By Rowan Fisher-ShottonShareNewsweek is a Trust Project memberAt 10-1 (6-1 in the SEC) and ranked No. 6 in the country, Lane Kiffin has built Ole Miss into a national contender.
Yet, he has been publicly linked to both LSU and Florida for weeks now.
LSU reportedly has a seven‑figure, multi‑year offer on the table, and Ole Miss has set a post‑Egg Bowl decision timeline, raising questions about timing, optics, and Kiffin’s credibility, at least in the eyes of Fox Sports' college football analyst Joel Klatt.
On Monday's episode of "The Joel Klatt Show," he emphasized how, by leaving before the College Football Playoff, Kiffin would be "destroying the Ole Miss football team."
"How does Lane Kiffin leave Ole Miss in the middle of a playoff run and have any credibility at his next place? I don't think that he would," Klatt said. "Your credibility is your currency as a coach. We can sit here and lament the calendar and realize that this is not a great position for Lane to be in. I totally agree with that, but it's also still up to him."
"Those kids committed to him as much as they committed to Ole Miss. Then they committed to each other to achieve something great. They will not excel in the playoffs without him as their play caller," Klatt added.
"So I would just say your credibility as a coach is everything. And your credibility is tied to your character."
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Read More: Ohio State, Ryan Day Suffer Major Recruiting Loss Before Michigan Game
Kiffin’s Rebels are averaging 37.2 points per game and on pace for their first-ever CFP berth, a continuation of sustained success since his arrival (Ole Miss is 54-19 under Kiffin).
In recent weeks, Kiffin’s representatives reportedly met with Florida, and family members reportedly toured Baton Rouge and Gainesville as both programs courted him.
LSU has been widely reported to be finalizing a seven‑year, incentive‑heavy offer in the neighborhood of $90 million (some reports up to $98 million), including significant NIL and roster investment commitments.
Ole Miss athletic leadership has said that an announcement on Kiffin’s future is expected the day after the Egg Bowl (Nov. 29).
...Read More: Major Changes Coming to Florida State After Mike Norvell Decision
If Kiffin stays, Ole Miss retains continuity for a program that's in the middle of a historic season, keeping recruiting and roster NIL plans intact, and Kiffin’s credibility as a program builder is reinforced.
If Kiffin leaves for LSU or Florida, he would inherit larger budgets and higher expectations and, more importantly, would trigger an immediate coaching search at Ole Miss that risks halting momentum for a playoff‑caliber team.
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