Will Ole Miss QB Trinidad Chambliss follow head coach Lane Kiffin to Baton Rouge? There have been signs. The LSU head coach already hinted at a reunion weeks ago with a post featuring a tiger emoji and the QB and Tobago flag. This time, the hint came from his own family, and it landed harder.

On December 17, Trinidad Chambliss shared a highlight reel on Instagram. 

“There is not a quarterback in the SEC that I would fear more playing, on a given Saturday, than Trinidad Chambliss,” Todd McShay’s voice sounded in the video. 

But it’s the comments section where Lane Kiffin’s son caught major attention with his response. 

“Future tiger,” Knox Kiffin commented. 

No Ole Miss fan wants to see that. But the message was not subtle nor accidental. With Lane Kiffin now in Baton Rouge, LSU fans immediately connected the dots, and so did Pete Golding’s staff in Oxford. The former Rebels head coach is constructing his first LSU roster with urgency. QB Garrett Nussmeier is out of eligibility. Michael Van Buren showed flashes late, but his inconsistencies stalled the offense. 

Quarterback is the central question of the 2026 plan, and Lane Kiffin knows that better than anyone. His most recent success story at the position was Trinidad Chambliss, the Ferris State transfer who won a Division II national title before thriving under his offense in 2025. He was historic. The SEC named him the 2025 Newcomer of the Year, as voted by the league’s 16 head coaches, second only to Vanderbilt’s Diego Pavia, who had previously won the award. He led Ole Miss to an 11-1 regular season, the program’s best ever, and its first College Football Playoff appearance.

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Ole Miss finished first in the SEC and third nationally in total offense at 498.1 yards per game. The Rebels ranked third nationally in passing offense at 309.6 yards per game and averaged 37.3 points per game. Trinidad Chambliss threw for 3,016 yards on 65.5 percent passing with 18 touchdowns and only three interceptions. His efficiency rating of 157.6 ranked among the SEC’s best. He added 470 rushing yards and six touchdowns, bringing his total offense to 3,486 yards. 

Trinidad Chambliss ranked top-10 nationally in yards per completion and yards per attempt, and top-25 in total offense and passing yards. He was a complete profile. But that production also brings decisions. 

Pete Golding’s fears could come true for Trinidad Chambliss

Trinidad Chambliss did little to cool speculation when asked about his future this week. 

“I would have to consider what the best situation is for me,” he said. “What I feel most comfortable with. Who I trust the most, and just get a feel for every possibility really. There’s a lot that goes into that.” 

That answer did not sound like a commitment to Ole Miss. Everything now hinges on the NCAA. Trinidad Chambliss is awaiting a waiver for an additional year of eligibility. If granted, he could return to Ole Miss or enter the portal again. With Lane Kiffin openly rebuilding LSU’s roster and publicly signaling interest, the pressure point is obvious.

Pete Golding anticipated this moment. When he was named Ole Miss head coach following Lane Kiffin’s departure, celebration was secondary. Retention came first. 

“The immediate reaction was I got my a– out of my seat and went straight out the door to try to recruit the offensive staff not to get on the airplane,” he said. 

Despite those efforts, LSU officially hired six members of Lane Kiffin’s Ole Miss staff, including OC Charlie Weis Jr. and QBs coach Joe Cox. Three Ole Miss recruits flipped and signed with the Tigers as poaching fears became reality. But Ole Miss is not standing still either.  

The Rebels are expected to hire LSU interim head coach Frank Wilson following the Tigers’ bowl game, according to CBS Sports. No role has been announced. But the message is clear. This is institutional combat. And at the center of it all are a quarterback, an Instagram comment, and a future that suddenly feels wide open.