LSU head football coach Lane Kiffin has challenged the Tigers' fanbase to replicate the electric atmosphere of their season-opening victory over Clemson for the upcoming Week 2 game against Louisiana Tech. Kiffin encouraged fans to arrive early and suggested a 7 a.m. start to their day.
"Don’t let the opponent dictate how you are a fan. We challenge our players to do that, so, the fans, too," Kiffin told reporters on Monday. "If you’ve got to have a mock Saturday or put up a stage of 'College GameDay' — whatever it is. Come out here early; come out here and start drinking at 7:00 a.m.."
He emphasized the need for the same level of fan energy seen in the 51-10 thrashing of Clemson, which kicked off Kiffin's tenure in Baton Rouge. Kiffin noted that the fans were "electric" during the Clemson game, creating an intense atmosphere that he felt impacted the opponent. "People who have been here a long time, they said it was the loudest, intense feelings they felt ever," he added.
The challenge comes as LSU prepares to host Louisiana Tech at Tiger Stadium. The game is sandwiched between the high-profile home opener against Clemson and a highly anticipated road trip to face Ole Miss the following week. Kiffin acknowledged that the Louisiana Tech contest might not inherently generate the same level of excitement as the other matchups.
This tactic of urging fan engagement for games against less prominent opponents is not new for Kiffin. He employed similar strategies during his time as head coach at Ole Miss, encouraging fan turnout for games against smaller, out-of-conference opponents. The practice is common among many Power Four program coaches who face the challenge of maintaining fan attendance and spending for games that are not typically considered marquee events on the college football calendar.
The kickoff for the LSU Tigers vs. Louisiana Tech game is scheduled for Saturday evening. Kiffin's remarks about starting the day's festivities at 7 a.m. are a lighthearted but direct appeal to the fanbase to create a formidable home-field advantage.