Lane Kiffin Affirms His Ole Miss Departure for LSU: 'I've Never Thought Twice'

Kiffin's decision got questioned after LSU went 4- 2, but that conversation is changing.

LSU head coach Lane Kiffin walks onto the field before a college football game between Ole Miss and LSU at Vaught Hemingway Stadium in Oxford, Miss., on Saturday, Sept. 19, 2026. Ole Miss defeated LSU 32-24. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Lane Kiffin spent some time on Wednesday during LSU's bye week talking with SEC media on the conference's teleconference. He continued his media time when he hopped on Brandon Walker's The Brandon Walker College Football Show, which aired later that night.

Walker and Kiffin shared a 15-minute conversation, ranging from conversations about the Texas and Alabama games to the fourth-down decision to punt against Kentucky.

But Walker wanted to know if Kiffin ever thinks about his decision to leave Ole Miss last season.

"I’ve never thought twice about this decision," Kiffin answered bluntly.

The Payoff

Tigers Head Coach Lane Kiffin, The LSU Tigers take on the Mississippi State Bulldogs. October 17, 2026; Baton Rouge, LA, USA; at Tiger Stadium. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Kiffin was asked in that question whether the job has met his expectations in reality, and been everything he thought it would be.

"And even more," Kiffin said. "From getting here and seeing when you play at home here and the stadium and the environment, and the state and the people, and how much support there is for football and then the kids in the state and how they play and how they love football."

The culture of off-the-field love for LSU is obviously something Kiffin is blown away by. But he says that's not the only thing affirming his decision to move to Baton Rouge.

"To see that we played already as well as anybody in the country at times and be a really dangerous team, we’re able to do that in an offseason like we’ve never had before," Kiffin said. "We got here, and then our coaches are still coaching there and going back and forth, and didn’t know our current players on the team previously. So, as crazy as it sounds, we will always have better rosters than we do this year."

The payoff has come just eight games into his first season; imagine what a couple of seasons of program-building could look like for Kiffin at LSU.

The Previous Doubt

Oct 3, 2026; Baton Rouge, Louisiana, USA; LSU Tigers head coach Lane Kiffin reacts to a play against the McNeese Cowboys during the second half at Tiger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

LSU came into 2026 with national championship expectations, and quickly, LSU found itself 4-2 and three spots from being out of the top 25.

The way LSU had lost had a lot of people asking questions about Kiffin's decisions, his roster and most specifically his quarterback.

All the while, Ole Miss had just one loss and was seemingly on top of the world.

Now that LSU and Ole Miss sit just three spots behind the Rebels and have the best offense and defense in the SEC, LSU fans are content.

But the whole time, Kiffin was content in Baton Rouge.

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