Paul Finebaum names SEC coach who is ‘badly losing the PR battle’

The prominent ESPN analyst analyzed the fallout after a coach left a playoff contender for a conference rival during the postseason.

ESPN college football analyst Paul Finebaum criticized the head coach of this SEC powerhouse after last weekend's College Football Playoff action. | Christopher Hanewinckel-Imagn Images

A dream season that propelled a Southeastern Conference football program into the national title conversation has been marred by a chaotic coaching exit, leaving an elite roster in limbo. The sudden departure of the program's architect to a fierce conference rival during the most critical stretch of the postseason has created an unprecedented conflict of interest for the remaining staff.

These assistant coaches are currently attempting to balance their loyalty to a group of championship-bound athletes with the demands of their new employers who are already focused on the next recruiting cycle.

The tension reached a boiling point after an unexpected victory against a top-ranked opponent extended the season and complicated the logistics for everyone involved in the building. ESPN analyst Paul Finebaum recently weighed in on the situation, noting that the optics of this exit have shifted from a standard career move to a damaging public image crisis.

While the departing head coach claims there is a transparent plan for his assistants to support both programs, the reality on the ground suggests otherwise: restricted access and divided loyalties.

The decision to prioritize the transfer portal over a chance at a national title has sparked a national debate about professional integrity and the responsibility a coach has to the players who helped build a winning culture.

Finebaum suggests that one specific individual is responsible for the ongoing friction and has failed to take the necessary steps to protect the program he built from unnecessary distractions. The fallout has created a significant hurdle for a team preparing for a semifinal matchup that represents the pinnacle of their school history.

Paul Finebaum says Lane Kiffin is poorly handling LSU transition

Appearing on the McElroy and Cubelic in the Morning podcast on Monday, Finebaum offered a scathing review of how LSU Tigers head coach Lane Kiffin has handled his exit from Oxford. The veteran broadcaster did not hold back when discussing the optics of the situation as the Rebels prepare for a historic playoff game without total clarity regarding their coaching staff.

Finebaum pointed directly at the new Tigers leader as the primary source of the friction that has dominated the national conversation.

LSU Tigers head coach Lane Kiffin is not navigating the postseason well, according to ESPN college football analyst Paul Finebaum. | Matthew Hinton-Imagn Images

"I think it's incredibly sad," Paul Finebaum said during the broadcast. "There's one person who can make all this easier and that's Lane Kiffin. Lane Kiffin is badly losing the PR battle. I know he's working hard. I'd love to look at Kiffin's phone right now, guys, you can probably attest to this. To see how many media members he has texted, trying to spin them on how much he cares about the Ole Miss program. But it's pretty obvious that he doesn't."

The analyst argued that the coach's focus has clearly shifted to his new surroundings at the expense of his former players. "He cares about where he is now, which is understandable but it also negates a lot of what he said leading into his departure that he really wanted to stay there," Finebaum noted.

"I think it turns out that Keith Carter and a lot of the administration at Ole Miss made a real good decision because I don't think Ole Miss would've beaten Georgia if Kiffin had been going back and forth between Baton Rouge and Oxford."

Ole Miss quarterback Trinidad Chambliss (6) threw for 362 yards and two touchdowns in the Rebels' 39-34 win over Georgia in the Sugar Bowl. | Amber Searls-Imagn Images

As the postseason reaches its peak, the veteran journalist lamented the lack of resolution for the remaining staff and athletes. "I'm not going to try to sound like I'm a peacekeeper for the UN," Finebaum added.

"I think it's really tragic that more hasn't been done by all parties, but mainly Lane Kiffin, to make this transition for Ole Miss easier as they get ready to go to the Fiesta Bowl."

The Ole Miss Rebels will play the Miami Hurricanes in the Fiesta Bowl on Thursday at 7:30 p.m. ET on ESPN.