The roar of victory didn’t last long in Oxford. As the Rebels celebrated their 39-34 win against Georgia, the focus quickly shifted from the scoreboard to a sideline drama. Lane Kiffin made a controversial decision ahead of the Miami semifinal game, turning celebration into concern for Ole Miss and igniting fan backlash.

Sources told ESPN that it remains unclear how many Ole Miss assistants who have signed contracts to join Lane Kiffin at LSU will be allowed to stay with the Rebels for the College Football Playoff semifinal at the Fiesta Bowl.

Offensive coordinator Charlie Weis Jr., tight ends coach/co-offensive coordinator Joe Cox, wide receiver coach George McDonald, and running back coach Kevin Smith are all slated for Baton Rouge. Losing their offensive strength just before the semifinals will not just halt their momentum but might also cost them their national title hopes.

Ole Miss racked up 473 total yards of offense against Georgia, including 362 passing and 111 rushing yards, and their offensive line didn’t allow a single sack for the second time this season. This highlights the importance of the Rebels in keeping their offensive staff intact before facing Miami, which is already looking formidable following its win over Ohio State.

With the transfer portal opening, Lane Kiffin wants his assistants on campus to handle the recruiting aspect.

That’s precisely why some assistants have reportedly been getting back to Baton Rouge. While Weis is expected to coach Ole Miss against Miami, other assistants might not be there anymore. Interestingly, Ole Miss already predicted it, as a source confirms to ESPN.

“There are going to be some fireworks,” an Ole Miss source told ESPN. “We always knew this might be a possibility.”

Everyone, including Lane Kiffin, expected Ole Miss might flinch under the guidance of former defensive coordinator Pete Golding. Still, he guided them through a dominant first-round college football playoff win over Tulane and did the unexpected against Georgia.

Now that they are two games away from the title run, Kiffin’s move to sway away his assistant is not sitting well with fans.

“Everything has been extremely clear and transparent between myself and Pete Golding through constant communication, including a plan all the way through this historic championship run,” Kiffin told ESPN. “What an amazing night for all Ole Miss players, coaches, and fans.”

Despite that, he pulled this act.

Now, this could be because Ole Miss denies Lane Kiffin the opportunity to coach the team through the playoffs. He asked Ole Miss Chancellor Glenn Boyce and Athletic Director Keith Carter to allow him to continue coaching with the team despite his move to LSU. But they denied the request, which could have “hurt” Kiffin.

Even though Kiffin tried to celebrate his team’s win by congratulating them on social media with pictures of his family, even that didn’t sit well with fans, as this move, made just before the semifinals, is only making them more furious.

Fans are losing their minds over Lane Kiffin’s move

Ole Miss’s semifinal game turned into a personal battleground for Lane Kiffin. After leaving for LSU, pulling away his coordinators before the most crucial game of the season is the last thing fans expected him to do. However, he did do it, and that only increased the backlash against him.

“Pay attention, @LSUfootball recruits. He is willing to screw over the players he recruited to @OleMissFB and undermine their championship hopes because of his personal pettiness. It’s all about Lane Kiffin and not about the players. Govern yourself accordingly!” a fan said.

Even this fan follows the same emotion. They doubt Lane Kiffin’s true intention behind this move, given that he allowed his assistants to stay at Ole Miss and help the team. “If anyone doubted who @Lane_Kiffin is, this clears it up. He “allowed” the coaches to stay, hoping to appear the good guy.

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He expected #OleMiss to lose to #Georgia and thus salvage his image. Now @OleMissFB looks fine without him, and he’s scrambling to control the narrative,” they added.

Then comes the blunt take. Ole Miss never expected Lane Kiffin to leave for LSU when they were on the verge of creating history, but he made the move, leaving them heartbroken. Now, he is adding to the heartbreak even more.

That’s what’s making this fan angry: “This is a genuine question: what possible reason could there be to need your assistant coaches to be on campus the first week of January when your team isn’t playing? Other than Lane being vindictive, there is no reason for those coaches to go to Baton Rouge, right? #OleMiss #LSU.”

This fan takes another shot at Kiffin’s integrity, questioning how far he can stretch the truth. “Integrity and @Lane_Kiffin: two things you’ll never hear mentioned in the same sentence.”

Even this X user joins in questioning the timeline of Kiffin’s assistant staying at Oxford: “Aren’t they coaching till they are eliminated?”

Well, for now, who’s staying and who’s not is unclear, but for now, fans aren’t celebrating Kiffin’s shocking move.