Paul Finebaum Stirs Lane Kiffin to Florida Gators Rumor Mill

Professional-pot stirrer Paul Finebaum threw a 'Lane Kiffin to the Florida Gators' bomb into the universe.

Ole Miss head coach Lane Kiffin has overachieved in Oxford and put himself back on the national radar. / Brett Patzke-Imagn Images

Despite it being early into the 2024 season, the Florida Gators might be looking for a new head coach to replace Billy Napier in Gainesville, or at least there's plenty of smoke around the possibility.

After a horrific Week 1 loss to Miami at home, Napier has seen his seat go from warm to Gainesville in July hot. There is a cry from many fans wanting the Gators to move on from him and shift their attention to another SEC head coach as his replacement. 

So, which coach has become the focal point for the Napier-out crowd? That’s easy. It’s Lane Kiffin, the head coach of the No. 6 Ole Miss Rebels. 

And fuel was added to the fire after what SEC analyst Paul Finebaum said on a radio appearance last week leading up to Florida’s win over Samford.

“I think Lane Kiffin would be the No. 1 target and frankly, I believe that Lane Kiffin would accept it.”

Kiffin would be an ideal choice should the Gators move on, but it won’t be an easy one. For starters, the Rebels are currently in a playoff spot and are working towards an SEC championship appearance. If they were to make either, then it would make the hiring process considerably more difficult because he would then be leaving a top SEC team to join a program that is still struggling to get back to its former glory days.  

Secondly, the pressure that he would inherit would be as if he is 1000 feet underwater. Is that something he wants to take on? Or is his level of comfortability with Ole Miss enough for him? 

However, there are positives should Kiffin join. Just look at the pieces that are already in place that he could work with. At quarterback, there is freshman phenom DJ Lagway. Next, the Gators have Eugene “Tre” Wilson III, Aidan Mizell, Tank Hawkins and much more talent out wide. These players alone would result in an easy start with the Gators and this is just the tip of the iceberg for this roster. 

With no disrespect to Ole Miss and a nod to the current state of both teams, few are going to argue that Florida is a higher-profile job with considerably more resources.

The one big thorn in the side of this plan for fans is if Napier is able to reel things in and get his team back on track. That's a tradeoff, Florida fans would gladly take. Afterall, winning is what matters.

With the way that Lagway performed last Saturday, it has raised the thought that he should start even when Graham Mertz returns from injury. 

This would be a big call by Napier if he decides to go down that path, but it’s undeniable that the freshman is a generational talent. He could potentially be the answer for the Gators offense that looked rough in their opener. Hitching his wagon to Lagway seems to be a safer bet for Napier and the long-term benefit of the program.

But another loss on his resume, despite which quarterback plays, would certainly push the fanbase to the brink if they haven’t already reached their tipping point. 

The fans are fed up with uninspiring performances and constantly losing to rivals and the higher ups could be too.

If the losses keep stacking up, the Gators' administration might be force to act. If he were to be let go, then there’s no doubt the Gators will look towards Kiffin, but don’t get too carried away with him as it will have to be a two-way street.

As much as the Gators would want him, will he feel the same way?