As the season winds down, one of the more polarizing stories in all of college football is the decision facing Ole Miss head coach Lane Kiffin.
Should he stay or should he go? If he stays, there will be trouble in Baton Rouge and Gainesville. Both programs have been heavily linked to Kiffin since firing their respective coaches. Whiffing on the man who has turned into the biggest fish in this year’s coaching market would be tough to swallow for either school.
But someone is going to be left disappointed when it’s all said and done. Kiffin can only coach at 1 school. During an appearance on ESPN’s Get Up Wednesday morning, Paul Finebaum was asked what he believes the ideal landing spot is for Kiffin.
“I think it’s Florida. He’s always been a Florida fan. He grew up idolizing Steve Spurrier. I think it comes down to Florida or LSU,” Finebaum said. “It seems like he has already left Ole Miss. You just don’t leave them hanging like he has if you’re going to stay there. … I think he’s trying to decide between LSU and Florida, and Florida seems like a slightly better choice.”
Earlier this week, it was reported that Ole Miss had given Kiffin a deadline to decide on his future with the school. Kiffin went on The Pat McAfee Show on Thursday to deny any such ultimatum had been given.
Kiffin’s family members reportedly took trips to Gainesville and Baton Rouge on Sunday and Monday.
As Ole Miss readies for its regular-season finale in Starkville, it seems as though the Kiffin sweepstakes are coming to a head. With Ole Miss on a bye week, Kiffin has some extra time he wouldn’t otherwise have. Maybe that means nothing, but LSU and Florida are both likely seeking an answer sooner rather than later.
The Early Signing Period is approaching. Either program will want its coaching search wrapped up with enough time for the new leader to salvage a recruiting class and prepare for the opening of the transfer portal.
Derek Peterson does a bit of everything, not unlike Taysom Hill. He has covered Oklahoma, Nebraska, the Pac-12, and now delivers CFB-wide content.
