Lane Kiffin is the main character of the 2025 college football coaching cycle. With several SEC jobs opening up, many are predicting Kiffin to leave the Ole Miss Rebels, of which he's been the coach for over half a decade.
In the same breath, everyone is mentioning the possibility of staying.
There's emotional whiplash when it comes to Kiffin's next move. Should he stay or should he go? His family likes it in Oxford, Mississippi, but his legacy could likely benefit from being at a program more suited to winning championships.
They're a sleeping giant that's been snoring for at least half a decade, but the Florida Gators are who many have in mind. USA Today's Paul Myerberg officially predicted Kiffin to land in Gainesville, but sounded awfully unsure if the 50-year-old actually would leave Ole Miss.
Myerberg even offered an alternative option to Kiffin, Missouri Tigers head coach Eli Drinkwitz, which shows a supreme lack of faith in the prediction.
"The best odds at this moment have Kiffin either staying put or replacing Billy Napier with the Gators. One thing that can’t be overlooked but has been largely ignored during the will-he-or-won’t-he debate: Kiffin has established a consistent contender and might be drawn to finish what he’s started after leading an itinerant coaching career before his arrival in Oxford," Myerberg wrote.
"He'd clearly be a home run for the Gators, though he wouldn’t be the first in recent history to earn that label — in one form or another, each of Will Muschamp, Jim McElwain, Dan Mullen and Napier were viewed the same way. But none of those coaches had won at Kiffin’s level in the SEC.
"If Kiffin does stay put, look for Florida to pivot to Missouri coach Eli Drinkwitz. He shares many of same traits that have made Kiffin the hottest name in this year’s coaching cycle and has the personality to handle the pressures of the position."
Between the Gators, LSU Tigers, Auburn Tigers, and even the Arkansas Razorbacks, there will be no shortage of teams willing to pay Kiffin. Of course, Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry probably killed the LSU option after his comment on Kiffin's agent, Jimmy Sexton, for Brian Kelly's buyout figure.
The University of Mississippi's donor base may face the same challenges that Louisiana State's did after the Kelly firing: raising a massive lump sum for a head coach to satisfy an anxious fanbase.
The hope in the Magnolia State would be that the taxpayers wouldn't have to foot the bill for a buyout down the road. If Kiffin is attached to Ole Miss as things appear, he may have the stamina to continue the uphill climb to make the Rebels a winner.
It's always a risk when the school hasn't won since the Vietnam War, though. That's why many keep circling Florida as a potential landing spot. And it won't change until an extension is signed by Kiffin and Sexton to stay with the Rebs.