Rumors have only intensified this week about Lane Kiffin and Florida ahead of No. 7 Ole Miss hosting the Gators on Saturday.
The Rebels are reportedly searching for a new head coach to take over in 2026 if Kiffin decides to bolt for another job. However, earlier this week, Ole Miss Athletic Director Keith Carter told Ross Dellenger of Yahoo Sports that the program intends to keep Kiffin beyond the current season.
“Our hope is to finish this season really strong and hold on to him for a long time here,” Carter said. “He can build a legacy here that he might not have the opportunity to do at other places.”
Despite this, Ole Miss could be forced into making an immediate decision regarding Kiffin’s future. During an episode of *Josh Pate’s College Football Show* on Thursday, the host suggested that Kiffin may also show interest in the LSU head coaching position, in addition to Florida.
Pate believes Carter will need to devise a plan to manage Kiffin’s candidacy for other SEC programs, especially amid a potential College Football Playoff run.
“Don’t even know if he finds [LSU] the most desirable of the options that are going to be on the table for him,” Pate said. “Let’s just see how Ole Miss also chooses to handle Lane in the coming days because I mean, I’ve got my theories on how I would handle it if I were Keith Carter. The AD there, which matters about as much as any other words coming out of my mouth.
“But if I were an AD, I gotta have an answer, man. I can’t just sit here and twist in the wind. So that matters.”
Ole Miss does have potential options if Kiffin chooses not to sign a contract extension during the upcoming bye week. One such option could be firing Kiffin — something that has happened before.
In 2008, the Oakland Raiders fired Kiffin “for cause,” meaning the Raiders were not obligated to pay the remainder of his contract. One reason cited was a perceived lack of concern from Kiffin regarding his contract with the team. Kiffin filed a grievance to attempt to recover the lost salary, but an NFL arbitrator ruled in favor of the Raiders.
According to the statement from the league, Kiffin showed “a stunning lack of concern” for the terms of his contract and the club’s rules.
It remains unclear if Ole Miss would attempt a similar course of action or if they would find a favorable ruling like the Raiders did if they tried to fire Kiffin for cause on comparable grounds.
Regardless, Carter needs to protect the Rebels—not only for their potential run in the College Football Playoff but for the long-term health and success of the program.
https://www.newsweek.com/sports/ncaa/ole-miss-drastic-action-lane-kiffin-florida-college-football-11051652
