Late in the day on Sunday, former Ole Miss football head coach Lane Kiffin confirmed the rumors that he would be ditching the program for Baton Rouge to take the same position at LSU. The news came just ahead of the Rebels' expected berth in the college football playoff, during which they will try to compete for a national championship.
As part of his statement, Kiffin claimed that the players wanted him to stay on board as the coach throughout their postseason run, a request that was denied, but now, some are casting doubt over the validity of that statement.
“While he claimed the team asked (Keith) Carter to allow him to keep coaching — and he did have supporters on the team in that regard — Ole Miss sources strongly pushed back on the notion it was a widespread feeling,” reported John Talty of CBS Sports. “Multiple players had become frustrated with Kiffin's indecision overshadowing the team's accomplishments, according to sources, and were ready to move on.”
Talty added that “some even told the Ole Miss administration they cared more about whether their position coaches were staying than Kiffin at that point.”
Clearly, Kiffin's claims that the team wanted him to stay on board for the duration of the season were embellished, at best.
The Rebels will now move forward with Pete Golding as their new head coach, and try to overcome the turbulence of the Kiffin saga to make some noise in the college football playoff. Ole Miss missed out on a spot in the SEC Championship Game due to Alabama's win over Auburn, but they are still overwhelmingly likely to make the 12-team bracket when it was announced.
That decision will come during Selection Sunday next Sunday afternoon in the aftermath of the various conference championship games.
