Ole Miss head coach Lane Kiffin is officially on the clock. Currently, LSU and Florida are pushing hard for his commitment, and LSU has even extended its pitch to his family during their recent tour to Baton Rouge. With interest growing on all sides, Kiffin was asked where he stands.

“Today was awesome. To even talk about it right now would be so disrespectful to our players and how well they played today. We’ve got a lot of things going here. Doing really well, and I love it here,” said Kiffin. To many critics, it came off as an attempt to run away from the conversation. Not to forget that for all of Kiffin’s Ole Miss affection, there’s still no signature on that extension. 

According to a Nov. 17 report from The Athletic, Ole Miss has given Kiffin a deadline to declare his commitment before the Nov. 28 Egg Bowl against Mississippi State. Athletic director Keith Carter had hoped to have the deal settled before the coaching carousel began, but the timing slipped away. Ole Miss is now 10-1, and the Rebels have posted double-digit wins in three of the past four seasons, something that had not happened since 1959 and 1960. But what triggered them all of a sudden to put Kiffin on the edge?

One major reason is LSU’s involvement. NOLA.com’s Wilson Alexander has reported that members of Kiffin’s family flew into Baton Rouge on a private jet to tour the city. Well, the head coach did not accompany them. He was busy with his program, starting their bye week with preparation going full swing to face off against their in-state rival. Tigers’ officials reportedly “arranged for a private plane to pick up several of Kiffin’s family members.”

Meanwhile, Kiffin has repeatedly said he has everything he needs in Oxford: the roster, the resources, and a family that loves the place. He’s said it himself. So the odds are still high that he sticks around. But at the moment, he’s clearly making sure he and the fam do their homework before locking anything in.

Johnny Manziel makes Lane Kiffin’s job easier

The play-by-play commentator, Bob Wischusen. As the Rebels sealed the night by landing a 34-24 defeat to the Gators, the fans did not shy away from showing their love. The stands got filled with “We want Lane” chants. That’s when Wischusen dropped a funny jab, which was not so funny for the Ole Miss fans. “We know they want Lane. So does Florida,” the commentator blurted out casually. But looks like Johnny Manziel is not buying into what the Gators want. 

In a conversation with Chad Johnson and Shannon Sharpe, he said, “They’re calling this the Kiffin Bowl. I don’t take the Florida job if I’m Lane Kiffin.” Ole Miss, though, did not wait for Johnny Manziel to open their eyes. They have reportedly offered Kiffin a contract extension. It’s now to be seen whether it’s Kiffin’s standard or not. As the analyst said, “If I’m leaving. If not, I’ll take the 13 million I get from Ole Miss, and we’ll continue to build something.”

Here’s hoping that the Kiffin family trip to Baton Rouge is just a pleasant vacation, and not a relocation hint.

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