Lane Kiffin Emerges as Leading Candidate for Head Coaching Jobs
Lane Kiffin has surfaced as a primary candidate for head coach positions at both the University of Florida and LSU.
This raises the question: Can Ole Miss manage to keep him on board?
On “College Football Live,” ESPN’s college football insider, Pete Thamel, stated, “There’s no doubt that Lane Kiffin is a major topic of discussion among the decision-makers at both Florida State and LSU. Ole Miss has really built him up. At this point, it’s challenging to picture him coaching at Ole Miss next year, given the enticing opportunities at Florida and LSU.”
He also added an interesting twist: “With two months left in the season, how things play out could change if Ole Miss actually makes the playoffs. They’re aiming to keep their winning streak alive.”
Recently, Billy Napier and Brian Kelly were let go from their respective positions, leaving significant openings at Florida and LSU.
Kiffin, now in his sixth year with Ole Miss, has led the team to a 7-1 record this season.
As it stands, the Rebels are currently ranked seventh in the standings.
Nick Saban shared similar thoughts as Thamel but expressed skepticism about whether moving to Florida or LSU would be beneficial for Kiffin.
Saban noted, “Lane was the first name on the list for Florida State and LSU.” However, he added, “There’s an ongoing debate about whether those roles are actually superior to his current position at Ole Miss, where he has considerable support for his roster needs. It’s not necessarily the same at Florida or LSU.”
He went on to question the commitment of the programs: “Yes, there may be financial resources, and dedicated alumni who are passionate about football. But are they genuinely willing to invest to win? A lot of folks are skeptical.”
Saban, of course, won a national championship at LSU in 2003 before achieving great success at Alabama.
Meanwhile, potential candidates like Indiana’s Curt Cignetti and Nebraska’s Matt Rhule had been considered for these roles but have recently signed contract extensions, making it likely they will be out of the running this season.
