Kiffin admits regret over Ole Miss departure strategy
Lane Kiffin acknowledges he should have accepted Ole Miss athletic director Keith Carter’s refusal to let him stay, rather than attempting to remain at the university after agreeing to join LSU.
LSU head coach Lane Kiffin has publicly acknowledged regret regarding his conduct during his departure from Ole Miss, admitting he should have accepted the university’s decision to block his return after he had already agreed to take the LSU position. Speaking to ESPN in Tampa, Florida, Kiffin stated that he wishes he had simply accepted the refusal of Ole Miss athletic director Keith Carter to let him stay, rather than attempting to remain at the university after agreeing to join LSU.
Kiffin described his previous actions as an "impossible" situation, comparing it to trying to stay in a marriage while leaving for another partner. He explained that after guiding the Rebels to an 11-1 regular season record, he weighed options between Florida, LSU, or staying at Ole Miss. Once he informed Carter of his decision to join SEC rival LSU, he spent two days attempting to coach the Rebels in their first College Football Playoff appearance, a move he now views as misguided.
The situation became more contentious when Kiffin withheld assistant coaches from the Rebels during the playoffs. Kiffin admitted there was another way to handle the staff transition, noting that he could have allowed none of them to leave. He acknowledged that while the Rebels beat the Georgia Bulldogs in the CFP quarterfinal, he understands why the organization views the decision differently, stating that people look at things from where they are at.
Kiffin also addressed past criticisms regarding comments on Ole Miss's diversity and his decision to withhold assistant coaches from the Rebels during the playoffs, stating he has moved on from these issues. He described his May comments to Vanity Fair about elite recruits and diversity as a poor usage of terms with bad timing, apologizing for the phrasing while maintaining the factual basis of his belief. He noted that he has cordial interactions with Carter at SEC meetings this year.
Significantly reducing his social media usage, Kiffin cited a challenge from his son, Knox Kiffin, as the reason for the change. SEC commissioner Greg Sankey introduced Kiffin at SEC media days, noting Kiffin's subdued media presence and reduced social media usage. Sankey remarked that the "subdued" Kiffin is the kind he likes, as Kiffin focused on subtracting issues from his life rather than adding to them.
