LSU’s Lane Kiffin said Ole Miss players wanted him to stay for playoffs. Not so, some Rebels say
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- Lane Kiffin claimed Ole Miss players urged him to stay for the playoffs, but multiple Rebels disputed the narrative on social media Tuesday.
- Athletic Director Keith Carter said Kiffin knew for weeks that postseason coaching was impossible if he left, contradicting his account of recent events.
- Mississippi finished 11-1 and ranked No. 6 in the CFP, making the 12-team playoff field virtually certain when selections are announced Sunday.
New Louisiana State coach Lane Kiffin really wanted to remain at Mississippi through the College Football Playoffs this season.
The players wanted the same thing — or at least that’s what Kiffin said Sunday in a statement announcing his decision to leave the Rebels after (almost) six seasons and join their fierce SEC rivals.
“I was hoping to complete a historic six-season run with this year’s team by leading Ole Miss through the playoffs, capitalizing on the team’s incredible success and their commitment to finish strong, and investing everything into a playoff run with guardrails in place to protect the program in any areas of concern,” Kiffin wrote.
“My request to do so was denied by [athletic director] Keith Carter despite the team also asking him to allow me to keep coaching them so they could better maintain their high level of performance.”
Lane Kiffin said his former USC boss and mentor Pete Carroll gave him some advice that helped him decide to leave his job at Ole Miss to become the new head coach at LSU.
Several Mississippi players have since stated, however, that Kiffin misrepresented their feelings. Sophomore offensive lineman Brycen Sanders is a member of the team’s leadership council, which reportedly met with Kiffin on Sunday morning after the coach had made his decision.
On Tuesday, Sanders reposted Kiffin’s statement on X and offered his perspective.
“‘Despite the team asking me to keep coaching,’” Sanders wrote, paraphrasing a line from Kiffin’s statement. “I think everyone that was in that room would disagree.”
Fellow sophomore offensive lineman PJ Wilkins shared Sanders’ post and agreed that what Kiffin had stated as the players’ sentiment “was not said from anyone.”
Senior offensive lineman Jayden Williams also shared Sanders’ post.
Lane Kiffin is leaving 11-1 Ole Miss to become the head coach at LSU. His request to coach the Rebels during the College Football Playoff was denied.
“Let em’ know!!” Williams wrote. “Every single person!!”
Junior linebacker and leadership council member Suntarine Perkins reposted Kiffin’s statement and also disputed it.
“That was not the message you said in the meeting room,” Perkins wrote. “Everybody that was in there can vouch on this.”
Sanders agreed, with a “100” emoji in the comments.
UCLA general manager Khary Darlington and his staff have managed to make steady progress on attracting new recruits in the wake of Deshaun Foster’s firing.
Carter told ESPN that the decision not to allow Kiffin to coach during the playoffs was made after “talking with the team and spending time with them.”
“I think they understood when someone takes a job at another place — and not only another place, but one of our rivals and a team that will be playing in our stadium next year — I think that that’s something that nobody feels comfortable with,” Carter said.
John Talty of CBS Sports reported that while some Mississippi players did support the idea of Kiffin remaining with the team for the postseason, “Ole Miss sources strongly pushed back on the notion it was a widespread feeling.” According to Talty, multiple players were “ready to move on,” and some told the administration they were more concerned about whether their position coaches were sticking around.
One of those coaches, defensive coordinator Pete Golding, has already been named the Rebels’ new head coach. Six others, however, have signed on as members of Kiffin’s staff at LSU. Departing offensive coordinator Charlie Weis Jr., has been granted permission by Kiffin, LSU and Mississippi to return to the Rebels in the same capacity for the playoffs.
Mississippi finished the regular season at 11-1 and is No. 6 in the latest CFP rankings. The Rebels are considered a shoo-in for a spot in the 12-team postseason field, which will be announced Sunday.
