As the college football season enters the peak drama period, on and off the field, nothing is generating more buzz than speculation about what will Ole Miss coach Lane Kiffin do?
The coaching carousel has already left vacancies at Florida and LSU, so far. The Gators have reportedly offered Kiffin at least $81 million over 5 years to become their coach. LSU will certainly up the ante. Both offer bigger paychecks and more NIL money to stock their rosters with talent that any coach would dream of having. Their fan bases and legacy are top notch. Both are in the best football conference in the land, as is Ole Miss. They both desperately want to win and secure more national championships. No one is a hotter coaching prospect than Kiffin. So, does he stay in Oxford, Mississippi making $9 million a year (a number certain to increase) or make a move? And if so, to Gainesville or Baton Rouge?
His wife (with whom he has reconciled), daughter and son all love Oxford. (Another daughter is in Southern California where she plays volleyball for USC.) So does Lane. And the fan base reveres him. His #7 ranked Rebels have a real shot at a national championship. He seems happier than he’s ever been. His sophomore son is playing and now starting for the high school football team in Oxford, coached by the son of legendary QB (and former UT assistant and Duke head coach) coach David Cutcliffe. Lane has the chance to see his son play on Friday nights and has done so on a few occasions this season. Everything seems to point to him staying put. Except…
His wife went to school at Florida. There are great high school programs in Florida that could further develop son Knox’s talent and increase his profile.
Proud of this guy….⚡️#staythecourse @KnoxKiffinQB pic.twitter.com/5wzjKWLJcl
— layla kiffin (@layla_kiffin) October 26, 2025
Kiffin is a huge fan of legendary coach Steve Spurrier of Gator fame as a player and championships producing coach. Florida has no state income tax, meaning the money they are offering to pay “just means more.” They have a tradition that has won and wants to win. They can provide virtually unlimited NIL money. It’s where Gatorade came from. (Side note for college football historians: Athletic trainer Don Fauls created an earlier sports drink that was made by for athletes at Florida State University. It used an almost identical formula, but UF patented its sports drink version first, which is why FSU only sells Powerade on its campus.)
Ditto many of those same attributes for LSU. Saban brought a natty to LSU and they want more. They WILL top the offer made by Florida. His daughter is dating an LSU linebacker. Their fans are nuts, and there is no more epic venue than night games in the bayou. Their swamps also have gators.
Kiffin is unlikely to decide his future until the Ole Miss season ends. Assuming a college football playoff slot rolls his way, which is likely, then the speculation, reading of tea leaves and dramatic flair will continue through December, unless Lane makes a definitive “I’m staying” declaration before then.
There are plenty of great reasons for him to stay in Oxford. He’s said that Ole Miss saved his life and his family. He will get a “lottery money” contract extension to stay. And Knox will cash in with NIL money himself in a few years.
The “sirens” lure of LSU and Florida will be hard to ignore. But our bet is that Kiffin is on the Ole Miss sidelines next year, just as brash, just as annoying at times, but with a heart and some actual humility that has been missing in past years. Hotty Totty wins out in the end in our view because money can’t buy happiness and he seems genuinely happy at Mississippi.
But then again, money CAN buy a national championship at places like Gainesville and Baton Rouge. And the ring is a thing!
Steve Gill is editor and publisher of TriStar Daily and a Vol through and through who bleeds orange, despite the debacles this season!
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