Knox Kiffin never wanted to play for his dad, Lane Kiffin, and he made that clear long before now. Even when Lane was running things at Ole Miss, Knox explored other options, with LSU sitting firmly in his top three. But now, with Lane Kiffin headed to Baton Rouge to coach the Tigers, even that plan is off the table. And with it, the real reason behind Knox’s reluctance to play for his father is finally coming into focus.

“One-hundred percent,” Knox said when asked about him playing against his father. “I don’t want to play for him. I want to beat him.”

Like father, like son? Not quite. At least not when it comes to football paths. Being Lane Kiffin’s son might sound like a golden ticket, but for Knox Kiffin, it’s been anything but easy. The 2028 quarterback only got his shot a few months ago at Oxford High after the starter went down. He made the most of it, leading the team to an overtime win against Germantown, and he never looked back.

Splitting time this season, Knox threw for 1,236 yards and 14 touchdowns, performances that recently earned him new offers from Washington and Cal after transferring to University Lab in Baton Rouge.

“I put out good tape and good numbers, and then I dropped a workout video,” Kiffin said. “I trained with some guys in Alabama, they work with all the NFL QBs, so they put me through some hard throws that coaches would really like to see, and that helped, too.”

The Cal offer stood out in particular. First-year head coach Tosh Lupoi already knew the Kiffin family and impressed Knox by breaking down his film in detail. Lupoi and Lane Kiffin also go way back, both serving on Nick Saban’s staff during Alabama’s dominant 2014–16 run. Still, playing for his dad? That’s a hard no.

“I’m definitely not going to play for my dad,” Knox said. “I want to do my own stuff.”

He’s made it clear he wants to build his own name and avoid the “you’re only here because of your dad” label. He pointed to Shedeur Sanders as an example of what he wants to avoid. Beating his dad one day? That wouldn’t hurt either. Knox already holds Power Four offers from schools like SMU, Washington, and Cal. He’s not ranked yet. But with his talent and new spotlight at U-High, more attention and more offers are likely coming soon.

Knox won’t play for dad but definitely endorse his team

The Kiffins are a family on a mission. It’s old news that the QB situation at Ole Miss is such a mess. And Kiffin, being a QB coach, can’t let that happen. The bold overture began December 17 when Trinidad Chambliss posted an Instagram highlight reel featuring Todd McShay’s praise: “There is not a quarterback in the SEC that I would fear more playing… than Trinidad Chambliss.” Knox fired the opening shot with a direct reply: “Future tiger.”

The action drew immediate backlash from Rebels fans and excitement from Tigers supporters, turning a highlight post into national headlines. The kid could have been subtle, but no! Knox, privy to his father’s schemes, signaled Chambliss as Baton Rouge-bound. This wasn’t isolated trolling. Kiffin had already tried poaching Ole Miss staff pre-CFP, prompting Golding’s emergency promotion to head coach amid an 11-1 season. Golding’s staff now braces for player exodus, with Chambliss as the prime target.

The Ole Miss QB exploded under Kiffin in 2025. He threw for 3,016 passing yards, 65.5% completion, 18 TDs to 3 INTs (157.6 rating), plus 470 rushing yards and 6 scores for 3,486 total. He powered Ole Miss to SEC-leading 498.1 yards/game (3rd nationally), 309.6 passing YPG (3rd), and 37.3 points/game, capping an 11-1 regular season and first CFP berth.​ No doubt why LSU’s desperation aligns perfectly.