“I needed Oxford and Ole Miss a lot more than they needed me.” Lane Kiffin’s arrival at Ole Miss in late 2019 felt like a full-circle moment for the coach. After refining his style under Nick Saban at Alabama and at Florida Atlantic, he turned a struggling program around with back-to-back Conference USA titles. From the very start, Kiffin brought an infectious energy and a rebellious swagger to Oxford. His first season went 5-5 in the tough SEC, but by the second, things clicked. He turned Ole Miss into a rising SEC powerhouse. He even earned the nickname, “Portal King.” 

The Rebels recorded multiple 10-win seasons, even hitting their first-ever 11-win regular season, feats unseen in the program’s history. Those two successful seasons revived Lane’s reputation nationally. That in turn fueled demand for his coaching talents from even higher-profile programs. But despite the calls, Kiffin chose to stay at Ole Miss. A big part of that decision came from his daughter, Landry Kiffin, who played a surprisingly key role behind the scenes. In a recent revelation video, Landry opened up about her attempt to make her father stay right there at Oxford.  

That decision was put to the test when Auburn came knocking with a tempting offer for Kiffin. Landry’s reaction to that, “I don’t want to move somewhere else, I like it here. Me and my friends, we made this slideshow, like a collage to a song that we knew he would find sad, and like just really rethink his decision.” And when Kiffin ended up watching that clip with teary eyes, he instantly made his decision to stay. As per Kiffin, he got a second chance at being “an in-person parent.” Given Auburn’s history of national title appearances and SEC prestige, this is a huge change of mind Kiffin had. 

And even Lane himself agrees to his daughter’s cheeky attempt to make him stay. “When Landry asked me to stay at Ole Miss for her, I did,” he said. You see, Landry never had much of a close bond with his dad during his time at Alabama. So when she graduated and stepped into Ole Miss, her dad was there; that’s when the relationship took a turn. They even went on road trips together and threw Landry’s high school graduation party in their backyard. That moment marked the beginning of a new chapter in their father-daughter relationship. Lane’s social media is full of playful daddy-daughter moments that always put a smile on fans’ faces.

Their bond even included lighthearted banter and laughter. Lane joked on Instagram about how having a daughter like Landry is like having “five little broke best friends” who think you’re rich. Now, let’s shed some light on the other reason for Kiffin choosing to stay with the Rebels. Back in the day, Kiffin admits he probably would’ve jumped at Auburn without much hesitation. But the reality in 2024 was starkly different. Auburn had just fired Gus Malzahn after years of solid but inconsistent results. And soon after, Bryan Harsin’s short, rough stint ended abruptly as well. The Tigers were in a bit of a coaching carousel mess.

But Lane’s mindset also found a new direction after all his journeys. He wanted a place where he could build something stable and long-term. Another factor was the changing college football landscape. Kiffin said the transfer portal and NIL deals let teams outside the usual powerhouses quickly fill the voids, meaning Ole Miss was no longer a ‘smaller’ underdog when it came to talent. With his decision to stay at Ole Miss, Kiffin made a smart move by agreeing to terms on a new contract worth $9 million per year.

But let’s be honest, a six-figure salary like that is enough to satisfy his “broke bestfriend,” who, by the way, is making waves with her recent dating announcement.

Landry Kiffin is stirring the week 5 pot with dating buzz

Landry Kiffin just shook up the internet in a major way with her shocking announcement. She dropped a casual but headline-grabbing series of Instagram photos, including one where she’s comfortably sitting on Whit Weeks’ lap. This revelation has stirred quite the buzz, and mostly because of the timing. The Ole Miss Rebels, coached by her dad, are gearing up for a critical Week 5 showdown with none other than LSU. 

That means this love story is playing out right in the middle of one of CFB’s fiercest SEC rivalries. Friends added to the excitement, calling it a “hard launch,” and Landry’s liking those comments only added fuel to the fire. And guess what? Weeks didn’t shy away from putting his stamp of approval. “Nice dude,” he commented. He even reposted the photo on his Instagram, tagging Landry and confirming their relationship for everyone to see.

Fans are having a field day with the irony of the situation. And why wouldn’t they? The coach of the Rebels’ daughter is dating a defensive standout about to face his dad’s team on the field. It’s a real-life sitcom brewing. Plus, Lane Kiffin handled his daughter Landry’s dating buzz with his usual mix of humor and pride. He reshared a sweet family moment on X, emphasizing Landry’s loyalty with a simple “Will be rooting for Rebs!!! 🩸” It confirms the Kiffins are only going to root for the Rebels.