Lane Kiffin, an older and wiser coach, deserves credit for his handling of a situation that could distract or frustrate even the best college football coaches. Kiffin’s future is already a topic of speculation, with Florida reportedly interested in him. Ole Miss, ranked No. 8, went to Norman and defeated No. 13 Oklahoma 34-26 in Norman. The Rebels showed remarkable resiliency after they let a 22-10 halftime advantage turn into a 1 point Oklahoma lead heading into the final quarter. The Rebels are poised to qualify for the College Football Playoffs after this win. Football If they are able to finish the season strong, then it is possible that they will make the playoffs. This would be a dream for Ole Miss football fans, who have been financially and emotionally supporting the Rebels. It could also make it more likely that Kiffin will stay in Oxford. Ole Miss is now only separated from a playoff spot by a 3-4 South Carolina squad, FCS rival The Citadel, Florida, which has already fired Billy Napier, and Mississippi State, who have yet to win a SEC game with Jeff Lebby. Lane learned that anything can happen, and it did last year when Florida and Kentucky upset a good Ole Miss side. There’s no excuse for missing the playoff this year.
This is why Lane’s victory over Oklahoma was so important: If Ole Miss makes it to the CFP as it should now, then those first-round matches will begin on December 19. It’s important to note that this is two weeks following the early signing period from Dec. 4-6. If Ole Miss wins the first playoff game in Oxford that can be played, they will then play a quarterfinal match either on Dec. 31st or Jan. 1st. Why is it important? The transfer portal is now open only from Jan. 2-16. You could be way behind schedule if you had to wait to hire until January 1 or later. This would not only put you in a bad position for recruiting high school students, but also for putting together a transfer group. Lane, who is known as the “Portal King,” would find it particularly difficult. The SEC is a place where fans are not as patient as they used to be. You can’t simply waive away your first recruiting class like you could in the past. Curt Cignetti, Indiana’s head coach in Year 1, has demonstrated what can be achieved. Now every program wants to emulate him. Would a program wait until a coach has finished the CFP before deciding to hire him? It was not done a year before, and it is unlikely that a school would do it again unless absolutely necessary. It would be risky, as no coach will want to commit to another school while still competing for the national championship. Kiffin wants to win the national championship one day. This will drive him to make any decisions he makes. He’s learned from his past mistakes and is determined to give his Rebels the best opportunity to do this.
Florida should call Lane Kiffin first. He’s clearly intrigued by the tea leaves.
John Talty
Take a look at how he handled Auburn’s interest in 2022. Auburn fired Bryan Harsin, a similar move to what Florida made last Sunday with the firing of Billy Napier. They didn’t conceal their interest in Ole Miss. Lane seriously considered switching to another SEC team as it hung over his every move. Kiffin would have been Auburn’s coach if his daughter Landry had not persuaded him to change. Auburn’s interest cast a dark shadow on Ole Miss, whether or not it was Kiffin who caused the problem. The Rebels’ 7-0 start ended in a whimper after they lost their final four games and finished 8-5. Ole Miss boosters and administrators were upset that he refused to put an end the rumors and their dream season ended in ashes. Kiffin’s team was the first to hear about the rumors. This was a departure from his normal strategy. He explained to his team on SEC Network, Saturday morning, that the interest in Kiffin was due to the team’s successes.
Kiffin told the players, “That’s because we have a program that has a lot players and coaches who are doing a great job.” I would not even mention it since they’ve gone through it four years in a line. However, we have many players and so, I simply told them that this is how things work around here, as we win games, and people love the style we play.’Kiffin will never make an “I’ll Never Leave Here” proclamation in the middle of the season, as Ole Miss fans love to hear. He has publicly stated that he will not be getting involved in any contract negotiations while the Ole Miss AD Keith Carter is interested in settling things before things get crazy with the coaching rotation. Kiffin’s agreement to a huge new contract, like Cignetti’s and Indiana’s just signed, would make everyone feel better at night. However it is unlikely that this will happen during the current season. The best thing Lane could do for both himself and Ole Miss would be to keep winning. Florida boosters will want him more but it’s good for the home team.
The more Kiffin believes he has a legitimate chance of winning a national championship at Oxford, the more he will say no to any offer that is made to him.
2025-10-25 23:40:21
