Paul Finebaum names $9 million head coach as ‘villain’ of college football

SEC Nation host Paul Finebaum | Maria Lysaker-Imagn Images

SEC Network analyst and personality Paul Finebaum had to set the record straight on a college football sentiment that was bugging him this past Saturday. On Sunday following Week 13's slate of games, he joined the Matt Barrie Show and aired his grievances about the discourse surrounding off-field storylines in the sport.

There's no secret that coaching changes and rumors have dominated the headlines of late. Schools are paying historic buyouts and making massive leadership changes at an unprecedented rate across the country. Naturally, the turbulent seas off the field have made for an interesting season of discussion around the sport, with some pundits questioning how healthy all the madness is for college football long-term. Paul Finebaum isn't buying into that mindset.

"The thing that bothers me the most is you get people who just blast college football," Finebaum told Barrie, referencing the commentary. "I heard one of our good friends say yesterday on GameDay, ‘Hey, we got to do something about this.’"

Finebaum sort of scoffs at the idea that all this midseason attention on coaching searches is a product of the new era. Sure, changes across the sport may be why certain powerhouse programs cut ties with their coaches, but Finebaum points out that there's really only one person driving all the drama right now.

"Matt, we have to do something about everything and it’s not ever going to get done, okay," Finebaum lectured. "So, when somebody is flirting with three different schools, including the one you currently work for, that is on you. It is not on the system."

Well, you've got to wonder who he is speaking of...

Mississippi Rebels head coach Lane Kiffin throws a football during pregame warmups against the Florida Gators at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium | Petre Thomas-Imagn Images

Paul Finebaum calls out Lane Kiffin as 'villain'

"The only reason that it’s more pressing is that the system is around the corner and that system just happens to be the one thing that everybody works so hard to get to and that’s the College Football Playoff," said Finebaum, clarifying himself. "So let’s not blame the Playoff and let’s not blame the calendar. Let’s blame the villain in all this, who is Lane Kiffin."

That was a pretty searing takedown of Lane Kiffin out of nowhere. But Lane Kiffin has a point. James Franklin's firing was obviously a big deal, but he didn't drag out the process of his move to Virginia Tech very long. In fact, without the LSU-Florida-Ole Miss Lane Kiffin love triangle dominating conversation, perhaps it would be the upcoming rivalry week and championship weekend matchups that will crystallize the playoff picture.

Lane Kiffin is currently making around $9 million per year as the Ole Miss coach but reports are that he'll make significantly more with a new deal from any of the Rebels or LSU/Florida by next season.