Lane Kiffin reveals how NIL impacts player motivation, says LSU has ‘evolved’ in new era

As Lane Kiffin settles in for his debut season at LSU, he’s doing so in the second year of the revenue-sharing era in college football. It adds another layer to the NIL era, and he said the program has “evolved” with the times.

During his Monday press conference, Kiffin was asked about whether player motivation has changed as a result of NIL. The way he sees it, athletes now have even more at stake when they take the field for practice and on Saturdays for games.

$19.99 gets you a FULL year of On3 | Rivals national coverage

Previously, players were solely on a scholarship. But as roster costs go up, that means they have the opportunity to earn even more money if they perform well. As a result, Kiffin said there’s even more on the line.

“We’ve evolved in that, in how we talk,” Kiffin said. “They make a lot of money, a lot of them now. So, to me, there’s a little bit of a difference in there. If you get what part of your motivation was, are you still motivated? We work through that in the way that we talk to them, the things that we point to. But also, I think, in a way, people talk about all the problems with them making money – which there are problems that come with that – there’s also a good side, too, because I think they feel more like it’s a big job vs. ‘Oh, I just have a scholarship. I kind of show up and do football part-time.’

“I think they do take it more serious that way and realize, ‘Hey, if I don’t play well, I’m probably not going to make that next year. And if I play well, I’m going to make more vs. I just have the same scholarship.’ Kind of just how a lot of humans work, if you think about it.”

Lane Kiffin and LSU are squarely in the spotlight this season as he takes over in Baton Rouge. The Tigers are expected to have one of the top payrolls in college football, On3’s Wilson Alexander reported, with a roster cost upward of $40 million in 2026.

Of course, LSU’s biggest addition this transfer cycle was former Arizona State quarterback Sam Leavitt. He arrived as the No. 1 player in the On3 Industry Transfer Rankings and is now “100%” after foot surgery, he told reporters earlier this month.

SUBSCRIBE to the On3 NIL and Sports Business Newsletter

“I’m 100% right now, and I’ve been 100% for the past few months,” Leavitt said ahead of training camp. “My health is one thing that I take very seriously, whether it’s the food I eat, the way I sleep, the way I recover.

“So, it was really never a question for me. You can ask everyone from everywhere I’ve been. That’s something that I prioritize in my life. I think I’m kind of at an extreme level. So, yeah, I’m ready to go.”

LSU will officially begin the Lane Kiffin Era in Week 1 when Clemson comes to Baton Rouge. The matchup will get the primetime treatment with a 7:30 p.m. ET kickoff, and ESPN’s College GameDay will also be in attendance.