The LSU Tigers have reportedly offered Ole Miss Rebels football coach Lane Kiffin a $98 million offer that encompasses program-building expenses, i.e., NIL and support staff. The offer could prevent Kiffin from coaching in the College Football Playoff if the Rebs win in the Egg Bowl next week, should he choose to accept it and leave the team before a potential CFP run at the University of Mississippi. The CFP selection committee has already committed to dropping Ole Miss if Kiffin isn't with the team.
CBS Sports' Brandon Marcello reported that the offer would put him in historic territory from a contract perspective. It would be one designed to circumvent the state of Louisiana's tricky contract laws, which wouldn't be the first time a state has moved things around to provide Kiffin resources.
"LSU is preparing one of the richest contracts in college football history in an attempt to lure Ole Miss coach Lane Kiffin to Baton Rouge, a person familiar with the discussions tells CBS Sports," Marcello wrote.
"The deal is believed to be for seven years and worth as much as $98 million, the source said, and includes a significant promise that would make LSU competitive in revenue sharing and NIL, the source said. A formal offer has not yet been made. Kiffin is expected to make a decision on his future after next Friday's Egg Bowl against rival Mississippi State, Ole Miss athletics director Keith Carter said Friday.
"State laws in Louisiana complicate high-paying contracts for university employees, so LSU's contract is expected to include "easy-to-achieve" incentive bonuses, a source said. LSU's base salary will probably be capped at just north of $3 million with additional money coming from outside sources and incentives. Additional bonuses could push the lifetime value of the current offer above the $98 million threshold."
Lane Kiffin could use LSU's offer as leverage against Ole Miss or Florida
Kiffin could accept LSU's proposal. He can also take it to Ole Miss and the University of Florida and demand they do everything possible to up the offer, exhausting the entire state's resources to do so. How will that go over in the Magnolia State and Sunshine State? Probably not well.
Kiffin's relationship is already on shaky grounds in Oxford after all these flirtations with other programs.
We'll see if it could withstand Louisiana State's godfather offer.