STARKVILLE, Miss. — Lane Kiffin said he'll decide Saturday whether he will return as Ole Miss' coach in 2026 or take another job, presumably at LSU, which is trying to poach him from its SEC rival with a lucrative contract offer that will make him one of the highest-paid coaches in college football.
Kiffin, while speaking to reporters after the No. 7 Rebels' 38-19 victory at Mississippi State in Friday's Egg Bowl at Davis Wade Stadium, would only say that he'll have to make a decision one way or the other, after Ole Miss athletics director Keith Carter and chancellor Glenn Boyce said they needed an answer by Saturday.
«I feel like I've got to,» Kiffin said.
When Kiffin was asked if he had made up his mind about where he'll be coaching next season, he said, «Yeah, I haven't. Maybe that surprises you. But, you know, I've got to do some praying and figure this thing out.»
Kiffin said he planned to attend his son's high school playoff game in Tupelo, Mississippi, on Friday night. Knox Kiffin is Oxford High's starting quarterback.
«Tonight, I'm going to go be a dad and watch a more important game to me,» Kiffin said.
Kiffin wasn't sure what time he would make a decision Saturday.
«There's a lot [that goes] into it,» Kiffin said. «It's a hard decision. You guys have them all the time. You've gotta make decisions about jobs you take and where you move, and we get paid a lot so I understand we're under a lot of spotlight and scrutiny.»
Kiffin said he regretted not being able to speak to his father, Monte Kiffin, while trying to make one of the most important decisions of his career. The longtime NFL defensive coordinator died in July 2024. He was 84.
Kiffin, 50, has sought the advice of former Alabama coach Nick Saban and Las
Read more on espn.com
espn.com
