Lane Kiffin’s situation at Ole Miss just got a whole lot more interesting. The Rebels have issued an ultimatum to their beloved coach, requiring him to decide on his coaching future before the November 28 Egg Bowl against Mississippi State. This comes as Kiffin’s family has reportedly visited both Gainesville and Baton Rouge on private planes, fueling speculation that he’s seriously considering openings at Florida and LSU. The timing couldn’t be more awkward.

Ole Miss is sitting at 10-1 on the verge of making the College Football Playoff. If Lane Kiffin decides to bolt for the Gators or Tigers, the Rebels would be scrambling to find a replacement before the most important stretch of their season. 

Fortunately, they’ve got some solid options waiting in the wings. Here are three coaches who could step into the 50-year-old’s shoes if he decides to build another project.​

Pete Golding

The most logical choice for Ole Miss is already in the building. Pete Golding, the Rebels’ defensive coordinator, would be the safest bet to take over if Lane Kiffin leaves. Analyst Josh Pate has already said that if Ole Miss needs to make a change, Golding should be their guy for the playoff run. His defense held opponents to just 20.2 points per contest this season. What makes Golding even more appealing is his familiarity with Kiffin’s coaching style.

Both of them come from the Alabama coaching tree. Golding spent five years as Alabama’s defensive coordinator under Nick Saban from 2018 to 2022, during which the Crimson Tide ranked top 15 in either scoring or total defense four times. He knows the program inside and out. Having worked closely with Kiffin since joining Ole Miss in 2023, he wouldn’t need any adjustment period.​ But there are other options with head coaching experience that the Rebels could target.

Eli Drinkwitz

Missouri’s Eli Drinkwitz has quietly built himself into one of the SEC’s hottest coaching names. He’d bring the offensive firepower that Ole Miss fans have grown accustomed to under Kiffin. In 2024, the Tigers were the best-ranked team for offense, averaging 34.9 points and 450.4 total yards per game. He even led Missouri to back-to-back seasons of double-digit wins in 2023 and 2024, something the program hadn’t done since 2013-14. His overall record speaks of a sustainable program. 

Since taking over the Tigers in 2020, Drinkwitz has compiled a 44-27 record. The 42-year-old specializes in no-huddle, multiple-personnel offenses that blend pro-style concepts with tempo and motion. He developed this system during his time working under Gus Malzahn and Bryan Harsin. Drinkwitz has proven he can compete with the SEC elite.

His offensive mind would ensure Ole Miss doesn’t miss a beat in the high-scoring shootouts that have become their trademark. Plus, he’s already got experience navigating the brutal SEC gauntlet. That experience would be invaluable for Ole Miss’ playoff trajectory.​

Clark Lea

Vanderbilt’s Clark Lea might seem like an unconventional choice. But his recent success makes him an intriguing option for Ole Miss. Lea has turned the Commodores from a perennial doormat into a competitive SEC team. They obliterated Missouri, South Carolina, Virginia Tech, and LSU, and are firmly in playoff contention. His crowning achievement is this season, after he had two 2-10 seasons in his five-year spell.

Before taking the Vanderbilt job, Lea served as Notre Dame’s defensive coordinator from 2018 to 2020. He coached in two College Football Playoff semifinals. His defensive expertise would complement Ole Miss’s already elite unit under Golding. Plus, Lea’s experience building a program from scratch at Vanderbilt shows he can handle adversity. The 44-year-old’s ability to develop players and create a winning culture proves he could thrive with the upgraded talent and resources at Ole Miss.​

The irony here is that Ole Miss finds itself in this position during what could be the program’s most successful season ever. Kiffin has revitalized the Rebels since arriving in 2020, turning them into a perennial contender in the SEC. But the lure of LSU or Florida might be too much to resist. Whether Golding’s familiarity, Drinkwitz’s offensive genius, or Lea’s defensive mind takes over, Ole Miss would have legitimate options to keep their playoff dreams alive. 

The question is whether they’ll need to pull that trigger at all. Or if Kiffin decides that what he’s built in Oxford is worth sticking around for.