Lane Kiffin abandoned Ole Miss in the midst of its best season in program history, leaving Oxford just before the Rebels’ College Football Playoff run.
Kiffin accepted a massive contract offer from LSU, becoming the Tigers’ newest head coach. Ole Miss reportedly had a similar offer on the table, but the 50-year-old coach ultimately elected to take his talents to Baton Rouge.
This highly publicized move created quite the stir around the college football world, especially considering Ole Miss’ position in the College Football Playoff rankings. Kiffin made it clear that he wanted to continue coaching the Rebels on their postseason run, but athletic director Keith Carter and the Ole Miss administration would not allow it.
When discussing the situation during a recent episode of “Another Dooley Noted Podcast,” Florida Gators coaching legend Steve Spurrier called Kiffin’s decision to leave Ole Miss for LSU a “lateral move.”
“It looked like a lateral move for Lane Kiffin to go to LSU,” Spurrier said. “It’s a lateral move. Why did he leave? But that’s his prerogative. It’s a done deal now.”
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Spurrier compared the Kiffin situation to Florida’s hiring of Tulane head coach Jon Sumrall, who will continue to coach the Green Wave through their upcoming AAC championship game and possible College Football Playoff run.
“It’s not like Jon Sumrall coming from Tulane to Florida,” Spurrier said. “He’s on the way up. That’s a given; he’s going to coach his team in the playoffs. But Lane Kiffin, Ole Miss and LSU. Ole Miss says, ‘We’re just as good as LSU. Why would you go there?'”
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While Spurrier views Ole Miss to LSU as a lateral move, Kiffin firmly believes it’s a serious upgrade.
“When you take the history, tradition, passion and the great players in the state of Louisiana, no one can argue that when you’re in Tiger Stadium on Saturday night there is nothing like it,” Kiffin said in his introductory press conference.
Ole Miss earned No. 6 position in the penultimate College Football Playoff rankings, moving up one spot after Kiffin allowed offensive coordinator Charlie Weis Jr. to return for the Rebels’ postseason run.