Lane Kiffin is one of the hottest coaching prospects in College Football at the moment. More so after their 49-0 demolition of the Citadel Bulldogs propelled them to No. 6 nationally. It has the rumour mills churning with new additions to the list of next destinations. While it has gone a notch higher now, as talks of him joining the NFL have sped up.

On the Nov 14 episode of his podcast, Colin Crowherd and Josh Pate discussed Kiffin’s future. They pointed out the issues at Ole Miss that could convince him to make a switch.

“I had a really smart guy tell me this, a current college coach, and he was talking about Old Miss and the limitations. He said, “Offensive recruits will follow the coach, right? They’ll follow Sark, Lane, Kalen. Offensive players, they’ll want to know who the coach is, what the system is. Great defensive players, they want to go to Georgia, Texas, and LSU. Not about the scheme. I want to get taken care of. I want a NIL check, and  I got to play in the trenches. That’s the limitation of Old Miss,” Crawford said.

Kiffin has a history of producing NFL-caliber quarterbacks from his time at USC and as offensive coordinator under Nick Saban in Alabama. The most recent being Jaxson Dart of Ole Miss, who went as a first-round pick for the New York Giants. While Ole Miss’s offense has thrived under him this season. They rank 4th in total offense (489.4 yards per game) and 5th in scoring offense(37.5 points per game). He established his reputation as an offensive mastermind. But the defensive side of things requires financial commitments that Ole Miss lacks when compared to other powerhouse schools. All the facts combined give him a good enough reason to look for greener pastures. Especially if he is unable to win anything substantial this season.

Talking about his switch to the NFL, Josh Pate said,” Yeah, I think he is, and I think several of them are. I mean, look, you know, the kind of mentality it takes to succeed at the highest level of college football, especially if you specialize in a side of the ball, goes hand in hand with the kind of mentality that thinks I could win in the NFL. I could win on Sundays. I want to test myself against the best, and I want to see how my offense does. And especially with Lane, like you’ve got the Oakland Raiders chapter in his past.

Lane Kiffin is a firm favourite to stay in college football, but some analysts have linked him with a move to the New York Giants. Which would reunite him with his protege, Jaxson Dart. While it’s every coach’s dream to lead an NFL team, it might be the right time for Kiffin to make a switch. An NFL team would provide him with the best resources and the best players while competing at the biggest of stages. But for now, he is focused on getting the Ole Miss Rebels to the playoffs. So rest assured, the Rebels fans can rest easy as far as this season is considered.

Meanwhile, Lane Kiffin remains a firm favourite to get the Gainesville gig, and it has given birth to a rivalry between the fans of both teams. It has grown big, forcing Lanre Kiffin to come out and share his take on the subject.

Lane Kiffin’s future adds a new chapter to the Florida vs Ole Miss rivalry

“I don’t read all the stuff,” Kiffin said. “Somebody was just saying that today, one of our student assistants explained to me, the fans are going back and forth. And they said, ‘I think there’s a new rivalry between Ole Miss fans and Florida fans, and they should just put a steel cage somewhere and let them fight it out.”  Kiffin’s statement paints a very clear picture of the whole situation.

His comments regarding the Gators QB DJ Lagway being a threat were perceived as an indication of coaching him by the Gators fans. For the Rebels fans, it was an indication of Kiffin wanting to sign him. Although the feud looks to grow further, Kiffin is firmly set in Oxford with his family. He also has prior coaching connections in Florida. It’s just a see-saw of facts and wishful thinking.

Lane Kiffin has been one of the most successful coaches in Ole Miss’s history. Lane Kiffin arrived in 2019, following a tumultuous period of transition, heartbreak, and suffering following the NCAA sanctions. From there, he has transformed the team into a powerhouse and a championship contender. He has an impressive 52-19 overall record with the Rebels. On the other hand, Florida has struggled this season under Billy Napier and is looking for someone like Lane Kiffin. Considering all the facts, only time will tell what he decides to do.