Lane Kiffin decides to leave Ole Miss to coach at LSU
Kiffin coached the Ole Miss Rebels for six years.
By Wayne Sterling, Jacob Lev, CNN
(CNN) — Lane Kiffin has decided to trade the coaching sideline in Oxford, Mississippi for the one in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
Kiffin announced Sunday he will leave Ole Miss, after guiding the Rebels for six seasons, to coach at Louisiana State University (LSU), a Southeastern Conference (SEC)-foe.
“I made the difficult decision to accept the head coaching position at LSU,” he posted on social media.
“While I am looking forward to a new start with a unique opportunity at LSU, I will forever cherish the incredible six years I spent at Ole Miss and will be rooting hard for the team to complete their mission and bring a championship to Oxford.”
Kiffin led Ole Miss to their best season in more than six decades. The Rebels are 11-1 which should secure the school’s first College Football Playoff (CFP) spot.
The Rebels named defensive coordinator Pete Golding head coach. He will guide the team in pursuit of its first national championship in program history.
“Today’s team meeting was a clear indicator of his ability to galvanize our squad. All of our players and coaches are ecstatic and ready to lock arms for a playoff run,” Ole Miss athletic director Keith Carter said in a statement.
“The future of Ole Miss Football is brighter than ever, and we look forward to taking the next steps in our program’s journey with Pete Golding at the helm.”
Kiffin preferred to continue to coach Ole Miss into the playoffs, but the school slapped that request down.
“I was hoping to complete a historic six season run with this year’s team by leading Ole Miss through the playoffs, capitalizing on the team’s incredible success and their commitment to finish strong, and investing everything into a playoff run with guardrails in place to protect the program in any areas of concern,” he wrote.
“My request to do so was denied by Keith Carter despite the team also asking him to allow me to keep coaching them so they could better maintain their high level of performance. Unfortunately, that means Friday’s Egg Bowl was my last game coaching the Rebels.”
On Friday, Ole Miss won its third consecutive Egg Bowl against in-state rival Mississippi State Bulldogs 38-19 in Starkville, Mississippi.
Under Kiffin, the Rebels have won at least 10 games for three consecutive seasons and four of the last five. Ole Miss has appeared in five straight bowl games.
LSU will be Kiffin’s fifth college head coaching job. He previously was at the helm at Tennessee, University of Southern California and Florida Atlantic University before his Ole Miss stint.
In 14 seasons on the collegiate level, Kiffin has complied a 116-53 record, 4-4 in bowl games. He also coached in the NFL where he was 5-15 in one-plus seasons with the then-Oakland Raiders.
Kiffin replaces Brian Kelly who was fired in October during the fourth season of a 10-year contract worth $100 million. LSU finished the season 7-5 after a loss to No. 8 Oklahoma on Saturday.
“We are thrilled to welcome Coach Kiffin as the next head coach of the LSU Football program,” LSU athletic director Verge Ausberry said in a statement. “Lane is a proven winner who has thrived in an era of college athletics that requires coaches to adapt and innovate.
“His passion, creativity and authenticity make him the ideal leader to guide LSU into the future and consistently position us among the sport’s elite.”
The decision ends a months-long saga that saw rumors of Kiffin going to several schools including the University of Florida.
However, Florida moved on from Kiffin and named Tulane’s Jon Sumrall as its next head coach on Sunday.
Kiffin was adament after Friday’s Ole Miss’ game that he had yet to make a decision.
“I’ve got some praying to do to figure this thing out,” he said. “I’m living one day at a time. I know that doesn’t help you, but it helps me.”
While saying he missed his father, Monte, “in a week like this,” an emotional Kiffin also added that he was planning to consult with former University of Alabama head coach Nick Saban and current Las Vegas Raiders head coach Pete Carroll for advice.
Ole Miss needed a miracle on Saturday – an Auburn win over No. 10 Alabama in the Iron Bowl – to clinch a spot in the SEC championship game.
But the Crimson Tide escaped the upset bid by the Tigers and will face the Georgia next weekend in Atlanta.
The-CNN-Wire
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This story was updated with additional reporting.
