Lane Kiffin continues to hit the headlines for his candidacy to other head coaching roles in college football. From the LSU Tigers to the Florida Gators, Kiffin’s name continues to be in the discussions for multiple vacancies.
The Ole Miss Rebels will definitely not want to lose a coach like Kiffin, but their failure to keep him locked in with a lucrative deal is questioned by many. Fox Sports’ Joel Klatt is the latest one to call out the Rebels’ front office for Kiffin’s deal.
“Now, one thing to watch out for for Ole Miss down the stretch is you’re seeing a lot of other coaches that are high-profile that will absolutely be targeted and mentioned for all these job openings and they’re taking their name out of the hat,” Klatt said. “Three specifically, Dan Lanning said absolutely not, I’m at Oregon. Matt Rhule signed an extension at Nebraska and Curt Cignetti signed an extension at Indiana.
“So the longer that Lane Kiffin doesn’t sign an extension at Ole Miss or come out and absolutely, emphatically and definitively like Dan Lanning did, turn these jobs down and say, ‘I’m not going anywhere,’ the distraction is going to creep up at Ole Miss.”
Kiffin has built a successful program at Ole Miss by turning the school into a College Football Playoff contender this season, with his squad digesting only one loss so far. He also said he has never made a decision based on money.
However, Kiffin’s agent, Jimmy Sexton, was rumored to be working to secure a big deal for him with Florida, which remains a major concern for Ole Miss. His contract with the Rebels runs through Dec. 31, 2031, and he earns an annual salary of $9 million.
Lane Kiffin Explains Why He Threw A Football Into The Stands Against South Carolina
Lane Kiffin gave fans a memorable moment during Saturday’s game against South Carolina. Late in the contest, after a key interception, Kiffin was seen throwing a football into the Ole Miss student section. After the Rebels’ 30-14 win, the coach revealed the fun reason behind his surprising move.
“I was just excited. We made an interception. When we did, the student section was right there. I didn’t tell them to jump into the stands. They did that. And then they were getting penalties, so I just threw the ball up there too. I’m like, ‘They aren’t going to give us two penalties.’ Sometimes you’ve got to have fun,” Kiffin said.
The coach’s toss came right after the Rebels were flagged for celebrating with fans. But Kiffin decided to join in the moment anyway, believing no additional penalty would be handed out. When asked if he might face consequences for the throw, Kiffin mentioned that SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey didn’t raise any issues.
“We actually had a conversation, but (Sankey) did not bring (a fine) up,” Kiffin said. “I don’t think that’s a policy or rule. Again, I was excited for our fans and student section. They were there early, two hours before. It means a lot to our players.”
After the South Carolina win, Ole Miss improved to 8-1 overall and 5-1 in SEC play.
