Ole Miss Rebels and Head Coach Lane Kiffin Agree to New Contract Extension Through 2028

In an article from local news station WJTV, Kiffin and Vice Chancellor for Intercollegiate Athletics Keith Carter told the public why they decided to make this move.

“Our football program is experiencing unprecedented success under Coach Kiffin, and we could not be more excited about what the future holds under his leadership,” said Carter. “In just four years, he has established our team as a sustained winner that is on a trajectory to championship status. With our continued investment in the program and the tremendous support of the Grove Collective, the Ole Miss family is committed to providing Coach Kiffin the resources needed to compete at an elite level.”

Kiffin finds himself in one of the two conferences in college football that have control in the future. Aside from the Big Ten, the SEC is the only conference that schools can safely participate in knowing that if they win their games, they will have a shot at the National Championship.

Kiffin’s schedule difficulty will likely ramp up in the next few years, but what he’s done at Ole Miss already speaks for itself. Not only has Kiffin proven that he can win games, but he’s proven that he can recruit.

As of right now, Kiffin has the No. 3 ranked transfer portal class, according to On3. In the new era of the transfer portal and NIL, the inability to adapt will leave programs in the dust. National Championship-winning Clemson Tigers head coach Dabo Swinney is experiencing just that, after leading the Tigers to their first sub 10-win season since 2010.

Kiffin’s accomplishments with Ole Miss thus far are a large part of the reason he decided to remain with the team.

“We’re doing things here that have never been done before, and with the commitment that our leadership and supporters are making, we have the opportunity to build on the foundation that has been established over the last four years,” said Kiffin. “I’m grateful to Chancellor Boyce and Keith for their support, and we look forward to continuing on our path to becoming a championship program.”

Ole Miss Rebels head coach Lane Kiffin had issues with contracts in the past

Although it was over a decade ago, Tennessee Volunteer fans will never forget how Kiffin left their program. Kiffin signed a six-year, $14.25 million dollar contract with Tennessee. Despite the contract, he left after just one year.

Kiffin and the Volunteers went 7-6 with a loss to the Virginia Tech Hokies in the Chick-fil-A Bowl. On Jan. 12, 2010, Kiffin held a press conference and announced he would be leaving to take the head coaching job with the USC Trojans.

Tennessee fans started riots following the announcement. Students and fans burned mattresses and hurled various objects at the former head coach. The decision shocked the football world, and some Tennessee fans still hold a grudge.

While Kiffin was only 35-years-old at the time, the abandonment of a fellow SEC team will always be at the back of the mind of Rebels fans. Some may argue he matured since that point in time as he is now 48-years-old, but the fact remains that Kiffin has failed to honor a contract in the past.

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