Lane Kiffin spent the 2009 season at Tennessee as the head coach. He went 7-6 and then left for USC after the season.

Based on his short one-year stint on Rocky Top, he’s not the most popular person in Knoxville.

So, it might get a bit intense when his Ole Miss Rebels visit Neyland Stadium to play the Vols on Oct. 16. During his SEC Media Days appearance on Tuesday, Kiffin said he hopes it isn’t as bad as when he came back as an Alabama assistant.

He actually had some nice things to say about Tennessee, as you can see in the clip below:

“That’ll be exciting to go back there,” he said. “I’ve been back there as an assistant coach. I don’t know, I can’t predict it. I feel like it will not be welcoming, but maybe it will be better than it was last time as an assistant coach. It was definitely not welcoming. It’s a passionate fan base. I loved our year there, so it’ll be exciting to go back in there. That is a special place, special university, special stadium, special tradition.”

We’ll see if Kiffin can pick up a win as a visiting head coach in Neyland this fall.