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Lane Kiffin's LSU decision sparks Dan Orlovsky's push for major college football reform

Joe Cox|
The awkward departure of Lane Kiffin has ESPN analyst Dan Orlovsky blaming the NCAA for the mess that ensued.
The awkward departure of Lane Kiffin has ESPN analyst Dan Orlovsky blaming the NCAA for the mess that ensued. | Ayrton Breckenridge/Clarion Ledger / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

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With a weekend of madness behind, many within college sports are blaming Lane Kiffin. On the other hand, others, including ESPN analyst Dan Orlovsky are taking the NCAA to task for the awkward timing of the academic and athletic year that have been interposed on top of each other.

Orlovsky's takes

Orlovksy fired off some tweets over the weekend questioning the appropriateness of the NCAA ahdnling of the situation, and doubled down on those comments when asked about the situation on ESPN's First Take.

What is Lane Kiffin supposed to do? Unequivocally, everyone would sit here and tell you, top five job in college football-- LSU. Unquestionably, the chance to legitimately go win a national championship. And not a ton of schools can say that. And so he's left with the decision, because of the way the calendar is set up... he is left with the decision of 'I just took this team to the brink of the Playoff and a potential national championship' and seeing that through or turning down what maybe is the next step, what maybe is a dream job, what maybe is, in his words, he said the next challenge.
Dan Orlovksy

A wild Kiffin weekend

Orlovsky is referencing the tension between Kiffin's desire to take the LSU job and his desire to continue coaching Ole Miss through the postseason. The tension between those two aims reportedly drove the process of Kiffin's separation from Ole Miss and announcement for LSU to its absurdly lengthy conclusion. Lest anyone miss his point, Orlovsky doubled down on who he feels was responsible for the events in question.

Orlovsky blames the NCAA again

And so Lane Kiffin is the bad guy here, because these idiots who set this college football calendar this way? That's not Lane Kiffin's fault. If we remove all the emotion, what is he supposed to do? Truly not take the next step because poor calendar management and setting of dates? That's not fair to Lane Kiffin. It's not fair to the kids. I feel awful for the kids at Ole Miss. But this is the people, the leadership of the NCAA once again having awful leadership when it comes to that stuff.
Dan Orlovsky
Kiffin
Dan Orlovsky doubled down on his support for Lane Kiffin in his difficult position on ESPN. | Matt Bush / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
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Joe Cox
JOE COX

Joe is a journalist and writer who covers college and professional sports. He has written or co-written over a dozen sports books, including several regional best sellers. His last book, A Fine Team Man, is about Jackie Robinson and the lives he changed. Joe has been a guest on MLB Network, the Paul Finebaum show and numerous other television and radio shows. He has been inside MLB dugouts, covered bowl games and conference tournaments with Saturday Down South and still loves telling the stories of sports past and present.

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