Lane Kiffin Embraces New Journey at LSU
Lane Kiffin understands the significance of prayer. Just a day after indicating that he was uncertain about his future, stating “I have a lot to pray about,” the Ole Miss head coach has made a decision.
Yes, it took him all of Saturday and into Sunday. After a hard-fought win over Mississippi State in the Egg Bowl and a lengthy meeting with the Ole Miss athletic director and chancellor that reportedly stretched beyond three hours, Kiffin has officially committed to LSU. This unexpected choice has certainly caused a stir in the sports community.
In a tweet on Sunday, he said, “After much prayer and time with my family, I have made the difficult decision to accept the head coaching position at LSU.”
A team meeting was initially set for Sunday morning, with an announcement to follow shortly after. Yet, it was delayed until 2 p.m., supposedly due to disagreements regarding the coaching staff’s future between Kiffin and the university.
One of the last points of contention during negotiations involved what would occur if Auburn managed to beat Alabama the night prior while Ole Miss advanced to the SEC Championship Game and if Kiffin would still be able to coach in that game.
However, once Alabama secured their victory in the Iron Bowl, Kiffin’s decision appeared to come swiftly afterward.
This marks the conclusion of weeks filled with speculation surrounding Kiffin’s career choice, which intensified after the University of Florida relieved Billy Napier of his duties on October 19 and LSU moved on from Brian Kelly a week later.
At 50 years old, Kiffin quickly became a sought-after name during this coaching carousel as his Rebels wrapped up an impressive 11-1 season, achieving the highest ranking in College Football Playoff history at No. 7.
Interestingly, on the previous Friday, Florida State had sought to meet with Kiffin’s family in Gainesville. Weeks earlier, LSU had reportedly brought them to campus for a tour, but there had been some communication issues from Kiffin’s side. Nonetheless, he wasn’t part of those discussions as Florida State announced John Sumrall as their new head coach on Sunday.
Reports indicate that LSU officials are contemplating a lucrative seven-year, $90 million offer, which would make Kiffin the highest-paid coach in college football.
Meanwhile, Ole Miss made it clear they would accommodate any offer presented to their head coach.
To help settle the swirling rumors, Ole Miss officials released a statement following the Egg Bowl indicating they would discuss Kiffin’s future along with the coaching staff.
After the 38-19 win, Kiffin faced questions regarding his future as he exited the field. He replied, “No, it’s not. I’m going to have to pray a lot tomorrow to figure it out. Right now, I’m just going to enjoy watching the guys play. I told them last night, you guys are going to win the 11th game. All I want to do is enjoy watching you guys. That’s what I’m going to do.”
Finally, that much-anticipated moment arrived on Saturday, aided by conversations Kiffin planned to have with his mentors, including Pete Carroll and Nick Saban.
During his six seasons at Ole Miss, Kiffin put together a 55-19 record, establishing himself as a builder of college football programs and somewhat rehabilitating his reputation within the sport.
Across 14 seasons at Tennessee, USC, Florida Atlantic, and Ole Miss, Kiffin has a 117-53 record, including a 4-4 mark in bowl games—not counting FAU’s 2019 Boca Raton Bowl victory prior to his transfer to Ole Miss.
