ESPN's Rece Davis Denies Lane Kiffin's Agent Swayed Him to Choose LSU Over Ole Miss

Davis weighed in on the narrative that Kiffin's agent swayed his decision, denies the social media rumor.

Nov 8, 2025; Lubbock, Texas, USA; ESPN College Game Day host Rece Davis before the game between the Texas Tech Red Raiders and the Brigham Young Cougars at Jones AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Michael C. Johnson-Imagn Images | Michael C. Johnson-Imagn Images

The Lane Kiffin era in Oxford came to an end last Sunday after the ex-Ole Miss Rebels head coach made the decision to depart the program for the LSU Tigers job.

In a historic move, Kiffin accepted the LSU job amid a College Football Playoff run with the Rebels where the program ended the 2025 regular season with an 11-1 record after defeating Mississippi State in Week 14.

Now, Kiffin has arrived in Baton Rouge as the new shot-caller of the Bayou Bengals after his request to coach the Ole Miss Rebels in the postseason was denied by Ole Miss athletics director Keith Carter.

“Yeah, I think that, you know, it was a really difficult decision and, when you’re in those difficult decisions and you’re torn, very torn, back and forth, back and forth and there’s multiple options, you know? "There were really, you know, four different places, you know, that we had to think about in this,” said Kiffin.

Dec 1, 2025; Baton Rouge, LA, USA; LSU president Wade Rousse, left, LSU new head coach Lane Kiffin and LSU athletic director Verge Ausberry stand together at South Stadium Club at Tiger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Hinton-Imagn Images | Matthew Hinton-Imagn Images

“And, I just talked to them, and it really was apparent too. I felt like everybody I talked to outside of the state that I was in all basically said the same thing, okay. They all said, man, you are going to regret it if you don’t take the shot and you don’t go to LSU.

"It’s the best job in America with the best resources, and to win it. And, it’s obviously been done here before by a number of people.”

Kiffin is represented by one of the most powerful agents in college football, Jimmy Sexton, where he negotiated a strong deal for his client as the Ole Miss Rebels, LSU Tigers, and Florida Gators became the three frontrunners.

Once Kiffin's decision was made, social media ran with a narrative that Sexton and his fellow client, Nick Saban, wanted him to ultimately sign with LSU all along.

But ESPN analyst Rece Davis, a CAA client himself, denied that rumor this week.

Jan 1, 2025; Pasadena, California, USA; Rece Davis on the ESPN Gameday set at Rose Bowl Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

“I’ve been at ESPN for 30 years,” Davis began via SI Media With Jimmy Traina. “Never has an executive said, ‘Say this, don’t say that,’ whatever. Never. Not one time. And while I’m very friendly with Jimmy, I’m a CAA client.

"Jimmy is not my rep directly; Matt Kramer is, but I’m friends with Jimmy. I have great respect for him. He would never do that. He would never come to me and say, ‘Hey, I need you to say this.’ He just wouldn’t do that. That’s not the kind of person he is.

“Now, is he a tough, hard-negotiating agent? Is he powerful? Of course he is. But it would never occur to him to come and try to tell us what to say about any of this. Or at least, in my experience, [he] wouldn’t. So that aspect of it is kind of preposterous to me. But everybody loves a good conspiracy theory.”

Now, as the new era begins under head coach Pete Golding, all eyes are on No. 6 Ole Miss (11-1, 7-1 SEC) with a College Football Playoff berth within arms reach.

More Ole Miss News:

Ole Miss Makes Final Decision on Lane Kiffin Coaching CFP As LSU Tigers Pick Up Steam

Potential Lane Kiffin Replacements Revealed As Future With Ole Miss 'In Doubt'

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

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