Elite? Lane Kiffin Listed As Top 10 Coach Heading Into 2024 Season

The Ole Miss Rebels coach is on the rise following a breakout 2023 season in Oxford.

Lane Kiffin is a consensus top-five coach in the SEC following a record-setting season at Ole Miss. Some might consider him top-three following the retirement of Alabama's Nick Saban.

Where does the fifth-year Rebels coach rank nationally? According to ESPN, he's a clear-cut top-10 name in the industry.

Kiffin appeared in the No. 8 spot in the latest top 10 coaching list heading into 2024. Among SEC coaches, his 35-14 record ranks third in wins since 2020, trailing only Georgia's Kirby Smart (50-4) and Alabama's Kalen DeBoer (37-9).

At 48, Kiffin is already in his fifth head-coaching stop. He was hired as the Oakland Raiders' coach in 2007, when he was only 31, and although there were some growing pains along the way, he has developed into one of the more creative and interesting coaches in college football. Entering his fifth season at Ole Miss, Kiffin has accomplished things in Oxford that hadn't been done before. The Rebels have won 10 regular-season games in two of the past three seasons; prior to Kiffin's arrival, they had never won 10 regular-season games. Kiffin is renowned as one of the top offensive minds in the game, and his offenses are both balanced and unpredictable. Ole Miss and Alabama are the only two teams in the SEC to average 33 or more points each of the past four seasons.

Kiffin is quick to troll anybody and everybody on social media and is polarizing among rival fan bases. He's still a bit of a lightning rod, but said his time working under Saban helped him become a more efficient manager of an entire program. Kiffin has also worked the evolving nature of college football to his advantage and scored big in the transfer portal.  - ESPN

Kiffin is the ideal coach for today's game. He's personable with recruits and understands college football's future impact on NIL and the transfer portal. He's hilarious in pressers with his quick one-liners and isn't afraid to ruffle feathers on "X", especially opponents before or after a big game.

Nov 18, 2023; Oxford, Mississippi, USA; Mississippi Rebels head coach Lane Kiffin watches during

Petre Thomas-USA TODAY Sports

But results speak volumes about Kiffin and his ideologies. The Rebels have posted two 10-plus win seasons in four years while averaging over 33 points per game. Last season, Ole Miss finished top-15 in total offense (461.9 yards per game) and scoring (35.1 points per game).

Ole Miss is set up for success past 2024, but the impending season could be one to remember in Oxford. The Rebels picked up another top-five portal class with key additions in Juice Wells (South Carolina), Walter Nolen (Texas A&M), and Chris Paul (Arkansas). Quarterback Jaxson Dart headlines several veterans who elected to return for their senior season following a Peach Bowl win over Penn State.

Kiffin, who's four wins away from 100 victories at the collegiate level, has his sights set on a 12-team College Football Playoff but isn't shying away from the importance of setting a standard in spring practice.

"Our roster certainly looks like the best one since we've been here," said Kiffin. "Probably by far, because you have so many returning pieces from last year and then these additions of other pieces…It's a really good roster, which I know will be talked about, but that does not mean we're a good team."

Kiffin was one of four SEC coaches listed by ESPN entering 2024, Smart and DeBoer took to the top two spots following their success in Athens and Seattle. Georiga's won two national titles and been to the college football playoff three times since Smart's hiring in 2016.

DeBoer, Saban's heir apparent, went 25-3 during his two seasons at Washington, including 14-1 in 2023 with a national championship berth.

Texas' Steve Sarkisian was listed one spot above Kiffin at No. 7 following his breakout season in Austin. Last season, the Longhorns won their first Big 12 title since 2009 and clinched a spot in the College Football Playoff behind a stellar offense headlined by Quinn Ewers.

Here's a list of the top 10 coaches in order:

1. Kirby Smart (Georgia)

2. Kalen DeBoer (Alabama)

3. Kyle Whittingham (Utah)

4. Dabo Swinney (Clemson)

5. Mike Norvell (Florida State)

6. Dan Lanning (Oregon)

7. Steve Sarkisian (Texas)

8. Lane Kiffin (Ole Miss)

9. Lance Leipold (Kansas)

10. Ryan Day (Ohio State) 

The Rebels return to Vaught-Hemingway Stadium for the annual Grove Bowl next Saturday, April 13.