Things are heating up in the Auburn football coaching search as the 2022 season winds down to a close. With just one regular season game left in the Iron Bowl, the university is expected to announce a new head coach shortly after this weekend at the latest.
But could an announcement come sooner? Last night, a Mississippi-based reporter that covers both Ole Miss and Mississippi State tweeted out that Kiffin would announce on Friday that he will step down from his position at Ole Miss to become the next head coach of the Auburn football program.
Almost immediately, the report was shot down by Lane Kiffin, but he didn’t deny anything. Moreover, he hasn’t done anything to make Ole Miss fans feel better about him remaining with the program.
At his weekly Monday press conference, reporters addressed the Auburn football rumors and asked Kiffin about taking the job. His answer was extremely vague, and definitely bodes in favor of the Tigers, per Auburn Live:
"“I don’t know what else to say,” Kiffin said. “I’m extremely happy here. I can get up here and give the ‘Pine Box’ speech and ‘I’m not going to be the next head coach at Alabama.’ I can give you those things … don’t know what those mean.”"
Kiffin has been reportedly offered a new contract by Ole Miss that would make him one of the ten highest paid coaches in all of college football, but Kiffin has not signed it at this point. And moving forward, if the report leaked earlier this week is true, does the announcement come earlier than the Iron Bowl? Does Kiffin coach the Egg Bowl?
Still, nothing is set in stone, but it’s beginning to look more and more like Kiffin will be trading in his powder blue and red for navy blue and orange next season.