Lane Kiffin reportedly meets with Ole Miss players to address coaching carousel rumors
Amid the coaching carousel rumors, plus a short week to prepare for the Egg Bowl, Ole Miss Lane Kiffin made sure to set the record straight.
According to ESPN’s Chris Low, Kiffin met his players Tuesday and assured them that he hasn’t accepted a job at any other school. Kiffin is the favorite to land the Auburn opening following Thursday’s game in Oxford.
“He told the players his focus was on Mississippi State and nothing else and that any reports out there about his accepting another offer were totally false,” sources told ESPN’s Low.
Kiffin, 47, rapidly transformed Ole Miss from a middle-tier program in the SEC West to upper contenders among the conference. Last season, the Rebels posted their 1st 10-win regular season in just the 2nd year of the Kiffin era.
Through 3 seasons, Kiffin has posted a 23-10 overall record with the Rebels. A victory Thursday evening would mark the 4th time in 10 years that Ole Miss has finished with 9 regular season wins.
Kiffin is 1 of 3 major names being considered for the opening on The Plains. Former Ole Miss and current Liberty coach Hugh Freeze has gained steam as of late following his recent success with the Flames. Former Baylor and Carolina Panthers coach Matt Rhule also is expected to be in the running.
Auburn fired 2nd-year coach Bryan Harsin after a 9-12 start to his tenure. Currently, interim coach Cadillac Williams, a former star running back for the Tigers, has received praise after picking up back-to-back wins over Texas A&M and Western Kentucky.
The Rebels will play host to in-state rival Mississippi State on Thanksgiving at 7 p.m. ET. The game will be nationally televised on ESPN.