Kiffin, now the coach at LSU, wanted to stay with the Rebels through the CFP run before completely departing, but Ole Miss informed him that wouldn't be an option and is moving forward with former defensive coordinator Pete Golding as its new head coach -- not just in the interim but long-term. Kiffin claimed the players wanted him to coach the team in the playoff and that he didn't find out until Sunday morning (the day he went public with his decision) that he wouldn't be permitted to do so. While it makes sense for Ole Miss to forbid Kiffin from coaching the Rebels on his way out (while potentially actively recruiting Ole Miss players to join him at LSU in the process), the refusal to allow him to coach in the College Football Playoff also served as the school's best leverage point in trying to keep him in Oxford.
Author: Robby Kalland
Published at: 2025-12-03 23:05:31
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