After weeks of rumors, Lane Kiffin confirmed on Sunday that he is leaving Ole Miss after six seasons to take over at LSU. The announcement followed an agreement last week between Kiffin and Ole Miss athletic director Keith Carter that a final decision needed to be reached this weekend.
Once Kiffin chose to accept the LSU job, Carter refused his request to finish out the season with the Rebels, making Friday’s Egg Bowl his final game at Ole Miss. While many are heavily criticizing the move, former NFL star Robert Griffin III is in favor of Kiffin’s coaching move.
Lane Kiffin’s LSU Move Gets an Upvote From Robert Griffin III
Kiffin wrapped up his six-year run at Ole Miss with a phenomenal 55-19 record, including four seasons with at least 10 wins. However, many Rebels fans are furious that he chose to leave for LSU right as the Rebels were closing in on a playoff spot.
Kiffin’s new contract at LSU spans seven years and pays roughly $12 million per season, with bonuses that could push the total value close to $100 million. Griffin III also thinks Kiffin made the right call.
“Lane Kiffin did what was right for his family and his career. No one is turning down 100 Million to Coach one of the most prestigious teams in College Football,” RGIII tweeted.
LSU athletic director Verge Ausberry praised the hire, calling Kiffin the top coach in the nation.
“Lane is a proven winner who has thrived in an era of college athletics that requires coaches to adapt and innovate,” Ausberry said. “His passion, creativity and authenticity make him the ideal leader to guide LSU into the future and consistently position us among the sport’s elite.”
LSU offered Kiffin a raise, but the appeal went beyond money, as the Tigers have a championship pedigree. They are 247-87 with three national championships since the 2000 season. They have won national titles under three of their previous four coaches, and the lone football coach in this stretch who did not win a national championship was Brian Kelly.
Kiffin has already begun embracing LSU’s winning culture, meeting with five-star commit Lamar Brown within hours of arriving on campus. With the early signing period for the 2026 class approaching on December 3-5, he is expected to reassure recruits that LSU remains the right destination.
LSU is 7-5 this season, including a 3-5 record in the Southeastern Conference. The Tigers ended the regular season with a 17-13 loss to Oklahoma on Saturday and rank No. 39 in the PFSN College Football Playoff Ranking.
