Florida’s football team coaching outlook still centers on Lane Kiffin, even as he sidesteps every question about it. Asked again this week about reported interest from Florida and LSU, the Ole Miss coach repeated that he expects to be on the Rebels’ sideline for the Egg Bowl and won’t discuss other jobs. During Tennessee’s blowout of Florida, Chris Fowler and Kirk Herbstreit turned the broadcast toward that uncertainty.
The New York Times has described why the situation feels so uneasy in Oxford. The longer Kiffin lets it drag, the more industry voices believe he plans to leave. Instead of shutting things down, athletic director Keith Carter issued a statement saying Kiffin will decide after Friday’s game.
According to the Times, Kiffin is the first domino of this carousel, and both Florida and LSU think they can land him, preparing huge salary offers and NIL backing. The Florida football team, at least, has contingency options beyond Kiffin, with Riley, Drinkwitz, and Sumrall all tied to the opening. LSU’s fallback list is far harder to read, which some interpret as confidence and others as secrecy.
If Kiffin does leave a top-six Ole Miss team still chasing its first College Football Playoff berth, the Times notes he likely would not coach the Rebels in the postseason, with defensive coordinator Pete Golding or quarterbacks coach Joe Judge the leading interim options.
Amid Florida’s coaching drama, the Gators got some positive news on the field. Cornerback Cormani McClain, carted off with a knee injury against Tennessee, is believed to have avoided a significant issue after an MRI, per Matt Zenitz of CBS Sports.
That update follows an October report from On3’s Thomas Goldkamp that had already highlighted how thin Florida’s secondary had become with McClain on the injury list. For a 3–7 team limping to the finish line, having its top corner on track to return is one of the few bright spots.
