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11/21 16:09 CST Florida or LSU? Ole Miss coach Lane Kiffin's coaching decision
will be revealed after the Egg Bowl
Florida or LSU? Ole Miss coach Lane Kiffin's coaching decision will be revealed
after the Egg Bowl
OXFORD, Miss. (AP) --- Ole Miss coach Lane Kiffin will announce his next move
--- likely Florida or LSU --- after the Egg Bowl against Mississippi State.
Athletic director Keith Carter released a statement Friday saying a decision on
Kiffin's future is expected Nov. 29, the day after the fifth-ranked Rebels play
at rival Mississippi State.
It could be an agonizing wait for the Tigers, the Gators and the Rebels, as
most outsiders believe Kiffin staying in Oxford for a seventh season is a long
shot.
"Coach Kiffin and I have had many pointed and positive conversations regarding
his future at Ole Miss, including meeting (Friday) with Chancellor (Glenn)
Boyce," Carter said. "While we discuss next steps, we know we cannot lose sight
of what is most important --- our sixth-ranked team that is poised to finish
the regular season in historic fashion."
Carter said Kiffin remains focused, and the announcement timeline ensures the
Rebels' players and coaches "can concentrate fully on next Friday's game."
"This team is on the cusp of an unprecedented season, and it's imperative they
feel the support of the Ole Miss family in the week ahead," he said.
Ole Miss (10-1, 6-1 Southeastern Conference, No. 6 CFP) does not play this
weekend. The bye allowed Kiffin to meet with Florida and LSU officials.
The Gators fired Billy Napier in mid-October and set their sights on Kiffin.
LSU fired Brian Kelly a week later, creating a tug-of-war over a 50-year-old
coach who is considered one of the top offensive minds in the game.
Kiffin's family members took scouting trips to Gainesville and Baton Rouge, and
he met with administrators and fundraisers on several occasions. He even
reportedly sat down with Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry, who publicly slammed
former LSU athletic director Scott Woodward for giving Kelly a 10-year contract
worth about $100 million in 2022.
Will he stay at the place he called "utopia" and turned into a perennial winner
with his ex-wife and kids nearby? Will he move back to Florida, where his
father became one of the most respected defensive coordinators in NFL history?
Or will he land at LSU, where three of its last four coaches won national
championships.
Kiffin politely declined to talk about other job openings this week. He
sidestepped several questions about ongoing overtures from Florida, LSU and Ole
Miss.
"I'm going to stay on what I've done for six years, which isn't talking about
other jobs and that situation," said Kiffin, who denied reports Tuesday that
Ole Miss had given him an ultimatum. "I love it here, and it's been amazing.
And we're in the season --- the greatest run in the history of Ole Miss at this
point (and) having never been at this point.
"So I think it's really exciting. ... I'm just living in the moment --- it's
amazing --- and our players are, too. I see their joy about practice, season,
where they're at and have so much on the line. It's just awesome to be a part
of."
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