CFB analyst theorizes why Lane Kiffin would leave for Auburn
Could the Lane Train depart for another SEC town? One college football analyst certainly thinks so.
ESPN’s Chris Low believes the Ole Miss coach could bolt within the conference due to Auburn’s massive NIL funds. He spoke about it on The Next Round Wednesday morning.
“The NIL collective at Auburn is ten times what it is at Ole Miss…that’s why I think, ultimately, Lane would go.” – ESPN’s Chris Low on the show. #WarEagle #HottyToddy #CFB
Check out the rest of our interview with @ClowESPN here: https://t.co/zfW5fVwSdl pic.twitter.com/1h753syu0J
— The Next Round (@NextRoundLive) November 17, 2022
Kiffin has previously bemoaned the tactics opposing coaches have taken since NIL has been instituted, while realizing that this is also a game-changer for the athletes.
Via an interview with SI in May:
“You take a 17-year-old who, a lot of them, don’t come from money and family doesn’t come from money … if any person tells you that their NIL is not the No. 1 thing … take 100 of them and ask about the No. 1 thing that’s going to make the decision … it’s not the size of the stadium, not the head coach, not the campus or the conference, the No. 1 thing will be money.”
As proof of its financial abilities in this new era of college football, Auburn recently unveiled a nearly $92 million football-only facility to the delight of the players.
Kiffin is in his 3rd season at Ole Miss. No. 14 Ole Miss has an 8-2 overall record after dropping a 30-24 contest vs. No. 8 Alabama. Kiffin guided Ole Miss to a 10-3 mark and a Sugar Bowl appearance last season.
In his most previous stop, Kiffin revitalized Florida Atlantic with 2 Conference USA titles in his 3 seasons. The longest Kiffin has remained as a head coach at any program was 4 seasons at USC from 2010-13.