LSU coach Lane Kiffin says he regrets messy Ole Miss exit - ESPN

TAMPA, Fla. — LSU coach Lane Kiffin said he now regrets how he handled his messy exit from Ole Miss before the Rebels' surprising run in the College Football Playoff last season.

Instead of fighting to coach the Rebels even after he had reached a deal to replace Brian Kelly at LSU, Kiffin says he should have walked away when Ole Miss athletics director Keith Carter told him no.

«Yeah, I do,» Kiffin told ESPN on Thursday. «But I think that's a good thing that I look at life that way now, instead of saying, 'No, I don't. I was right.' I look at things always now, like, how could I have done them better? But it's also easier when you're further removed. There's no emotion involved.»

After guiding the Rebels to an 11-1 record during the regular season, Kiffin weighed whether to accept head coaching positions at Florida or LSU or stay at Ole Miss. After telling Carter he was leaving for SEC rival LSU, Kiffin spent two days fighting to coach the Rebels in their first CFP appearance.

«I wish I would have gone in when I met with Keith and said, 'I've made the decision to go,'» Kiffin said. «I wish I would have just said, 'Hey, I'd like to coach the team,' and he'd say, 'No.' And I'd say, 'Hey, OK, I appreciate it.' [I wish I'd] move on [and] never even discussed it again.»

Kiffin said he later spoke about his messy departure with motivational speaker Kevin Elko, who told Kiffin that he was «trying to do something impossible.»

"[Elko] said that's really like you're in a marriage," Kiffin said. «You're leaving the marriage that she thought was great. It was great for six years, and you're leaving it in order to go to another woman who she despises.

»Oh, but let me stay in the house for a couple more weeks with the kids, and I