Ole Miss' Lane Kiffin reveals what he told his players about the Florida job

Jeff Hauser

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Ole Miss' Lane Kiffin reveals what he told his players about the Florida job image

Lane Kiffin is used to hearing his name come up when major college football jobs open. But oddly enough, this time the Ole Miss coach decided to get ahead of the noise.

With Florida firing Billy Napier after a 3-4 start, Kiffin’s name quickly surfaced as one of the top targets in Gainesville. However, the No. 8 Rebels (6-1, 3-1 SEC) are chasing a College Football Playoff berth and can't afford a distraction. 

Kiffin addressed the rumors directly with his players before they become a distraction.

During an appearance on ESPN’s SportsCenter, reporter Molly McGrath said Kiffin told her he’ll break from his usual approach and discuss the speculation in a team meeting.

“Lane Kiffin told me he usually doesn’t address those kinds of coaching rumors in-season because there’s so much football left to play,” McGrath said. “But he’s actually going to do things differently today. He’s going to talk to his players and say, ‘Hey, this is what happens when you win. This is a compliment to our players, our staff and our entire program.’"

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Kiffin’s decision comes as Ole Miss prepares for a pivotal Top 15 showdown at No. 13 Oklahoma on Saturday. The Rebels remain squarely in the playoff mix and have one of the SEC’s most explosive offenses, led by quarterback Trinidad Chambliss, who came to Oxford from Division II Ferris State. 

"That's a product of having a program with a lot of players and coaches doing a really good job," Kiffin said he told his players. "I wouldn’t even mention it because they’ve been through it every year for probably four years in a row, but we have so many players, I just told them, ‘hey, guys, this is what happens around here because we win games and people like the style that we play in.'”

McGrath noted that while Kiffin downplayed the financial leverage that comes with being linked to high-profile jobs, his ties to Florida run deep. The Rebels coach has long admired former Gators legend Steve Spurrier, and Gainesville holds personal significance for him and his family.

For now, Kiffin insists his focus is on finishing strong at Ole Miss. But as Florida begins its search, eyes across the SEC will stay trained on the Rebels’ sideline and the coach who always seems to be in the middle of the carousel.

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