By Matt Moscona
Fiscal responsibility isn’t always fun, but it’s necessary for any organization or even household to succeed.
If a new restaurant is fighting to break even, it’s probably a better idea to invest in staff, marketing and quality ingredients instead of upgrading to state-of-the-art appliances in the kitchen.
A middle class family with three kids in private school probably doesn’t need to fly first class and stay at a five-star resort on the next family vacation when you can create memories flying coach and staying at a convenient hotel.
Fiscal responsibility isn’t about depriving yourself of all nice things. It’s about avoiding unnecessary excess.
LSU recently excused itself from a bidding war for two high profile prospects, and it was absolutely the right decision in both cases.
We previously reported that five-star quarterback Bryce Underwood flipped his commitment from LSU to Michigan when the Wolverines dumped a $12 million NIL offer in his lap. LSU’s offer topped out at $1.5 million per year. Think about that: LSU was willing to pay an 18-year-old, who has yet to take a college snap, three-times what it paid it’s All-American left tackle in 2023. Bayou Traditions, the LSU Collective, has money, it just doesn’t have endless resources.
One staff member told me, “(Underwood’s decision to flip) made us so flush with cash.”
Clearly, the LSU brain trust is adhering to their principles of fiscal responsibility.
Jahkeem Stewart chose USC over LSU when the Trojans gave him two million reasons per season to head west.
It stings to watch a highly coveted player from Louisiana get away, especially when LSU has recruited the five-star defensive tackle since he was in the eighth grade. Just like with Underwood, however, it was the right decision to walk away.
According to sources, LSU offered Stewart an NIL deal worth $1.25 million per season. USC went to $2 million per season. That’s an almost unthinkable amount to pay for a defensive lineman who played 10 career high school games and will be entering college a year early.
LSU’s discipline didn’t stop there.
Five-star cornerback Kade Phillips flipped to Texas when the Longhorns made a $1 million offer. According to the same sources, LSU held firm at $800,000.
While it is common to focus on what was lost, it’s more important to focus on what was gained. LSU got across the finish line with No. 1 cornerback DJ Pickett for $850,000. For a plug-and-play starter, that is money well spent. Harlem Berry is the No. 1 running back in the country who held firm on his commitment to the Tigers. While Phillips exited, another five-star is expected to jump into the LSU class late, when offensive guard Solomon Thomas flips from Florida State to the Tigers.
Luxury cars are shiny, fast and fun. They are also not wise investments. If you bought Bitcoin in 2013–or you founded Oracle and have a wife that loves Michigan football– and want to buy a fleet of them, knock yourself out. LSU had Jayden Daniels, but if they had invested in a defense, there might be another national championship trophy in the lobby of the football operations building.
LSU has invested wisely in its 2025 recruiting class and inked a consensus top ten haul. Because they knew when to walk away from the table, they also have bags of cash to be aggressive in the transfer portal to add immediate impact players.
Fiscal responsibility isn’t fun. But college football programs are learning it’s the surest way to build a contender.
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