“I needed Oxford a lot more than it needed me,” Lane Kiffin said. The man whose initial move to Oxford, to stay close to his daughter Landry, evolved into something far greater. From the moment he took over the Ole Miss program, Kiffin became their backbone, leading them to bowl games, fighting for their respect and player rights, and even taking on the CFP committee heads-on. But the big question is: Will Kiffin stay at Oxford, or has he already made other plans?
For now, the answer is pretty simple: it’s going to be Ole Miss and Oxford. And Rebels’ ex-assistant athletic director Tyler Siskey chimes in, telling Cousin Shane on the SEC Football podcast where he sees Lane Kiffin in the next three years. “I think he’s here. Yeah, I think.. if you told me he wasn’t here, I would tell you it was the NFL,” Siskey said. And we all know that’s not going to happen anytime soon. See, it’s not like the pro league teams aren’t interested in Kiffin. Knowing his past two stints in the NFL serving as an assistant for the Jacksonville Jaguars and HC of the Oakland Raiders, things become more evident.
But let’s not forget one factor: money talks. Lane Kiffin’s making around $9 million a year at Ole Miss, putting him in the top 10 highest-paid college coaches. So, money troubles in Oxford? Not exactly. Plus, if he jumps to the NFL, he’d be starting from scratch, having to prove himself all over again. And let’s not forget, he’s made it clear he prefers the college game. As he put it, “I really enjoy where we’re at, I really enjoy it. Also, when you win, the thing that I don’t like about the NFL is when you win, you kind of get punished. You draft last. When you win more in college, you’re able to get better players because now they see, ‘Man, I can go there and win championships, I can go there and beat Georgia.’ We’ve spent a lot of time to get it up to this place, that wouldn’t make a whole lot of sense to me.” And he’s got a point. It’s no joke building a team that can beat SEC champs like Georgia, especially like they did with that 28-10 win.
Tyler Siskey even highlights why Lane Kiffin can stick around for a while in Oxford. “I have to give credit to Keith Carter and the administration. When Glenn Boyce became president, he got very involved in athletics. They’re not going to get outbid. That might’ve happened in the past, but since Keith Carter took over—and even before, when Ross was here—Ross kind of opened up the checkbook. Before Ross Bjork, they didn’t really spend much on athletics,” Siskey noted.
It’s evident that in the past, Ole Miss did not prioritize athletic spending as it does now. Before Carter took over, budgets were tighter, and the school was not always aggressive in securing top-tier talent. That changed when Ross Bjork started loosening the purse strings. Carter, who learned under him, has doubled down on that approach. They are planning to spend around $20-22 million on student athletics for the 2025-2026 academic year.
Now, the reality is simple—winning requires resources. The best programs do not dominate solely on coaching ability; they heavily invest in facilities, recruiting, and staffing. The recent national champions—Ohio State and Michigan—serve as proof of that. For instance, Purdue is not likely to lift a trophy soon because it lacks those same resources. It’s no surprise that Lane Kiffin is staying and making significant moves for the team.
Lane Kiffin’s big move for Ole Miss’ future
For Lane Kiffin, recruiting is more than just a job; it’s an art. He doesn’t simply recruit; he masterfully persuades. Ole Miss fans are buzzing as he pursues one of the top quarterbacks in the 2026 class. His latest target is Landon Duckworth, a 6-foot-3 dual-threat quarterback from Alabama, ranked 6th among QBs in his class.
NCAA, College League, USA Football: Georgia at Mississippi Nov 9, 2024 Oxford, Mississippi, USA Mississippi Rebels head coach Lane Kiffin reacts during the second half against the Georgia Bulldogs at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium. Oxford Vaught-Hemingway Stadium Mississippi USA, EDITORIAL USE ONLY PUBLICATIONxINxGERxSUIxAUTxONLY Copyright: xPetrexThomasx 20241109_cec_in1_124
Now, based on Duckworth’s reaction after visiting Oxford, the Rebels might just be leading this race. “I had a great time at Ole Miss,” he said. Duckworth also added to it—“The coaches there are real. I broke down film with Coach Weiss, I spent time with Coach Kiffin, and I can tell they are genuine and real people.” It’s a significant win when a top-tier QB openly praises the staff’s authenticity, and Lane Kiffin knows Duckworth’s worth as a potential game-changer. Plus, the QB’s impressive stats speak for themselves—as a freshman, he threw for nearly 2,000 yards and 20 TDs, while also rushing for 355 yards. By his sophomore year, he had improved even further with 27 passing touchdowns and a stronger command of the offense.
But here’s the kicker: Lane Kiffin’s recruitment strategy doesn’t stop at quarterbacks; he’s also focusing on building a strong offensive line. Bryce Gilmore, a highly rated offensive tackle from Texas, recently announced his Top 6 choices, with Ole Miss making the list alongside Penn State, Arizona State, Arkansas, and Texas Tech. Some schools, like Penn State, might be late to the party, but not Ole Miss. They have been actively pursuing Gilmore since spring 2024, showcasing Kiffin’s strategic approach to recruiting, which sets him apart from others in the field. Now, we just gotta wait and see what Lane Kiffin cooks up in Oxford long-term!
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