Lane Kiffin latest news: Lane is LSU bound, Ole Miss to promote from within
It took a day longer than we thought, but it's finally over: It's over. Lane Kiffin is headed to LSU.
The coach announced his decision to leave Ole Miss in favor of Baton Rouge at 3 p.m., Sunday in a social media post.
"After a lot of prayer and time spent with family, I made the difficult decision to accept the head coaching position at LSU," Kiffin posted to social media at 3 p.m., Sunday. "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. My request to do so was denied by 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. Unfortunately, that means Friday's Egg Bowl was my last game coaching the Rebels.
"While I am looking forward to a new start with a unique opportunity at LSU, I will forever cherish the incredible six years I spent at Ole Miss and will be rooting hard for the team to complete their mission and bring a championship to Oxford."
LSU athletic director Verge Ausberry posted a message to social media as well Sunday afternoon. It read:
"We are thrilled to welcome Coach Kiffin as the next head coach of the LSU football program. We shared when we began this search that LSU would secure the best coach in the country and Lane Kiffin is just that. Lane is a proven winner who has thrived in the era of college athletics that requires coaches to adapt and innovate. His passion, creativity and authenticity make him the ideal leader to guide LSU into the future and consistently position us among the sport's elite. I want to welcome Lane and his family to Baton Rouge, and I'd like to thank our search committee, as well as our university and state leadership for their critical support and counsel throughout the process."
Here's a timeline of the past 36 hours:
Ole Miss promoting Pete Golding to head coach, report
A 2:45 p.m. report from On3's Pete Nakos has Ole Miss moving to name Rebels defensive coordinator Pete Golding as permanent head coach, with no interim tag, as Ole Miss prepares for Lane Kiffin to depart for LSU.
Golding signed a three-year contract extension this past offseason that pushed him up the ladder among the highest-paid assistants in the SEC with a salary of $2.55 million for this upcoming season.
LSU planes headed to Mississippi
Bird are in the air. Yahoo! Sports' Ross Dellenger reports two planes used by LSU are scheduled to land in Mississippi later today.
Pete Golding a potential Ole Miss interim coach for CFP
While we still await word from Lane Kiffin and Ole Miss, CBS Sports' Matt Zenitz is reporting Rebels defensive coordinator Pete Golding could be the interim head coach for the College Football Playoff. ESPN had previously reported QBs coach and former New York Giants coach Joe Judge was in line to be the interim.
Ole Miss team meeting pushed back
Less than 30 minutes before an Ole Miss team meeting was supposed to take place, ESPN's Marty Smith and Pete Thamel reported "the Ole Miss team meeting scheduled for 10 a.m. ET has been moved. It's set to be held later in the day."
Thamel reported the meeting will now be at 2 p.m., Sunday. Thamel said, "The delay in Ole Miss’ team meeting is tied, in part, to some of the staff challenges that could arise with Lane Kiffin’s departure. Select players are expected to be meeting throughout the morning with Kiffin and administration."
Yahoo! Sports Ross Dellenger however reported at 9:35 a.m. ET seeing Rebels players filing into the Ole Miss football facility.
Lane Kiffin expected to choose LSU, report
As ESPN reported early Sunday, LSU is expected to hire Lane Kiffin away from Ole Miss.
ESPN noted Kiffin has yet to sign the deal that would reportedly pay him $12 million annually. A team meeting is scheduled for around 10 a.m. ET, per ESPN's Marty Smith.
Lane Kiffin to meet with Ole Miss team Sunday morning
Just after midnight, ESPN's Marty Smith, who has been stationed in Oxford on DEFCON LANE, reported, "Ole Miss sources tell me Lane Kiffin will hold a 9am (CT) team meeting Sunday morning, and have an announcement regarding his future afterwards."
LSU sending planes to Oxford for Lane Kiffin, family, per report
At 10:45 p.m. ET, Yahoo! Sports' Ross Dellenger reported: "LSU executives and Lane Kiffin's reps held a call after the Tigers game at OU to continue solidifying the deal with travel plans: The university is sending two planes to Oxford on Sunday for Kiffin, his family & others."
Lane Kiffin, AD meet with chancellor in evening
At 9:30 p.m. ET, ESPN's Marty Smith reported Lane Kiffin's desire to coach the Rebels in the CFP as a potential "sticking point" in his decision to leave for LSU.
“The sentiment here in Oxford, Mississippi right now is that Kiffin’s unwillingness to commit is an indicator of his desire to go," Smith said. "I’m told, if he wanted to stay, he would have already said so.”
According to Yahoo! Sports' Ross Dellenger, Kiffin and Ole Miss athletic director Keith Carter met with the school's chancellor into Saturday evening.
"Lane Kiffin’s future hangs in doubt after a meeting at the UM chancellor’s home over whether he may continue to coach despite intentions to leave for LSU... Vehicles belonging to Kiffin & AD Keith Carter were seen leaving at 6:45."
Could Iron Bowl delay Lane Kiffin's decision?
ESPN reporter Marty Smith went live at 7:05 p.m. (EST) for an interview to discuss Lane Kiffin's decision.
Smith said he is in the middle of the window Kiffin said the meeting with Ole Miss athletic director Keith Carter would happen, but that the world is still waiting on an announcement.
The Iron Bowl has SEC Championship game implications for Ole Miss. If Auburn beats No. 10 Alabama, it will push Ole Miss into the Dec. 6 game.
Smith said its a possibility the decision could be pushed back because of that game's pending result. Y'all having fun yet?
Time set for Lane Kiffin, Keith Carter meeting, report
On3's Pete Nakos reports Lane Kiffin will meet with Ole Miss athletic director Keith Carter 'around' 4 p.m. EST to discuss the Rebels coach's future.
Joe Judge to be Ole Miss interim coach if Lane Kiffin leaves, report
Per an ESPN report, Ole Miss quarterbacks coach Joe Judge will serve as interim head coach for the College Football Playoff if Lane Kiffin were to leave.
Judge went 10-23 in two seasons (2020-21) as New York Giants head coach.
Lane Kiffin at Ole Miss football facility; both LSU, Mississippi optimistic
During halftime of the Miami vs. Pitt game, ESPN's Marty Smith provided the latest update from the Ole Miss football facility at 1:45 p.m. EST.
"Lane Kiffin and his staff are here, in the facility in Oxford gameplanning for the Georgia Bulldogs right now.
"He did tell me the meeting with Ole Miss athletic director Keith Carter will happen this afternoon. Carter told us on the field prior to the Egg Bowl, he expects Kiffin to stay. Prior to this meeting Kiffin wants to have meetings with Nick Saban about the plusses and minuses of both jobs, as well as Pete Carroll. He received a text last night from coach Carroll that said, "You call me anytime. I promised your dad, I will always take care of you."
"He reiterated to me again this morning, 'It's not about money for me.' However, he did say the only financial discussions he's had with both schools are about accruing a great roster. 'How much money am I going to have to pay my players?' That's an important factor here. And I will tell you... Carter expects Kiffin to stay, but the LSU side, they're optimistic they're going to get him too. So, it's the most Lane Kiffin thing ever. We're going to sit back and see what he decides, but my word, it's a good position to be in if you're him."
When will Lane Kiffin make decision?
An announcement on Kiffin's coaching future is expected to come on Nov. 29, per a press release from Ole Miss athletic director Keith Carter.
Lane Kiffin does yoga with family, preparing for SEC Championship game
On "College GameDay" ESPN's Marty Smith reported Lane Kiffin did weekly yoga with his family Saturday morning and Kiffin planned on heading to the Ole Miss football facility to meet with coaches and gameplan for a potential SEC Championship game matchup against Georgia, should Alabama lose tonight's Iron Bowl.
Smith said a decision on Kiffin's future is expected Saturday afternoon.
LSU 'very confident' Lane Kiffin will pick Tigers, report
Fox's Bruce Feldman reported Saturday morning LSU has offered Lane Kiffin a seven-year deal, "in the neighborhood of $100 million."
"I talked to LSU sources this morning, and they are very confident that Lane Kiffin is going to come to Baton Rouge and accept this Tigers job."
Feldman said the allure of coaching a program that has seen three coaches win national titles recently may be "too tempting" for Kiffin to pass up.
What ESPN College GameDay, Nick Saban said about Lane Kiffin
Former Alabama coach Nick Saban said Ole Miss should let Lane Kiffin coach the Rebels in the SEC Championship Game even if he's leaving for another school.
"What do you do at Ole Miss when they have never been in the SEC Championship Game ever and if Alabama loses they get in the SEC Championship Game and they're not going to allow Lane to coach in the game? That's crazy," Saban said.
What Lane Kiffin said after winning Egg Bowl
Lane Kiffin was asked after the Egg Bowl if he expects to have his future decided by Nov. 29.
"I feel like I've got to," Kiffin said.
Kiffin said the decision is hard.
"I'm not trying to get pity but it's not as enjoyable as maybe some people think," he said.
“These are hard decisions. You guys have them all the time. You guys (reporters) have to make decisions about jobs you take, where you move. All those things. We get paid a lot so I know ours is under a different spotlight and scrutiny but, you know, a lot of people that are critical of it are the same people that do it all the time.”
Lane Kiffin tweets from his Ole Miss office
Florida moving on to other candidates
Florida has interviewed close to a dozen candidates since firing Billy Napier on Oct. 19. The 50-year-old Kiffin was the prime target until Nov. 28.
Sources familiar with the UF coaching search process have confirmed to The Gainesville Sun that Tulane's Jon Sumrall and Washington's Jedd Fisch are on the short list of candidates to become UF's next coach.
Ole Miss AD expects Lane Kiffin to stay with Rebels
ESPN reported during the Egg Bowl broadcast that Ole Miss athletic director Keith Carter said he expects Lane Kiffin to stay with the Rebels.
Lane Kiffin in line for a huge raise
Kiffin's current salary is $9 million. LSU, Florida and Ole Miss are expected to offer Kiffin in the $13 million to $14 million range, according to On3.
In addition the three schools are also expected to offer at least $25 million for NIL roster investment, according to the report.
What is Lane Kiffin's contract, salary?
Ole Miss' win against Oklahoma on Oct. 25 triggered an automatic contract extension for Kiffin.
Because it was Ole Miss' seventh regular-season win, Kiffin's state contract with the Ole Miss Athletic Foundation will be automatically extended one year on Jan. 1, 2026. His contract now runs through Dec. 31, 2031.
The added year will be worth $9 million, with $7.2 million guaranteed.
Kiffin's $9 million salary is tied for No. 6 in the SEC.