Just days after defeating Florida, Lane Kiffin prepares to face his next heavyweight battle: the rumor mill. Speculations rise about the possibility of the head coach taking his talents to another program. The Ole Miss coach, on the other hand, calmed the masses and announced his loyalty to the Rebels.

On November 16, Ole Miss insider Zach Moreth hopped onto X and spilled Lane Kiffin’s final stance on his Florida job speculation: “Those of you that cover me know that we don’t discuss this during the season. I don’t know why there would’ve been a fan narrative besides just fans being fans. It’s basically a policy that we don’t talk about it, and we never have.”

Kiffin has a long history of not discussing job rumors during the season. Back in 2022, when he was linked to the Auburn job, he did the same thing and eventually stayed with Ole Miss. So, it’s not a surprise that he’s retaking this approach. He’s brought good times to Ole Miss, and as the team competes at the highest level, this kind of gossip was bound to happen. He’s even used the situation to his advantage, telling his players that the rumors are a compliment to their success and plans to capitalize on his first playoff debut.

It’s understandable why other schools would be interested in Kiffin. He’s a highly sought-after coach who also happens to be the portal king and a top-three offensive genius. Jobs at places like Florida and LSU are very tempting. Word on the street: Gators were ready to make one of the highest-paying HC, if not the highest.

Even with Kiffin’s comments, the speculation hasn’t stopped, especially since he’s having the time of his life at Ole Miss. Fans at his home stadium have even chanted “We want Lane!” to show their support for him to stay.

Moreover, Kiffin remains locked into his contract at Ole Miss, which got automatically extended through 2031 after the team got its seventh win last month. However, with more schools likely to be interested, the rumor mill gathers steam, even with his recent comments. The college football world is wild, and coaches moving around is just part of the game.

We’ll have to wait until after the season to see what Kiffin ultimately decides to do. However, the pressure is immense for the Gators. They need a stable coach asap!

The Florida Gators face pressure in the pursuit of Lane Kiffin

It’s simple: Florida wants Lane Kiffin. Names like James Franklin and Eli Drinkwitz have come up, but there’s no firm consensus on them. Even Arizona State’s Kenny Dillingham turned down a spot in the candidate lineup.

The situation has created a high-risk, high-reward scenario for the state of Florida. If Kiffin agrees, he would become the centerpiece of their coaching future, similar to how athletic director Scott Stricklin targeted Billy Napier four years ago. However, this approach is sensitive. The big question for Florida is whether Kiffin will leave Ole Miss mid-playoff run or if they’ll have to wait until it’s over.

If Kiffin decides not to leave or goes elsewhere, Florida faces a serious problem. Many other candidates have already made moves. Franklin is in talks with Virginia Tech, Dillingham is staying at Arizona State, and Jeff Brohm is negotiating an extension with Louisville. As Kiffin’s work with Ole Miss impressed most programs, he’s in high demand.

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He transformed a program that had been mediocre for decades into a perennial winner. However, Florida is not the only school after him; LSU and several NFL teams are also interested. This increases the competition and makes Florida’s gamble even riskier. The longer Kiffin waits to make his decision, the more likely Florida is to lose him to another school or NFL team.

If Kiffin agrees to take the job, the Gators could see a turnaround and a bright future. But if Kiffin puts his foot down at Ole Miss or goes elsewhere. Florida could find itself scrambling with no clear backup plan in place. The Gators are gambling everything on Kiffin, and the risk of a crash is high if he doesn’t come through.