Kiffin: 'We Have Free Agency in College Football'
The transfer portal has changed the landscape of college sports, and Lane Kiffin didn't pull his punches when speaking on the change during a press conference on Monday.
Ole Miss, like other programs across the country, will likely be relying heavily on the transfer portal this offseason to fill some spots on its roster, but Kiffin, who has a history in the NFL, likened it to a system in the pros.
"I don't think people really say it this way, but let's not make a mistake: we have free agency in college football," Kiffin said. "The kids a lot of times go where they get paid the most. No one else is saying that maybe, but kids say, 'This is what I'm getting here for NIL.' Free agency has been created in college football except you can't lock people into a contract. This is a whole new thing to deal with."
READ MORE: Portal Tracker: Updates on Top Quarterbacks Looking for a New Home
The portal has also had an effect on how schools structure their recruiting classes, specifically with the targeting of high school and JUCO players.
"Getting out on the road, there's a lot of frustration with junior college coaches and high school coaches because they feel like kids who were right on the bottom level of getting offers now aren't because they're used up on transfers," Kiffin said.
"[National Signing Day is] basically your draft class, but then you have your free agent class."
Kiffin stated that there was one player on Ole Miss' roster who was not at practice on Monday because he was on an official visit at another school after entering the portal. As he mentioned previously, NIL deals for players in the portal can be a tool used to bring them to a particular school, but the Rebel head coach is careful when discussing any type of possible deals available to prospective players.
"You can just talk about what people have gotten, but we can't direct that," Kiffin said. "We're not going to sit here and make promises that you're going to make this much money because once they're signed, they're not getting the money. We're kind of staying out of that world that other people are going into."
Outside of transfer portal talk, Kiffin also discussed the upcoming Sugar Bowl between his team and Baylor.
"It was really good to be back out there," Kiffin said. "Our players were really excited. We have a really special team who love practicing and being around each other."
Some of the bigger news from Monday on that front was that Jeff Lebby will be coaching the offense in New Orleans on New Year's Day. Lebby recently accepted the offensive coordinator position at Oklahoma, his alma mater.
"He'll coach the game, and we're happy for him going back to his alma mater," Kiffin said. "He's going to finish this thing off. It's a special team, and he's a huge part of that. We respect dual scheduling with him."
Kiffin said that there isn't a solid timetable for hiring Lebby's replacement, but he emphasized the important role his offensive coordinator has played over the last two seasons.
"We've been busy recruiting, but we want to make the right hire," Kiffin said. "Those are big shoes to fill."
Ole Miss and Baylor will kick off at 7:45 p.m. CT on Jan. 1 on ESPN.
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