Lane Kiffin’s next move as Ole Miss approaches first playoff berth
Lane Kiffin weighs offers from Florida and LSU as Ole Miss chases historic playoff spot
Today is that day. Will Lane Kiffin go to LSU or stay at Ole Miss?
The day after the Egg Bowl has been the decision date since Ole Miss athletic director Keith Carter gave football coaches a pseudo-deadline of Nov. 29 to clarify their futures.
No. 6 Ole Miss (11-1, 7-1 SEC) just earned its first College Football Playoff berth by defeating Mississippi State 38-19 on Nov. 28.
Here’s the latest information:
On3’s Pete Nakos reports that Lane Kiffin is scheduled to meet with Ole Miss athletic director Keith Carter around 4 p.m. ET to discuss the Rebels’ coaching future.
Ole Miss quarterbacks coach Joe Judge will serve as interim head coach for the College Football Playoff if Lane Kiffin retires, ESPN reports.
Judge went 10-23 in two seasons (2020-21) as head coach of the New York Giants.
During halftime of the Miami-Pitt game, ESPN’s Marty Smith provided the latest update from the Ole Miss football facility at 1:45 p.m. ET.
“Lane Kiffin and his staff are currently game planning for the Georgia Bulldogs at their Oxford facility.
“He informed me that a meeting with Ole Miss athletic director Keith Carter will take place this afternoon. Carter told us on the field before the Egg Bowl that he expects Kiffin to stay. Prior to this meeting, Kiffin wants to meet with Nick Saban about the positives and negatives of both jobs, as well as Pete Carroll. He received an email from coach Carroll last night saying, “Call me anytime.” I promised my father that I would always take care of you. ”
“He said this to me again this morning: ‘It’s not about the money for me.’ But he said the only thing he talked about financially with both schools was about getting a good roster. ‘How much money are we going to pay the players?’ That’s the important factor here. And I’ll tell you… Carter expects Kiffin to stay, but the LSU side is optimistic they’ll get him, too. I mean, this is the most Lane Kiffin thing ever. We’ll wait and see what his decision is, but my word is if you’re him, you’ll be in a good position. ”
An announcement regarding Kiffin’s coaching future will be made on Nov. 29, according to a press release from Ole Miss Athletic Director Keith Carter.
ESPN’s Marty Smith reported on “College Gameday” that Lane Kiffin was doing his weekly yoga session with his family on Saturday morning and that Kiffin will be heading to the Ole Miss football facility to meet with coaches and develop a game plan for the SEC Championship matchup against Georgia if Alabama loses tonight in the Iron Bowl.
Smith said a decision on Kiffin’s future is expected to be made Saturday afternoon.
Fox’s Bruce Feldman reported Saturday morning that LSU offered Lane Kiffin a seven-year contract worth “around $100 million.”
“I spoke with LSU officials this morning and they are very confident that Lane Kiffin will come to Baton Rouge and take the job with the Tigers.”
Feldman said the lure of coaching in a program where three recent coaches have won national titles may be “too tempting” for Kiffin to pass up.
Former Alabama coach Nick Saban said Ole Miss should let Lane Kiffin coach the Rebels in the SEC Championship Game, even if he goes to another school.
“Ole Miss has never been to the SEC Championship Game, and if Alabama loses they can go to the SEC Championship Game, but they won’t allow Lane to coach in the game, so what do they do at Ole Miss? That’s crazy,” Saban said.
Lane Kiffin was asked after the Egg Bowl if he thought his future would be decided by Nov. 29.
“I feel that‘We have to do that,” Kiffin said.
Kiffin said the decision was difficult.
“I’m not asking for pity, but it’s not as fun as some people think it is,” he said.
“These are difficult decisions. You have them all the time. You (reporters) have to make decisions about the jobs you get, where you move. All of those things. I know our decisions are under a different spotlight and scrutiny because we get paid a lot of money, but you know, a lot of the people who are critical of this are the same people who always do.”
Florida State has interviewed more than a dozen candidates since firing Billy Napier on Oct. 19. Until Nov. 28, Kiffin, 50, was the top target.
Sources familiar with the college’s coaching search process confirmed to the Gainesville Sun that Tulane University’s John Sumrall and Washington University’s Jed Fisch are on the shortlist for the college’s next coach.
ESPN reported during the Egg Bowl broadcast that Ole Miss athletic director Keith Carter said he expects Lane Kiffin to remain with the Rebels.
Kiffin’s current salary is $9 million. According to On3, LSU, Florida and Ole Miss are expected to offer Kiffin in the range of $13 million to $14 million.
Additionally, the three schools will provide at least $25 million in investment in their NIL rosters, according to the report.
Ole Miss’ victory over Oklahoma on October 25 earned Kiffin an automatic contract extension.
Because this was Ole Miss’ seventh regular season win, Kiffin’s state contract with the Ole Miss Athletic Foundation will be automatically extended for one year on January 1, 2026. His contract currently runs until December 31, 2031.
The added year is worth $9 million, with $7.2 million guaranteed.
Kiffin’s $9 million salary is tied for sixth in the SEC.
