Georgia Football's Kirby Smart Comments on Lane Kiffin's Decision to Take LSU Job

The LSU Tigers have a new decision-maker in Baton Rouge with Lane Kiffin accepting the job to become the next head coach of the program.

In a move that continues stealing headlines, Kiffin departs Oxford amid a College Football Playoff run with the Ole Miss Rebels.

“After a lot of prayer and time spent with family, I made the difficult decision to accept the head coaching position at LSU,” Kiffin said in a statement.

“I was hoping to complete a historic six season run with this year’s team by leading Ole Miss through the playoffs, capitalizing on the team’s incredible success and their commitment to finish strong, and investing everything into a playoff run with guardrails in place to protect the program in any areas of concern.

“My request to do so was denied by Keith Carter despite the team also asking him to allow me to keep coaching them so they could better maintain their high level of performance. Unfortunately, that means Friday’s Egg Bowl was my last game coaching the Rebels.”

LSU Tigers Football. — Ole Miss head coach Lane Kiffin talks with quarterback Trinidad Chambliss (6) during a college football game between Mississippi State and Ole Miss at Davis Wade Stadium in Starkville, Miss., on Friday, Nov. 28, 2025. Ole Miss defeated Mississippi State 38-19 in the Egg Bowl. | Ayrton Breckenridge/Clarion Ledger / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The decision has sent shockwaves across the college football world with Kiffin making things official on Sunday after hopping on a plane and making his way to Baton Rouge.

Now, college football icon - and Georgia Bulldogs head coach Kirby Smart - has weighed in on the move.

Kirby Smart's Perspective:

"I don't envy the position he was in," Smart said on Monday during his press conference. "Really hard position to be in and to navigate.

"I think [Nick] Saban addressed it best. We are in a time frame where ADs and people are making decisions in a timeline that is not congruent with the season and the playoffs. So it makes for really difficult decisions."

Paul Finebaum's Take:

“Yes, he does, and it’s self inflicted,” Finebaum said. “What he just told Marty Smith—three years ago, he said the exact same thing about Ole Miss when he turned down Auburn.

"He stayed because of his family. And unfortunately, for Lane Kiffin, as great a coach as he is—he still doesn’t have a championship as a head coach by the way—he keeps bringing all this on.

“Part of it is he’s always looking around. He has wandering eyes. Last year, had Florida done the right thing and fired Billy Napier, Lane Kiffin would have taken that job.

"This year, the better job is LSU. Three years from now, what if Alabama comes open? You don’t think he wants that job? He was begging for that job two years ago after Nick Saban retired.”

More LSU News:

Kirk Herbstreit, Nick Saban Evaluate Lane Kiffin's Decision Amid LSU Football Push

Lane Kiffin 'Trending Toward Ending Up at LSU' As Tigers Pursue Coveted Head Coach

No. 1 Wide Receiver in Louisiana, LSU Football Commit Remains Locked in With Tigers

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