Former Ole Miss Football Running Back Makes Stunning Move in Joining LSU Tigers Staff

Former Ole Miss Rebels running back Fred McAfee is set to join Lane Kiffin and the LSU Tigers staff in Baton Rouge, according to 104.5 ESPN's Matt Moscona.

McAfee is the son of former New Orleans Saints running back Fred McAfee where he will join the LSU Tigers staff as the program's assistant running backs coach.

Ole Miss saw running backs coach Kevin Smith make the move to Baton Rouge once Kiffin departed where McAfee is set to serve as his assistant in 2026.

Once Kiffin made the move to Ole Miss, he brought over multiple assistant coaches including offensive coordinator Charlie Weis Jr., wide receivers coach George McDonald, and tight ends coach Joe Cox, among several others.

From there, Kiffin and Co. added Smith to the list of staffers where he is set to earn a historic salary after making the move from Oxford to Baton Rouge.

Now, McAfee is set to join him in Baton Rouge with the former Ole Miss running back joining an SEC rival in a prominent role for the 2026 season.

NEW: Former Ole Miss RB Fred McAfee is joining the LSU staff as Asst. RB coach to Kevin Smith, source confirms.

He is the son of former Saints RB Fred McAfee.@1045espn @LASportsDotNet
— Matt Moscona (@MattMoscona) January 24, 2026

Ole Mis has navigated a critical offseason in Oxford with multiple staff changes occurring on offense - including the addition of ex-LSU running backs coach/associate head coach Frank Wilson.

Wilson, a Louisiana icon with ties across the Bayou State, provides the Ole Miss staff with a strategic recruiter with ties like no other across the city of New Orleans.

“We've had conversations, and for me and for Coach Kiffin, it's let's play [the Texas Bowl] on the 27th and we'll go into those details later,” Wilson said last month. “We just want to finish what we've started with this football team, give them our undivided attention before transition happens.

“Until then, nothing will necessarily happen in that regard. There will be opportunity there. Where that lies, I'm not sure. But the priority is our current football team.”

Now, Wilson has made his move official after joining Ole Miss as a critical component to Pete Golding's staff in the Magnolia State.

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