With an offer of more than $90 million from LSU, Kiffin and Ole Miss administrators were expected to discuss his future at the meeting, specifically his intention to continue leading the No. 7 Rebels into the College Football Playoff even though, as of Friday, they had not agreed to an extension with the school.
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The meeting between Kiffin, Ole Miss athletic director Keith Carter and Chancellor Glenn Boyce lasted more than three hours, if it began at the scheduled time of 3 p.m. CT. Vehicles believed to belong to Carter and Kiffin were seen leaving the meeting location, the Ole Miss chancellor’s home, around 6:45 p.m. Saturday.
The university has not issued a statement and officials did not return messages.
LSU officials believe they maintain Kiffin’s commitment to be their next coach, although his desire to continue coaching Ole Miss in the postseason is a hiccup that is delaying the move’s formalization, sources told Yahoo Sports.
The school’s courtship of Kiffin took a serious turn eight days ago, when Yahoo Sports reported that officials were preparing to propose a seven-year contract that would exceed $90 million, plus more than $25 million in guaranteed roster compensation, a salary that would put Kiffin, at a minimum, tied as the highest-paid coach in the country.
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LSU executives remained confident Saturday, as they have for a week, and expect the Ole Miss coach to move to Baton Rouge in an internal conference poaching of one of its biggest SEC rivals.
“If he doesn’t come, we’ll have been fooled,” says a source with knowledge of the Kiffin and LSU negotiations.
However, doubts remain as Kiffin, despite his commitments to LSU officials, has publicly expressed his hesitancy but also has not signed a lucrative contract extension with Ole Miss.
Many signs point to Kiffin’s departure.
Carter already this week began interacting with candidates, particularly Tulane’s Jon Sumrall and USF’s Alex Golesh, sources told Yahoo Sports. However, Florida moved on from Kiffin to Sumrall, as Yahoo Sports reported Tuesday, and the Gators and Sumrall are believed to have an agreement in principle. A final decision from Sumrall is expected on Sunday.
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Golesh, despite deep conversations with Arkansas, remains unsigned and uncommitted. He is drawing interest not only from Ole Miss but also from Auburn. At Auburn, interim coach DJ Durkin remains a candidate for the full-time job, but a decision on his potential hire won’t come until after the Tigers’ game against Alabama on Saturday night, an outcome that could weigh heavily on that move.
The accelerated training cycle, coupled with Kiffin’s delay in making an announcement, puts the Rebels in a difficult position as many coaches have resigned from their schools or are in negotiations with others. Auburn also remains in a similar position, after Sumrall’s interest shifted to Gainesville.
If Golesh goes elsewhere (Auburn or Ole Miss), Arkansas is expected to turn its attention to candidates it previously interviewed, such as Memphis coach Ryan Silverfield and Alabama DC Kane Wommack.
Meanwhile, in Oxford, on a dark, cold, rainy night, university executives met with their coach at Carrier House, the chancellor’s house just steps from one of the main entrances to campus, hidden behind the row of fraternities.
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The meeting attracted attention in a small university town like this.
At one point, a dark pickup truck slowed and crawled in front of the house and a woman emerged from the passenger window, hanging out to take a photo of the vehicles in front. Those vehicles, a silver pickup truck and a black ladder, left the house about an hour later.
At the center of the meeting was expected to be Kiffin’s desire to continue coaching Ole Miss in the playoffs despite a possible commitment to LSU officials to be its coach. The Rebels are also alive to play in the SEC championship game in Atlanta next weekend if Alabama loses at Auburn. (The Crimson Tide led 17-3 in the second quarter).
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University administrators are not expected to allow Kiffin to continue coaching if his intentions are to leave for a rival program. The issue has sparked debate among many: arguments against and in favor of the university allowing Kiffin to continue coaching his team.
Some of ESPN’s most prominent voices, such as Kirk Herbstreit and Nick Saban, advocated for the school to allow him to coach the team in the postseason.
“If you’re in charge at Ole Miss and Lane decides to go somewhere else, you have to put your emotions aside,” Herbstreit said. “We have to look at 2025 and this team with its coach and give them the opportunity to finish this race.”
Herbstreit also added that Ole Miss has to “accept” that Kiffin is likely going to Baton Rouge. Saban said it would be “insane” to prevent Kiffin from coaching in at least the SEC championship game.