Lane Kiffin announces coaching choice following years at Ole Miss

Lane Kiffin Leaves Ole Miss for LSU

The Lane Kiffin saga reached its conclusion on Sunday as the head coach of the Ole Miss Rebels announced his departure to take up a position with the LSU Tigers.

Kiffin’s announcement followed his victory over Mississippi State in the Egg Bowl on Friday. Initially, he planned to reveal his decision on Saturday, but he mentioned that significant prayer was involved in making this choice. It seems he had an overnight discussion with Athletic Director Keith Carter and Superintendent Glenn Boyce before finalizing his plans.

Reports indicate he met with the team earlier in the afternoon before the news was made public. Notably, he will not be coaching in the College Football Playoff this season.

“After much prayer and time with my family, I’ve made the tough decision to accept the head coaching role at LSU,” Kiffin stated. He reflected on his desire to lead Ole Miss to the playoffs and to finish the season strong with the current team. It’s, well, unfortunate that his request to coach the playoffs was denied, meaning the Egg Bowl was his last match with the Rebels.

“While I’m excited about this new opportunity at LSU, I’ll forever treasure the six years I spent at Ole Miss and will strive to help the team achieve its goals and bring a championship to Oxford,” he added.

It appears Defensive Coordinator Pete Golding is in line to take over as the head coach at Ole Miss.

Kiffin has turned into a highly sought-after coaching candidate in college football, especially with multiple jobs becoming available recently. He had been linked to positions at LSU and Florida, following the departures of Brian Kelly and Billy Napier from those respective schools.

During his time with the Rebels, Kiffin transformed the program into a national championship contender. The team’s 11 wins this season mark the highest in school history, and they have secured two wins under his leadership.

Kiffin took over a struggling Ole Miss program that finished with a 4-8 record during Matt Luke’s last season. Since his arrival, Kiffin has achieved at least ten wins in four of his six years as head coach.

Interestingly, Kiffin has faced criticism in the past for his abrupt career changes, notably his short tenure at Tennessee before moving to USC in 2010.