Lane Kiffin has captured the attention of the college football world for many years in a way only some coaches could dream and he’s the living example that any publicity is good publicity.
He coached one season at Tennessee before jetting off for USC. He coached the Trojans into a fourth season before being famously fired in a side building off the tarmac at Los Angeles International Airport. His stint at USC included numerous mishandlings including several missteps at the Sun Bowl in his third season.
Kiffin became the butt of jokes.
But he went about restoring his coaching career, his credibility and maybe along the way he matured. That’s what happened when he had a successful stint as Alabama’s offensive coordinator where he was excellent at orchestrating the Crimson Tide offense.
And it’s what happened when he then took over the FAU football program where he led it to two conference titles in three years including this past weekend in a convincing 49-6 victory over UAB.
Shortly after that game, news broke that Kiffin would be the new coach at Ole Miss.
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Kiffin will find some significant challenges ahead. The SEC West is arguably the best division in college football with LSU, Alabama and Auburn widely viewed as three of the best teams nationally. Texas A&M is building with Jimbo Fisher. Mississippi State is no pushover. Arkansas has a long way back but talent on the roster.
Former coach Matt Luke was well-liked by players apparently but he went 15-21 with only six conference wins over the last three seasons and that’s not going to cut it in Oxford.
This is a program that has a winning tradition and that puts out NFL players as former coach Hugh Freeze had the Rebels at 10 wins in 2015 and nine the previous season. Former coach Houston Nutt won back-to-back Cotton Bowls at Ole Miss.
The state of Mississippi might not have massive numbers but it’s fertile recruiting territory and it will be interesting to see how Kiffin and his staff do with in-state players. The top three including high four-star defensive tackle McKinnley Jackson, remain uncommitted. The 2021 class is wide open.
We ask Rivals National Recruiting Director Mike Farrell whether he believes Kiffin was the right selection for the Ole Miss job, where he thinks Kiffin can take the Rebels’ program - for better or worse - and can Kiffin recruit the Southeast and steal some elite skill players considering his high-profile name and success at Alabama and beyond?
FARRELL'S TAKE
“I think Kiffin is a great hire for Ole Miss because he’s going to move the needle for the program. He’ll get fans excited, he’ll bring an inventive offense and he’ll battle for recruits. Can he steal some players? Absolutely. He’s recruited at a high level so he knows what it takes. The problem? The SEC West is a monster and getting any traction there will be tough. Is Alabama on the slide though? Is LSU a one year wonder with Joe Burrow? Will Auburn continue to disappoint under Gus Malzahn? There are many questions. Kiffin will have a hard time turning things around to be honest but it will be exciting and fun to watch him try and he’s the best hire for the job.”
