Lane Kiffin paints bleak picture of how NIL has affected college football coaching

Lane Kiffin opens up to Theo Von about NIL’s consequences.

Ole Miss Rebels head coach Lane Kiffin shared a dim view of the NIL era and its downstream effects on the sport and its coaches. | Petre Thomas-Imagn Images

Ole Miss coach Lane Kiffin did not mince words in a clip shared from comedian Theo Von’s podcast last week. In a conversation that was at times humorous but often sobering, Kiffin outlined how name, image and likeness deals have transformed the college football landscape.

The 50-year-old coach described a sport where traditional recruiting has been pushed aside by bidding wars, where booster collectives and agents play outsized roles, and where young athletes enter college with professional-level money but without the maturity to handle it.

For Kiffin, the consequences are felt not just by players, but also by coaches who now spend much of their time navigating finances instead of football.

Kiffin Says NIL Has Replaced Traditional Recruiting Relationships

Kiffin pointed to the growing influence of booster collectives, saying that securing funds often matters more than developing relationships. “If you don’t have the payroll, it’s hard to get players,” he said. “Look at who just won in basketball or made the playoff in football. They’re major programs with big financial resources.”

He explained that the old model of recruiting—visiting homes and building relationships years in advance—no longer matters in the same way. “Now it’s, ‘What are you paying me? What’s the second-year number?’” Kiffin said. “Most of them have agents now.”

Ole Miss Rebels coach Lane Kiffin levied a harsh assessment of the current state of college football. | Petre Thomas-Imagn Images

Kiffin admitted that he rarely hears from parents about academics anymore. “I never hear, ‘What’s your graduation rate?’ I never hear, ‘What’s the academic plan?’ It’s just, ‘When’s our NIL meeting?’” He called it sad, noting that while the system benefits players financially, he questions the long-term impact on their maturity and development.

Ego, Entitlement And A Lack Of Incentive

Kiffin said NIL money has changed the motivation structure for young athletes. “We’re giving kids too much too early,” he said. “They had this drive to get to the NFL because they wanted the money. Well, I’m getting the money already. So I’ve lost some drive.”

He described ego as the single biggest challenge facing players. Five-star recruits arrive with large NIL deals and immediate attention, often assuming success and wealth will last forever. “They just get in their own way,” Kiffin said. “It’s that one word, ego.”

Kiffin also pointed out how the transfer portal adds to the problem. “They want more when they haven’t done anything new,” he said. “It’s like renegotiating your contract twice a year even if you didn’t perform.” He argued that the sense of entitlement has removed the incentive to improve.

Lane Kiffin believes the changes brought about by NIL contributed to Nick Saban's retirement from coaching. | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

For Kiffin, these issues explain why some coaches, including former Alabama coach Nick Saban, have stepped away. “You spend so much time not coaching,” Kiffin said. “These conversations and the greed for it—it just changed.”

Kiffin closed with a warning that money and contracts cannot solve deeper problems. “That new contract, that next car, that next girl, that’s not going to fix it,” he said. “Until you fix how you think, nothing will change.”

The remarks underscore how dramatically NIL has reshaped college football, not just for athletes but also for the coaches tasked with leading them.