The backpacks have been dusted off. The traffic is back.
First day photos, prepacked lunches and carpool stickers mean that it’s time for another school year. It’s an emotional one in the Palmer house as our oldest leaves daycare behind for “big school.” Down the street at LSU, it’s time to wash last year away.
The 2025-26 school year at LSU was historic for all the wrong reasons.
An empty Tiger Stadium filled with Aggie War Hymn lyrics signified the end of the Brian Kelly era. Scott Woodward’s messy dismissal initiated by the governor followed. Subsequently, the men’s basketball team won three of 18 SEC games. Matt McMahon didn’t survive that. And then the shocker came when the baseball team was swept five times and posted a 9-21 record in league play.
Women’s basketball played well. The tennis teams had strong years. So did both golf squads. Gymanastics was outstanding. Still, the backbone of LSU’s athletics fell short of expectations. It was the first time since the 60s that LSU posted a losing SEC record in football, men’s basketball and baseball.
That can’t be repeated.
Lane Kiffin and Will Wade were brought in to help with that. Kiffin’s crew gets first crack at it. They’ll take a $40 million roster and sky-high expectations to the Tiger Stadium turf against Clemson in three weeks. One of the most loaded home schedules in school history awaits.
Wade’s squad feels incomplete to those on the outside. Internally, there’s optimism. No matter how the roster shakes out, Houston and Gonzaga await in their home cities, and the SEC doesn’t figure to take a step back. LSU has to level up just to become competitive.
Johnson’s team will rank in the preseason top five. He scorched the transfer portal and brought in one of the best high school classes in program history. Those Tigers won’t be swept five times next spring.
Temperatures are still hovering around 100 in South Louisiana. Swimming pools and snoball stands are still in business. But fall awaits, and hope comes with it. While disastrous in many respects, 2025-26 was transformational for LSU. This year signifies that transformation.
All three disappointing teams from last year will be expected to qualify for the postseason.
Next year is here.
