Paul Finebaum at one point called Ole Miss head coach Lane Kiffin the “Miley Cyrus” of college football. As outspoken and controversial as the SEC Network host can be, right now the rumour carousel does lend credence to Finebaum’s point. Why? Owing to head coach vacancies at major programs like LSU and Florida, Lane Kiffin’s name is red hot to jump ship. And Kiffin isn’t playing straight; he seems to be recreating mind games.

Locked on LSU’s host Matt Moscona on his 19th November podcast episode described the frustrating sentiment around Lane Kiffin at Oxford. “The one singular thing that Ole Miss fans collectively want to hear from Lane Kiffin is I’m not leaving Ole Miss. I’m staying at Ole Miss. That’s it. That’s all they want to hear. And he can’t say the one thing they want to hear. So everything else he says is noise,” said the host.

For his part, Kiffin, in his recent interview with Pat McAfee, dispelled some rumors. The head coach was asked about the ongoing rumors about the ultimatum given by the Ole Miss hierarchy about making a swift decision, denying them outright.

“That’s absolutely not true. There has been no ultimatum, anything like that at all. And so I don’t know where that came from, like a lot of stuff that comes out there. Like I said, man, we’re having a blast. I love it here,” said the 50-year-old.

However, Kiffin didn’t delve into or deny the rumor carousel, linking him to Florida and LSU. Reports link the head coach heavily to both programs and his lack of denial have only spurned the rumor mill on.

For instance, ESPN recently reported that Kiffin’s ex-wife, Layla, his son, Knox, and brother Chris Kiffin visited Florida in Gainesville this Sunday. Then, his ex-wife and family members also showed up in Baton Rouge, intensifying rumors about Kiffin’s exit. But Kiffin is no stranger to such situations.

Abrupt exits, high-profile moves, and leaving programs high and dry have made Kiffin a polarizing figure. The now-Ole Miss head coach touted USC to be his “dream job,” and Knoxville turned against him immediately in 2009 at Tennessee.

Burnt effigies, harsh placards, and burned mattresses were all over the street, showcasing the intensity of fans’ anger. So much so that Kiffin had to be given a police escort. Other tenures, like USC or when he was OC at Alabama, didn’t end on a positive note either.

After exiting USC in 2013, posting a 28-15 record, Kiffin was fired mid-season in 2013 after a loss to ASU. The scenes were not as intense as Knoxville’s, but resentment was rampant. Thereafter, when no college team was ready to give Kiffin a head coaching chance, the 50-year-old turned to none other than Nick Saban.

However, after leading Alabama to the national title game in 2016, Kiffin had a fallout with the legendary Bama head coach. Why? He had accepted another job at Florida Atlantic. Ole Miss then seems like a chance of redemption for Lane Kiffin, but old habits die hard. And Paul Finebaum may just yet get another chance to weigh in on Kiffin’s actions. That said, the Oxford program wants to keep him put at any cost, but there’s a catch.

Lane Kiffin’s choice between Florida and LSU

Contrary to Lane Kiffin’s statement, the program hierarchy has placed a clock on Kiffin’s head. According to ESPN, Ole Miss officials have indicated that Kiffin has to decide before this weekend. The report also points out that the program wants assurance and stability for the post-season and wants to look for a potential coaching hire to replace Kiffin. LSU or Florida, however, that is the question.

According to Matt Moscona, Kiffin is currently leaning towards LSU rather than Florida. “I believe at this point LSU has overtaken Florida. I think as the season was going along, it was very obvious that Billy Napier was going to get fired. Florida was interested in Lane Kiffin. Lane Kiffin reciprocated. They were quietly moving about, and then a very unexpected thing happened. Brian Kelly got fired, and then  LSU entered the fray for Lane Kiffin,” said the host. Kiffin surely has to make a swift decision.

The Egg Bowl (also the last game of the regular season) is on 28th November, and the program seems not to be eager to wait till then. It surely is warranted since James Franklin, who had lost his job at Penn State, has already been hired by Virginia Tech.

Not to mention other coaches like Jon Sumrall won’t wait for the Ole Miss vacancy and could join other programs like Auburn. In that regard, Ole Miss has to move fast. And according to reports, Kiffin has just this week to make a final decision.

Right now, the program is ready to match whatever offer Kiffin gets from the two speculated programs. So, for Lane Kiffin, it’s either signing an extension with Ole Miss or breaking hearts once more.