way that we do and I challenge them too," Kiffin said. "Now you have one week. We took two weeks to prepare as far as practicing for Clemson. Now you have one week this week so you're not going to have near as much time. Your focus has to be elite."
This article originally appeared on LSU Wire: Lane Kiffin aims to keep LSU football focused after lopsided Week 1 win
