Lane Kiffin said he had a lot of praying to do when it came to deciding his future at Ole Miss, and God apparently told him to go to LSU and bring much of his offensive coaching staff with him.
On3 reports that LSU is set to make Kiffin’s hire official at a Monday press conference.
Also included in that same report is a quote claiming that Kiffin told his offensive coaching staff, if “they’re not on the plane with him to Baton Rouge on Sunday, that they won’t have a spot on LSU’s staff.”
In the interim, On3 reports that Ole Miss defensive coordinator Pete Golding will coach the Rebels in the College Football Playoff (CFP). However, it remains to be seen just how the committee will handle Ole Miss’s ranking, given that the school just lost its head coach and other prominent members of its offensive coaching staff.
In 2023, Florida State was excluded from the CFP despite posting an undefeated record after star quarterback Jordan Travis suffered a broken leg against North Alabama. The committee believed that the Seminoles wouldn’t be nearly as good a football team without Travis. With Kiffin taking himself and other offensive coaches with him, it’s entirely possible the committee could reach a similar conclusion.
Though Ole Miss is reportedly preparing for the CFP as if they will maintain their ranking (or close to it) and host a playoff game, as they are currently scheduled to do.
Expectations of a Saturday announcement on Kiffin’s future were dashed after a meeting between the coach and Ole Miss officials did not end with an agreement on how to end the season. Kiffin, it’s reported, wanted to finish the season with Ole Miss and coach them into the playoffs. However, the administration reportedly soured on that idea.
Kiffin’s deal with LSU is set to pay him at least $13 million per year, On3 reports.
