The whispers from SEC backchannels are even half-true, Lane Kiffin’s freshly minted Tigers are plotting a blockbuster raid on Notre Dame’s backfield, dangling a jaw-dropping $3 million NIL package at junior running back Jeremiyah Love. It’s the kind of move that could turbocharge Kiffin’s “dynasty” rebuild overnight, but with Love’s golden dome loyalty and a Heisman buzz humming, is this a steal… or just smoke?
Let’s set the scene: Kiffin, the ultimate job-hopper, shocked the SEC on November 30 by bolting Ole Miss for LSU after a 11-1 regular season and an Egg Bowl rout—leaving Pete Golding to clean up in Oxford. Now, with the Tigers’ 9-3 campaign (bolstered by a late QB surge from Garrett Nussmeier) eyeing a playoff at-large bid, Kiffin’s in full roster-revamp mode. His wish list? Explosive playmakers to pair with five-star freshman WR Ryan Williams (the nation’s top recruit, already locked in via early signing). Enter Love: The 6-0, 214-pound St. Louis speedster who’s torched defenses for 1,372 rushing yards, 18 TDs, and 280 receiving yards this fall, including a school-record 228-yard, three-score explosion in Notre Dame Stadium against Stanford.Kid’s a dual-threat nightmare—98-yard TD scamper vs. Indiana? Check. All-purpose yards leader in FBS? Double check. Projected 2026 first-rounder? You bet.
The buzz hit X like a screen pass on Christmas Eve: A viral post from parody account @274sport (complete with a mock graphic) claimed LSU staffers had “already reached out” with a $3M offer—“per multiple reports”—to lure Love south as Kiffin assembles his squad. It racked up 2.3K likes and 150+ reposts in hours, with fans salivating over a Williams-Love backfield that’d make Tiger Stadium a track meet. Echoes popped up elsewhere: @Billythebra7 recycled the exact line, and @2Girls1Breezy drooled over the “omg 😂🔥” combo with Williams. But here’s the rub: @274sport’s bio screams “PARODY Account. Some of the worst news coverage across the country”—think The Onion, but for CFB trolls. No legit drops from ESPN’s Pete Thamel, On3’s Dave Berk, or LSU beat dogs like @NOLA.com’s Brody Miller. Reddit’s r/notredamefootball is debating Love’s NFL odds (NIL + insurance might keep him put), but zero LSU smoke. X searches since Kiffin’s hire? Crickets on “Love LSU” beyond the memes—folks are hyping his Samsung Galaxy Z Fold7 NIL deal ($1.5M valuation, No. 29 in CFB) and New Balance cleats, not Baton Rouge billboards.
Love’s no stranger to big bags—his On3 NIL tops $1.6M, fueled by Athlete Advantage reps and partnerships that scream staying power. Committed to Notre Dame over LSU, Bama, and UGA out of high school, he’s the Irish’s RB1 post-Audric Estimé, with 1,125 yards and 17 scores in ‘24 alone. Marcus Freeman’s squad (10-2, CFP quarterfinal bound) isn’t sweating outflows yet—Love’s repped by Athletes First, and his “football and school first” vibe (per On3) doesn’t scream portal jumper. A $3M LSU splash? It’d shatter records (top CFB NIL hovers ~$2-3M for QBs like Arch Manning), but in this Wild West era, it’s plausible—Kiffin’s collectives have deep pockets, and Tigers boosters love a splashy splash.
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