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Kiffin Departs Ole Miss, Heads For LSU Challenge
Clear Facts
- Lane Kiffin announced he is leaving Ole Miss to become LSU’s head coach and will not coach the Rebels in the College Football Playoff.
- Kiffin signed a seven-year deal with LSU starting at $13 million per year, putting him among the highest-paid coaches in college football.
- Ole Miss quickly promoted defensive coordinator Pete Golding to head coach following Kiffin’s move to LSU.
Lane Kiffin’s departure marks a major shakeup for both Ole Miss and LSU football programs. Kiffin will not coach Ole Miss in their playoff appearance, as confirmed on Sunday.
“This was a very challenging, difficult day,” Kiffin told ESPN’s Marty Smith.
Kiffin worked with Ole Miss leadership to find a solution that would allow him to coach in the College Football Playoff but ultimately respected their decision to move forward without him. He expressed his best wishes for the team and their playoff hopes.
“I just totally wish the team the best of luck, wish that I was coaching. … I just hope they play really well and go win the national championship.”
Kiffin’s contract with LSU is worth $13 million per year across seven years, making him one of college football’s highest earners. He leaves after guiding Ole Miss to an 11-1 regular season, nearly guaranteeing a College Football Playoff spot.
His exit followed discussions with Ole Miss officials and mentors, including former Alabama coach Nick Saban and Raiders coach Pete Carroll. Kiffin thanked mentors for their advice and said a conversation with Coach Carroll helped influence his decision.
“My heart was here [at Ole Miss],” Kiffin told ESPN. “But I talked to some mentors — Coach Carroll, Coach Saban. Especially when Coach Carroll said, ‘Your dad would tell you to go. Take the shot.'”
He shared that prayer and family played significant roles in making his choice. Kiffin added, “Maybe it’s right, maybe it’s wrong. But I think a lot of times, you just go prove things right, and that’s what we’re going to do when we get there [to LSU].”
After Kiffin’s announcement, Ole Miss wasted no time, elevating Pete Golding to head coach. Golding has been praised for his leadership and ability to uphold core values within the Ole Miss program.
“[Golding’s] tenure will begin immediately as he leads our program in the pursuit of a national title,” athletic director Keith Carter stated. “From the moment he arrived in Oxford, we quickly realized Pete is a coach who could not only lead a program but elevate it to championship status.”
Golding now takes over a team coming off a record-setting regular season as the Rebels look to maintain momentum in the postseason.
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