The latest Lane Kiffin saga finally ended when he left for Baton Rouge, Louisiana, this past Sunday.
But Kiffin later revealed that some Ole Miss fans created a rocky route to the Oxford, Mississippi, airport. He claimed that a group of unhappy fans attempted to chase his car “off the road.”
Kiffin was formally introduced as LSU’s next head coach on Monday. During the news conference, he outlined the vision he hoped to bring to life during his tenure, but he also went into detail about his apparent need for police assistance during the tense moment in question.
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“Call a cop that you know so they’ll help you,” Kiffin said. “Because you personally know them because you are leaving the state. And you gotta turn around, and people are screaming at you, you know, trying to run you off the road. I don’t know what they’re gonna do. And so that … That affects you.”
While Kiffin acknowledged Ole Miss fans’ passion, he also suggested his experience during his airport trip served as confirmation of his decision to leave Oxford.
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“And that airport scene, and all the things being said, I understand that. It’s the passion. But they’re saying that about you, that you thought you did a really good job for six years for them. And that affects you. And even on the plane down there I’m kind of like ‘Yeah we made this decision but like, god I really …’ You know?”
Kiffin coached the Rebels to victory over Mississippi State in the Egg Bowl rivalry game last Friday to secure an 11-1 record for Ole Miss. While Ole Miss did not qualify for this week’s SEC Championship Game in Atlanta, the seventh-ranked Rebels are in position to likely advance to the College Football Playoff.
But, Kiffin will not be on the sideline for Ole Miss. After reportedly meeting with Ole Miss athletic director Keith Carter and school chancellor Glenn Boyce, Kiffin learned his time coaching the Rebels had come to an end.
“I was hoping to complete a historic six-season run with this year’s team by leading Ole Miss through the playoffs, capitalizing on the team’s incredible success and their commitment to finish strong, and investing everything into a playoff run with guardrails in place to protect the program in any areas of concern,” Kiffin said in a statement.
“My request to do so was denied by Keith Carter despite the team also asking him to allow me to keep coaching them so they could better maintain their high level of performance. Unfortunately, that means Friday’s Egg Bowl was my last game coaching the Rebels.”
Defensive coordinator Pete Golding will step into the head coaching job for Ole Miss’ presumed playoff run. Kiffin finished his six-year tenure in Oxford with a 55-19 record, making him the third-winningest coach in school history.
As for his next chapter, Kiffin thanked the LSU fans who met him at Baton Rouge Metropolitan Airport and said the reception left him feeling vindicated.
“I saw the board there, and I saw the leadership,” he said. “And I felt the power of this place. And then I get in the car. And as we’re driving out and there’s the fans. Just all of them out there at the airport. And their excitement and their passion.”
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