Since Auburn’s job became available on Oct. 31, there have been rumors about Ole Miss coach Lane Kiffin’s job status. During the week leading up to Thursday night’s Egg Bowl against Mississippi State, those rumors went into overdrive. After the game, all eyes immediately turned to Kiffin’s future as the Rebels lost 24-22 to the Bulldogs in an instant classic.
The third-year Rebels coach was asked after the loss whether he plans to remain the program’s coach in Oxford, Mississippi. In his response, Kiffin was pretty insistent.
“I do,” said Kiffin.
Kiffin then talked about a report from earlier this week that said he would accept the Auburn job and what he told his players about it.
“I could just easily say that’s between team meetings and we don’t really talk about that,” Kiffin responded. “I just told them that that report — that probably you’re not paying much attention to but your family is — is inaccurate. False reporting.”
After the game, Ole Miss quarterback Jaxson Dart was questioned about his team’s response to rumors that its coach was leaving.
“I mean, it’s kind of tough sometimes when things are just thrown in your face, you know,” he said. “I feel like as a team we’ve been able to stay together as we can. We really wanted this game because we really wanted to win this game for each other. I thought that as the week went on, we had a good approach, you know just trying to stay together and trying to finish this year out the right way.”
Kiffin’s next question is obvious: What is his next move? State contracts for employees are limited to four years under state law. Additionally, Saturday’s SEC matchup between Auburn and Alabama will air on CBS Game of the Week at 3:30 p.m. ET. Is it possible for Kiffin to sway Ole Miss into giving him a new contract in this instance?
“I don’t know. I’ve signed three,” he said (via: 247Sports). “Does a fourth one mean you’re never leaving? I don’t know. I’m much more focusing and worrying about the game than whether you sign another contract. I’m not acting ungrateful for that. Everybody thinks you sign a contract … Well, a year ago you signed the same thing.”
Kiffin’s future will receive a greater amount of attention once the Iron Bowl concludes on Saturday. He is in a position at Ole Miss where he can fairly consistently compete for division titles, but Auburn is a program that has played at its highest level at times over the past decade and a half.