Ole Miss coach Lane Kiffin jokingly thanks ESPN host for playing role in USC firing: 'Grateful to you Paul'

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Ole Miss football coach Lane Kiffin continues to heap praise on ESPN's Paul Finebaum for his indirect role in "getting me fired" from USC more than a decade ago. 

Kiffin joined Nick Saban's staff at Alabama in 2014 after he departed Southern California.

In 2013, Finebaum characterized Kiffin as "the Miley Cyrus of college football." On that same day, Kiffin was relieved of his head coaching duties at USC.

"How did someone like Lane Kiffin ever get these jobs?" Finebaum said at the time. "How did he land the Raiders job? At Tennessee? And particularly the one at SC? People think it’s because of his father, Monte, the great defensive wizard. In some respects, Lane Kiffin is the Miley Cyrus of college football."

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Ole Miss head coach Lane Kiffin signals to players during the second half of a game Oct. 26, 2024, in Oxford, Miss.  (AP Photo/Sarah Warnock)

Finebaum quickly pointed out the difference between Kiffin and the music star, noting the coach had "very little talent." 

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"He has very little talent, but we simply can’t take our eyes off him," Finebaum said.

Kiffin, who coached Ole Miss to an upset win over the Georgia Bulldogs Saturday, was a guest on Finebaum's ESPN program Wednesday. Kiffin jokingly credited Finebaum for playing a part in his job ending in 2013. 

Ole Miss head coach Lane Kiffin looks at a play review during the second half of a game against Oklahoma Oct. 26, 2024, in Oxford, Miss.  (AP