Lane Kiffin makes something clear to Ole Miss with blunt statement on LSU job

Lane Kiffin has never been one to mince words, nor sugarcoat his true thoughts. As the entire college football landscape adapts to the shocking—yet expected—news of him signing with the LSU Tigers, the former Ole Miss Rebels head coach dropped a cold-blooded remark that fans in Oxford won’t forget anytime soon.

It’s the gift that keeps on giving. Kiffin’s exit out of Ole Miss and into LSU has been nothing short of cinematic. As if it wasn’t dramatic enough, fans followed Kiffin to the airport, where planes were ready to take off and drop him off at his next destination in the NCAA: Louisiana. Needless to say, the words coming out of the Rebels fans at the airport weren’t exactly kind.

Now, as Kiffin enters the next chapter in his college football career, he voiced a very sincere comment. The 50-year-old coach has always been one to wear his heart on his sleeve, but many believe his remarks on LSU may come a bit too early for Ole Miss fans, who are still figuring out how to deal with the heartbreak on what may as well be called “The Flee of the Century”.

“I’m very honored to be the head coach of LSU. I can sum it up by saying this: this place is different,” Kiffin stated during his introductory press conference in Baton Rouge. “Having watched this place for a long time, having been on the other sidelines, this place is different. And that is why we’re here. We’ve got a lot of work to do with that, but I’m very grateful for the opportunity to lead one of the elite programs in all of sports. LSU is the best job in football.”

Lane Kiffin of the LSU Tigers.

Kiffin spoke on leaving Ole Miss

Obviously, Kiffin didn’t leave behind his time with the Rebels. During his speech, he included some words about Ole Miss. Whether they offer some closure for the school in The Little Easy or not, that’s a different story.

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“Leaving Ole Miss was extremely difficult,” Kiffin continued. “We tried every single thing possible to continue to coach the team through the playoffs. In the end, that was their decision, and we totally respect that.

“The last six years of my life have been the best six years of my life, and I owe that to all the players, assisting coaches, and the people of Oxford. It was amazing, it will forever be a major part of my story. So grateful for all those relationships and all those people I got to meet. But the opportunity at LSU is just different.”

For the fanbase in Oxford, however, that’s all that was: just words. Those are like air. Actions speak much louder. By taking the job in Baton Rouge, the Rebels found out all they needed to hear about the former head coach.

Facing the music

Kiffin enters LSU under one of the highest contracts in the NCAA. Set to make $13 million a year, it doesn’t compare to his previous contract at Ole Miss. However, many fans will argue college football has never been about the money—though it’s trending towards it.

“This place is built for championships with championship expectations, we understand that. But as an elite competitor, that’s exactly what we want. That’s why we’re here,” Kiffin concluded.

The expectations for Kiffin at LSU are crystal clear: it’s championship or bust. Despite having yet to win a national title, Kiffin is being paid like other coaches in the nation who have already won the national championship. Kiffin is set to match—or surpass—the salaries of coaches like Kirby Smart and Ryan Day. Needless to say, a program like LSU won’t pay Kiffin $13 million a year for a product that leads to no silverware.