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Lane Kiffin’s career has become college football’s most unpredictable reality show. The Ole Miss coach’s future is generating more drama than a fourth-quarter comeback, making it nearly impossible to guess what he’ll do next.
Will he stay at Ole Miss? Jump to Florida? Head to LSU? Nobody knows for sure.
The No. 6 Rebels (10-1) are closer than they’ve ever been to making the College Football Playoff, yet Kiffin — the architect behind three straight 10-win seasons (a program first) — seems oddly detached from the frenzy he’s created in Oxford. When asked Wednesday about his interest in other jobs, he stuck to his usual script.
“I’m saying the same thing for six years,” Kiffin said during an SEC teleconference. “I’m not talking about speaking on other jobs. I’m focused on this one.”
Kiffin has physically remained in Oxford, working from his office at the Manning Center and running practices during the team’s bye week. But his family has been on the move.
His ex-wife, Layla, and other family members flew to Gainesville on Sunday to check out the city, sources told CBS Sports. The very next day, they hopped on another flight to Baton Rouge.
Kiffin didn’t clear anything up on Wednesday’s call — but he definitely stirred the pot.
When asked if he felt flattered by having three SEC programs pursuing him, Kiffin responded: “It doesn’t feel good on this call.”
“Somehow it’s got spun really negatively,” he continued. “I said it before: if programs want your coach, that should be looked at as an amazing thing and a great thing by your fans. So if programs want your coach because you’re 10-1 and whatever — three 10-win seasons in a row, which has never been done in Ole Miss before — is that a good thing that other programs want your coach because your program’s experienced success it’s never had? Or would you rather be 5-6 or 6-5 or something right now and no one wants your coach? I would look at it from that perspective.”
The Ole Miss administration knows exactly what’s at stake.
Sources told CBS Sports that Ole Miss officials hope to lock down a commitment from Kiffin by the end of the week. The Rebels start preparing Sunday for their regular-season finale against Mississippi State in the Egg Bowl.
Athletic Director Keith Carter and Kiffin’s representatives have been talking for over three weeks. Sources described their late-October conversations — right after Florida fired Billy Napier — as “positive.” But that was almost a month ago, which might as well be a lifetime in college football.
“Keith and I have a great relationship. We communicate daily on a lot of things and I love it here,” Kiffin said. “It’s been amazing. We’re in the season that’s the greatest run in the history of Ole Miss at this point, having never been at this point. So I think it’s really exciting. I think Saturday night (against Florida) was amazing.”
“I’m just living in the moment — it’s amazing — and our players are too. I see their joy about the practice season, where they’re at and have so much on the line. It’s just awesome to be a part of.”
Despite these comments, Kiffin seemed irritated when asked if he’d coach the Rebels in the Egg Bowl.
“Do I expect to coach next week?” he fired back. “Why would I not expect to coach next week? I mean, I expected to coach against Florida (last week), too. So I don’t even understand the question of how I would not expect to coach next week. Why would I be at work?”
The clock is ticking, though.
If Kiffin plans to take another SEC job, it’s hard to imagine him staying to lead Ole Miss through a playoff run. In that case, the Rebels would need a backup plan for the postseason. Sources say defensive coordinator Pete Golding and quarterbacks coach Joe Judge would be the top candidates for an interim role.
When CBS Sports asked directly whether he might take another job before the postseason, Kiffin’s answer was predictable: “I’m not speaking on other jobs.”
And so three SEC fan bases continue to hold their breath, waiting for the carousel to stop spinning.
