Colin Cowherd spells out limitations Lane Kiffin has at Ole Miss

Ole Miss Rebels head coach Lane Kiffin | Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images

Ole Miss head football coach Lane Kiffin is the hottest name on the rumor mill, receiving plenty of attention from open SEC jobs like Florida and LSU, while NFL opportunities may aslo be there if he wants them. When it comes to evaluating a possible move, though, longtime radio/TV host Colin Cowherd explained why Kiffin might actually be better off finally leaving Oxford.

Kiffin has cleaned up in Oxford, both on the field and personally. He's always had a jagged edge, but there's no denying Kiffin is more liked and appears more likeable than he ever has — but he's also winning huge for the Rebels. They're finally positioned to make the program's very first College Football Playoff appearance in 2025-26. But after this season, Cowherd suggested on a recent episode of his podcast that Kiffin ought to keep an eye out for a slightly better situation given what he perceives as limitations with Ole Miss.

"I had a really smart guy tell me this, a current college coach, and he was talking about Old Miss and the limitations," Cowherd began. "He said, ‘Offensive recruits will follow the coach.' They follow Steve Sarkisian, Lane Kiffin, Kalen DeBoer. Offensive players, they want to know who the coach is, what the system is."

As evidenced by Lane Kiffin's routinely terrific offenses in Oxford. But about that defense...

"Great defensive players, they want to go to Georgia, Texas, LSU," Cowherd asserted. "Not about scheme. 'I want to get taken care of. I want an NIL check. I got to play in the trenches.' That’s the limitation of Ole Miss."

Cowherd believes Kiffin can always stock up offensively, but whether a more offensive-minded coach can build a defense of requisite strength, to win a title, remains to be seen at Ole Miss.

"When I asked somebody about Ole Miss, they said, 'Lane’s always going to get offensive guys. Offensive guys follow the coach. Defensive guys don’t. He’s never going to have Georgia’s defensive personnel, he’s never going to have 'Bama’s, he’s never going to have Ohio State’s. Defensive guys go to the big schools.'"

Mississippi Rebels linebackers and defensive backs | Petre Thomas-Imagn Images

Cowherd noted that, historically, a more random list of schools can produce great offenses, especially under a terrific coach, but over almost the entire history of college football, it's the big name brands that maintain elite play on the defensive side of the football.

"And so this coach said, ’Lane knows he’s limited. When he faces the big dogs in the SEC, he’ll have to outscore them. He’s not stopping them.' And so that’s just something to think about. I thought it was very, very wise."

If Lane Kiffin does make a move to, say, LSU or Florida, perhaps he would have a straight pipeline to a higher level of defensive talent than he's been able to ensnare at Ole Miss — and that could very well be the difference between Lane Kiffin the great Ole Miss coach and Lane Kiffin the national champion.