Ole Miss Fan Favorite Blasts Lane Kiffin After Recent Controversial Comments

Lane Kiffin has never been one to leave the news cycle dull.

Throughout his career, Kiffin has been known for making controversial comments to stir the pot. Whether it was during his time at USC, the Oakland Raiders, Tennessee or Ole Miss, he has never been far from the headlines.

In a recent interview with Vanity Fair, it happened again, with Kiffine making some very sensitive comments surrounding the difficulties of recruiting at Ole Miss vs. his new position at LSU, as well as the controversial history of the state of Mississippi and the university itself.

“‘Hey, coach, we really like you. But my grandparents aren’t letting me move to Oxford, Mississippi,’" Kiffin said in the interview. "That doesn’t come up when you say Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Parents were sitting here this weekend saying the campus’s diversity feels so great: ‘It feels like there’s no segregation. And we want that for our kid because that’s the real world."

Obviously, those words did not sit well with Ole Miss fans or alumni, including former Rebels defensive tackl Jerrell Powe, who called out Kiffin on social media.

Jerrell Powe blasts Lane Kiffin

Florida Gators quarterback Tim Tebow runs past University of Mississippi defensive tackle Jerrell Powe during the second half at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium. Mississippi beat the Gators 31-30. | Kim Klement-Imagn Images

And suffice it to say, Powe didn't hold anything back, ripping Kiffin for cashing in on a massive contract extension at the very place that helped rebuild his career, before leaving it in a very controversial manner.

"Lane had no problem selling Oxford to black athletes while stacking classes & winning games, and cashing a $90M contract off our backs," Powe said on X in response to the comments. "Now Mississippi “too racist”? Man please. He used black players to build himself up, then dipped in a playoff run. Tiger don’t change stripes."

It should be noted that, later in that interview, however, Kiffin did attempt to clarify that his comments about the recruiting difficulties and racial history of Ole Miss, explaining that they were'nt a shot at the school, but rather just a factual statement.

“I just hope [my comment] comes across respectful to Ole Miss," Kiffin later clarified. "There are some things that I’m saying that are factual; they’re not shots.”

Regardless, the damage has been done, as evidenced by the immense discourse on social media.

Still, former players and alumni such as Powe and others like him have gone to bat for Ole Miss in the wake of the comments.

And it would be reasonable to expect that to continue from those who know the town of Oxford, the state of Mississippi, and Ole Miss better than anyone.

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