Florida reportedly moving on from pursuit of Lane Kiffin
By David Wasson
Published:
The unprecedented pursuit of Ole Miss coach Lane Kiffin has reportedly lost a suitor.
Friday morning, ahead of the Egg Bowl matchup between Kiffin’s Rebels and Mississippi State, GatorsOnline’s Zach Abolverdi reported that Florida has backed away from the Rebels coach and is turning to pursue other candidates.
Kiffin was said to be Florida’s top choice to replace for Billy Napier in Gainesville. He is also being pursued by LSU. On3 reported Friday that Kiffin’s “erratic communication and behavior” have led Florida officials to think he may be more interested in other options.
Florida athletic director Scott Stricklin and other UF officials reportedly met with representatives of Kiffin last week.
The 50-year-old Kiffin is the most hotly pursued coaching candidate on a crowded coaching carousel – all while leading Ole Miss to a 10-1 record and the cusp of a first-ever College Football Playoff berth. Kiffin’s Rebels play arch-rival Mississippi State in the Egg Bowl on Friday (noon ET, ABC), and Ole Miss officials have said they expect a decision on Kiffin’s future to come by Saturday.
Kiffin is 54-19 in 6 seasons at Ole Miss, and 115-53 in 14 seasons as a college coach at Ole Miss, Florida Atlantic, USC, and Tennessee. Hired in December 2019, Kiffin’s current stretch in Oxford is the longest he has ever coached in one spot, either in the NFL or in college football.
An APSE national award-winning writer and editor, David Wasson has almost four decades of experience in the print journalism business in Florida and Alabama. His work has also appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, the Los Angeles Times and several national magazines and websites. He also hosts Gulfshore Sports with David Wasson, weekdays from 3-5 pm across Southwest Florida and on FoxSportsFM.com. His Twitter handle: @JustDWasson.
