Report: Lane Kiffin Has Expressed Interest in FSU Coaching Job

Florida Atlantic coach Lane Kiffin has expressed his interested in Flordia State's vacant coaching job, according to CBS Sports' Dennis Dodd.

Florida State fired coach Willie Taggart on Sunday following the Seminoles' 27–10 loss to rival Miami. The team suffered their third loss in four games and fell to 4–5 on the season.

FSU owes Taggart $17 million, which is the second-largest buyout in college football history behind the $19 million Notre Dame owed Charlie Weis after firing him in 2009. Taggart had more than four years remaining on his contract. The Seminoles went 9–12 during his year-and-a-half with the program.

After missing a bowl game last year for the first time since 1981, Florida State is on the cusp of missing postseason play for the second straight season.

Odell Haggins, who is in his 26th season on FSU’s coaching staff, will serve as interim head coach.

Kiffin has led the Owls to a 22–13 record since his start at FAU in 2017. He began his college football head coaching career at Tennessee in 2009 before leaving the Vols after one season to join USC. The Trojans went 10–2 in Kiffin's second season with the team while still dealing with NCAA sanctions resulting from the Reggie Bush scandal.

In his fourth season with the Trojans, athletic director Pat Harden fired Kiffin at a Los Angeles airport following a 62–41 loss to Arizona State. Kiffin went on to work with Nick Saban as Alabama's offensive coordinator before resuming his head coaching career with FAU.

After the report on Kiffin's interest in FSU surfaced, fans reached out to him on Twitter about his potential departure. The coach sounded committed to staying at FAU.

The Seminoles will travel to play Boston College on Saturday before finishing their season with games against Alabama State and No. 10 Florida.