Lane Kiffin just can’t stand being out of the spotlight for fifteen minutes. Now, he’s decided to create a new story about why he left Ole Miss for LSU, and, no, it wasn’t all about the money. At least, that’s Lane’s story this week, and he’ll stick to it.

It’s a slow time of season, so, naturally, this blew up on the socials and people were quick to point out why LSU landed on the Tigers as a mascot:

NEW ORLEANS — You may have seen a petition circulating on social media aimed at getting LSU to change their mascot.

The Change.org headline reads “Change the racist mascot of LSU,” and goes on to say “these powerful white males choose the Tiger as a symbol to honor a confederate regiment called Louisiana’s Tigers. They were known for their propensity for violence on and off the battle field. They were just as violent to the black slaves they owned, and later even more violent once those slaves were set free.”

Is there any truth to that statement? We started our search for answers at LSU.

Media Relations Director Ernie Ballard told us that the university is aware of the “largely anonymous petition suggesting the university change the mascot.”

“The tiger mascot was adopted in the 1890’s by the football team and was selected based on lore about the battlefield ferociousness of a Louisiana regiment operating in Northern Virginia,” Ballard confirmed.

But as for the alleged “propensity for violence off the battlefield” or their alleged ownership or treatment of slaves before or after the war? Ballard says “there is no information about soldiers’ conduct outside of the battlefield accounts.”

LSU heads to Oxford on September 19th this year.

If Kiffin thought going back to Tennessee was bad, he may need consider calling in sick when he returns to The Grove.