The Lane Kiffin circus is moving to another town.
Kiffin is expected to leave Ole Miss to take the same job at LSU, according to multiple reports. Kiffin reportedly will make the announcement Sunday morning after Ole Miss was eliminated from the SEC championship game after finishing in a four-way tie for first in the SEC at 7-1.
Kiffin’s departure will be one of the most panned coaching decisions in recent memory. He compiled a 55-19 record after taking over at Ole Miss in 2020 and pushed the program toward its first College Football Playoff appearance in school history.
Now, the Rebels will be looking for a new coach who can keep the program competitive in the SEC. Ole Miss has not had a coach for more than five seasons since David Cutcliffe, who was the coach from 1999-2004 after Tommy Tuberville left to take the Auburn job.
Rebels athletic director Keith Carter is on the spot here. Who will replace Kiffin this time around? A look at the potential candidates for the Ole Miss job.
Who might be in line to take Lane Kiffin's job at Ole Miss? A look at some of the best candidates:
MORE: Tracking college head coaching changes in 2025
Glenn Schumann, Georgia defensive coordinator
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Schumann, 35, also will be a popular candidate because of timing. The Georgia defensive coordinator has emerged as a popular candidate for SEC vacancies. He was a student analyst at Alabama and was an assistant coach for Nick Saban at Alabama and now Kirby Smart with Georgia. Schumann has no head coaching experience, but neither did Smart. The Bulldogs will be in the College Football Playoff, too, so this is a move that the Rebels would not have to rush to make.
Jimbo Fisher, former Texas A&M coach
Would Fisher fit in Oxford? Fisher, 60, has not coached each of the last two seasons since being fired at Texas A&M. Fisher won a national title with Florida State in 2013, one year before the playoff era started. He was 45-25 at Texas A&M – a.643 winning percentage that did not quite match the talent assembled. Fisher can recruit at an elite level – and he might come out of that coach reset with some lessons that could apply to NIL and the transfer portal era. It’s a boom-or-bust hire – but it’s splashy enough to put Kiffin in the past.
Willie Fritz, Houston coach
Fritz, 65, might have one more coaching move left. Look at the four-year track record. Between Tulane and Houston, Fritz is 35-15 the last four seasons, and that includes a 4-8 record in his first season with the Cougars. That’s a.700 winning percentage – and the turnaround at Houston did not take long. Fritz does not have SEC experience, which makes him more of a second-tier candidate given the names Ole Miss would be targeting.
Kenny Dillingham, Arizona State coach
Dillingham, 35, might be tough to pull away from Tempe, but he is 22-16 in three seasons with a College Football Playoff appearance. Dillingham was an offensive coordinator under Dan Lanning, and Arizona State was in turmoil when he arrived. He's charismatic and works well with quarterbacks. Sam Leavitt had 34 TDs and nine interceptions the last two seasons. Dillingham could work with the talent at Ole Miss, and he's 5-1 against top-25 teams.
Dan Mullen, UNLV coach
Could you imagine the reaction? Mullen, 53, has expressed no interest in returning to the SEC, but what if he gets the itch for one more Power 4 job? Mullen, of course, coached at Mississippi State from 2009-17, where he compiled a 69-46 record. He has a history of trolling Ole Miss fans, too. Still, this would be the ultimate heel turn. He was 5-4 in the Egg Bowl and had just three losing seasons between Mississippi State and Florida.
Collin Klein, Texas A&M offensive coordinator
Klein, 36, has SEC experience as an offensive coordinator with the Aggies the last two seasons. Marcel Reed had a breakout season for Texas A&M in 2024. Klein would not be a flashy hire, and it's a big step knowing he would be a first-time head coach. Still, he's a strong offensive presence who recruits well. Klein would be more of a second-tier candidate in this search, but we like the fit.