LSU ‘finalizing stunning $90m offer’ for Ole Miss coach Lane Kiffin weeks after dismissing Brian Kelly
Weeks after dismissing head coach Brian Kelly, LSU is set to finalize a deal to bring Ole Miss head coach Lane Kiffin to Baton Rouge.
Kiffin has been long viewed as the belle of the ball in the college football coaching carousel.
Earlier on Friday, Ole Miss athletic director Keith Carter announced that a decision on Kiffin’s future would be revealed following their annual ‘Egg Bowl’ rivalry game against Mississippi State.
But now, according to Yahoo Sports’ Ross Dellenger, LSU is on the verge of offering Kiffin $90million to swap one SEC school for the other.
The offer reportedly has the blessing of Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry, who publicly blasted Kelly and athletic director Scott Woodward – leading to the latter’s departure from the school shortly after.
If true, this marks a surprising turn after Landry previously expressed his unwillingness to spend big on a head coach for the program.
LSU is set to finalize a $90million contract offer for Ole Miss head football coach Lane Kiffin
The job with the Tigers has been vacant since the school dismissed head coach Brian Kelly
LSU is also in the process of fighting to pay the reported $54m buyout for Kelly by seeking to fire him ‘with cause’. This comes after the former coach sued the school’s board of supervisors.
Ole Miss is on the verge of making the school’s first ever appearance in the College Football Playoff – with a win over their in-state rivals all but confirming their spot in the 12-team field.
Discussions over Kiffin’s future at Ole Miss have been discussed for weeks since jobs at top schools like Florida and Penn State became vacant.
Earlier this week on ‘The Pat McAfee Show’, Kiffin denied reports of an ‘ultimatum’ to deliver Ole Miss by the time of the Egg Bowl.
‘Do you know something that I don’t know?’ Kiffin said. ‘Do I expect to coach next week? Why would I not expect to coach next week?
‘I mean, I expected to coach against Florida too. So I don’t even understand the question about how I would not expect to coach next week. Why would I (not) be at work?’
Friday afternoon’s announcement of a later announcement over Kiffin’s future did little to calm the nerves of Rebels fans.
‘Coach Kiffin and I have had many pointed and positive conversations regarding his future at Ole Miss, including meeting today with Chancellor Boyce,’ Carter wrote in a statement.
Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry has reportedly greenlit the deal after previously decrying any big spending on a football coach in the immediate aftermath of Kelly’s firing
Kiffin has not won a national title as a head coach and has not reached the CFP in his career
‘While we discuss next steps, we know we cannot lose sight of what is most important – our sixth-ranked team that is poised to finish the regular season in historic fashion.
‘Despite the outside noise, Coach Kiffin is focused on preparing our team for the Egg Bowl, and together, we want to ensure that our players and coaches can concentrate fully on next Friday’s game.
‘This team is on the cusp of an unprecedented season, and it’s imperative they feel the support of the Ole Miss family in the week ahead. An announcement on Coach Kiffin’s future is expected the Saturday following the game.’
Before Ole Miss, Kiffin was a head coach with the Oakland Raiders in the NFL as well as college stops at Tennessee, USC and Florida Atlantic.
As a college head coach, Kiffin put up a record of 115-53 – but has only gone 4-4 in bowl games. He has also never reached the College Football Playoff as a head coach.
