Lane Kiffin ended weeks of speculation on Sunday by officially announcing his departure from Ole Miss to become LSU’s next head football coach, after a successful six-season stretch in Oxford. Kiffin’s move follows LSU’s decision to fire Brian Kelly in late October after a 34–14 run that made him the first Tigers coach since the 1990s not to win a national title.
In a statement, Kiffin said the decision came after extensive personal reflection: “After a lot of prayer and time spent with family, I made the difficult decision to accept the head coaching position at LSU,” he wrote, adding that he had hoped to remain with the Rebels through the postseason but the school blocked the request, saying both he and the players had sought permission for him to continue coaching: “My request to do so was denied by [Ole Miss athletic director] Keith Carter… Unfortunately, that means Friday’s Egg Bowl was my last game coaching the Rebels.” He closed by expressing deep appreciation for his time in Oxford and said he will “forever cherish” his six years at the school.
LSU athletic director Verge Ausberry praised the hire, calling Kiffin a coach equipped for the modern era.
“We shared when we began this search that LSU would secure the best coach in the country and Lane Kiffin is just that,” Ausberry said, adding that his creativity and adaptability make him an ideal fit for the Tigers’ long-term vision.
Kiffin’s career has included stops across the college and NFL landscape — from early assistant work under Pete Carroll at USC, to a short stint as head coach of the Oakland Raiders, to single-season tenures at Tennessee and later USC again. He rebuilt his reputation as Nick Saban’s offensive coordinator at Alabama before leading Florida Atlantic to two Conference USA titles and then taking over at Ole Miss in 2019. Across 14 college seasons, he holds a 117–53 (.688) record.
The announcement came shortly after Ole Miss wrapped an 11–1 regular season — a campaign that likely positions the Rebels for their first College Football Playoff appearance. Over six years, Kiffin transformed the program into a national contender, going 55–19 with four double-digit win seasons, multiple top-15 finishes, and a 2023 Peach Bowl victory. Since 2021, Ole Miss recorded a 50–14 mark and became one of the SEC’s most consistent teams, boosted by strong transfer-portal strategy and aggressive NIL investment.
Also on Sunday, Ole Miss promoted defensive coordinator Pete Golding — a former Alabama assistant in his third year with the Rebels — to permanent head coach, avoiding an extended outside search.
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