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Insider reveals $54 million college football coach is Florida's 'No. 1 choice'

A favorite is emerging to be the new Florida coach in the latest college football rumors.
Jonathan Adams|
Florida head coach Billy Napier talks with Florida quarterback DJ Lagway (2) during the first half of an NCAA football game at Steve Spurrier Field at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium in Gainesville, FL on Saturday, October 18, 2025. [Alan Youngblood/Gainesville Sun]
Florida head coach Billy Napier talks with Florida quarterback DJ Lagway (2) during the first half of an NCAA football game at Steve Spurrier Field at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium in Gainesville, FL on Saturday, October 18, 2025. [Alan Youngblood/Gainesville Sun] | Alan Youngblood/Gainesville Sun / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

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College football rumors are swirling about who will be Florida's next coach. There is no shortage of interest in the high-level opening following Billy Napier's firing.

One name is already emerging as a potential favorite to land the Gators gig. The question is whether the SEC coach will take the job.

On3's Andy Staples revealed that Florida's top choice is Ole Miss head coach Lane Kiffin. The question is whether Kiffin will bolt Oxford for Gainesville.

"So let's talk candidates because obviously everybody wants to know who's next at Florida," Staples explained on Sunday's episode of the "College Football Enquirer." "The Florida fans, I think the major Florida donors, I think the Florida administration, their No. 1 choice would be Lane Kiffin.

"I don't know if Lane Kiffin will take the job. It's not money. Ole Miss and Florida can offer the same amount of money."

Missouri's Eli Drinkwitz and Former Penn State HC James Franklin are being floated as candidates to be Florida's new coach

The case for Kiffin leaving Ole Miss is obvious. Florida is widely viewed as a more prestigious job with strong resources and is located in one of the most talented states to recruit in college football.

Yet, it is not a no-brainer that Kiffin will leave Ole Miss. Thanks to the expanded College Football Playoff, the transfer portal and NIL's impact, coaches like Kiffin and Indiana's Curt Cignetti are able to build contenders at non-traditional programs.

Kiffin already has transformed Ole Miss into a top-10 program. The coach may prefer to remain at Oxford. There is also the reality that the Florida job comes with a lot of pressure that may not exist at Ole Miss.

If Kiffin opts to stay at Ole Miss, Missouri's Eli Drinkwitz and former Penn State coach James Franklin are among the names who could gain traction. Kiffin earns about $9 million annually and his contract at Ole Miss is slated to go through the 2030 season, per Yahoo Sports.

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Jonathan Adams
JONATHAN ADAMS

Jonathan Adams is a veteran sports writer who has written for notable outlets and interviewed some of the top athletes for more than 10 years. Since 2015, his sports coverage has been read by tens of millions and has been prominently featured on Heavy, NFL.com, Yahoo Sports, Pro Football Talk, CBS Sports, Bleacher Report and more. Jonathan is a member of the Football Writers Association of America (FWAA) and a voter for the Maxwell Award and Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year. He has interviewed many of the biggest stars in sports — Bryce Harper, Jayden Daniels, Justin Jefferson, Bijan Robinson and Micah Parsons to name a few — and has traveled the country to cover the College Football Playoff, NFL draft, Masters, March Madness, Senior Bowl, McDonald’s All-American Game and beyond. Jonathan Adams studied at the University of Central Florida and The Seattle School of Theology & Psychology. He holds master degrees in sport business management, business administration and theology & culture.

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