Jimbo Fisher blasts Lane Kiffin with one-word label no coach wants

Jeff Hauser

•
Jimbo Fisher blasts Lane Kiffin with one-word label no coach wants image

Former national championship-winning coach Jimbo Fisher became unhinged when asked about Lane Kiffin and the fallout from his departure from Ole Miss for LSU before the College Football Playoff.

Ahead of Ole Miss’ semifinal matchup against Miami in the Fiesta Bowl, Fisher criticized Kiffin for what he described as “changing the rules of the game” in the middle of Ole Miss’ postseason run.

Kiffin left Oxford for Baton Rouge last month and took several future LSU assistants with him. While some coaches initially remained with Ole Miss to help head coach Pete Golding during the CFP, that arrangement has since changed. 

Golding confirmed this week that wide receivers coach George McDonald and tight ends coach Joe Cox will not coach in the semifinal, while others, including offensive coordinator Charlie Weis Jr., remain in Oxford and travel to Glendale for the game. 

“You can’t change the rules of the game in the middle of the game, not for the staff, but because of the players,” Fisher said. “Is it really about the athletes, or is it about the money and everything else?”

Fisher said Kiffin underestimated the resilience of the Ole Miss roster after the Rebels upset Georgia to reach the semifinals.

More: Pete Golding sends blunt message to Lane Kiffin about Ole Miss' CFP run

“(Kiffin) thought his dysfunction of leaving would cause them dysfunction,” Fisher said. “Instead, it united them.” He went on to refer to the Tigers new coach as a "villain" in the situation. 

Ole Miss is one win from the national championship game, with kickoff set for 7:30 p.m. ET Thursday night on ESPN (Available on FuboTV) 

More college football news: 

News Correspondent