$15 Million Coach Emerges As Candidate To Watch If Lane Kiffin Departs Ole Miss

The Ole Miss Rebels remain in a unique spot down the stretch of the 2025 regular season with head coach Lane Kiffin remaining noncommittal about returning to Oxford next year.

No. 5 Ole Miss is in the midst of a historic season with the program on the verge of clinching a spot in the College Football Playoff for the first time in school history, but the future of Kiffin has America's attention.

It's no secret the LSU Tigers and Florida Gators have emerged as the pair of schools looking to lure Kiffin out of Oxford this fall with Ole Miss looking to hold on moving forward.

As the rumor mill runs wild, Kiffin has remained mum on the subject with his sole focus on pushing the Rebels to their postseason goals with one regular season game on the docket.

“I think those of you that cover me, they’ve seen for six years how we answer these questions. We don’t discuss them during the season and don’t go into them,” Kiffin said on Sunday. “I don’t know why there would have been that fan narrative.

Ole Miss Rebels Football. — Nov 15, 2025; Oxford, Mississippi, USA; Mississippi Rebels head coach Lane Kiffin embraces running back Kewan Lacy (5) after defeating the Florida Gators at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Petre Thomas-Imagn Images | Petre Thomas-Imagn Images

"Somebody said both fans had a narrative they thought was happening. Which, I don’t know why that would happen. Besides just fans being fans. That’s why they’re fans.

“Basically, it’s like a policy of we don’t talk about it. So we never have. So why would they think, in season, all of a sudden that would happen. That certainly didn’t come from any, (or) shouldn’t have come from anyone that’s listened to our press conferences over the years.”

If Kiffin were to depart Oxford this offseason, college football analyst Josh Pate believes the Ole Miss Rebels should pursue Tulane Green Wave head coach Jon Sumrall.

"All due respect, mountains of respects, to Lane Kiffin. If I'm Ole Miss, I want you to be my head coach. But if it's not you, I'm going to be okay. I need to know sooner rather than later," Pate said.

"And I'm going to be okay because you know what I think? I think I could be very competitive with Auburn in trying to pursue Jon Sumrall. That's what I think because there aren't many places in the SEC right now that are set up better to succeed than Ole Miss."

Sumrall has emerged as the top target for the Auburn Tigers in their coaching search, but if the Ole Miss job was to come available, things would get fascinating.

The future of Kiffin remains the hottest topic in college football with the program in Oxford awaiting a decision as a contract extension waits to be signed.

More Ole Miss News:

National Analyst Believes Miami Dolphins Should Hire Ole Miss Football's Lane Kiffin

Ole Miss Football Great Doubles Down on Lane Kiffin to Florida Gators 'Not Happening'

Tony Vitello Pokes Fun at Ole Miss Football's Lane Kiffin in Goodbye to Tennessee

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