Lane Kiffin may be gone from the Ole Miss Rebels, but in the wake of one of the biggest wins in school history, his shadow still lingered.
After Mississippi upset the Georgia Bulldogs in the College Football Playoff quarterfinals, senior defensive tackle Zxavian Harris made it clear that the moment belonged to the players and coaches who stayed.
Harris said Kiffin’s decision to leave Ole Miss before the postseason felt like a betrayal.
“A slap in the face,” Harris said as reported by the New York Post.
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Harris also took issue with Kiffin publicly expressing interest in attending the game, suggesting the former Ole Miss coach was trying to insert himself into a moment he no longer owned.
The Rebels’ victory marked just the second CFP win in program history, a milestone Harris believed should remain focused on the team that carried Ole Miss through the season and into the playoff.
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Harris went further, telling ESPN that Kiffin’s abrupt departure in the middle of a CFP run felt personal.
“Like a slap and the backhand,” Harris said. “He was trying to be a troll. We’re going to troll him. We got something for him.”
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Kiffin has not responded directly to Harris’ comments. However, he did post multiple celebratory messages on social media following the win, praising Ole Miss’ performance without addressing the criticism.
Harris’ words carried additional weight given his own path. He committed to Ole Miss in 2021 and never wavered, staying through positional coaching changes and helping anchor the defense during the program’s rise. Now, Harris is expected to be an early pick in April’s NFL Draft, with most mock drafts projecting him as a first-round selection.
Ole Miss is moving on. Its former coach remains part of the conversation. And for Harris, that contrast says everything.
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