Should Ole Miss Fans Worry About Lane Kiffin and the Florida Gators Job?

Despite Billy Napier still being employed in Gainesville, Ole Miss coach Lane Kiffin is already being mentioned as his potential replacement.

Sep 7, 2024; Oxford, Mississippi, USA; Mississippi Rebels head coach Lane Kiffin reacts during the second half against the Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Petre Thomas-Imagn Images / Petre Thomas-Imagn Images

The Ole Miss Rebels are in the midst of one of the most anticipated seasons in program history, and head coach Lane Kiffin is a big reason why.

The Rebels enter this week ranked No. 5 in both major polls, and they are largely expected to challenge for a College Football Playoff spot in 2024 behind an explosive offense and revamped defense. It's no secret that Kiffin's arrival in Oxford for the 2020 season has sparked Ole Miss' massive rise to the limelight, and Rebel fans seem to be locked in on the team's potential.

When a coach finds success at a program, his name will usually be tied to other job openings around the country, and Kiffin is no exception. In fact, he may get this treatment more than other coaches for a number of reasons.

Isn't it odd, however, that the latest version of this speculation revolves around the Florida Gators and a job that isn't even open yet? Sure, Billy Napier has seemed to underperform in Gainesville, but would Kiffin really "walk to Florida" to take the job, like analyst Josh Pate recently said?

I think it's more complicated than that, although there are reasons why Kiffin's name continues to be tied to almost every major job that comes open in college football.

For starters, Kiffin is known for leaving college programs quickly. Prior to his stint at Ole Miss, Kiffin had never spent more than 3-4 years at the helm of any college football program, and he left the Tennessee Volunteers after just one year in 2009 to accept what was his dream job at USC.

Although he has now been in Oxford for almost five years, that narrative still follows him in some media circles.

Secondly (despite recent national success), Ole Miss is not always viewed as a top-tier job in college football. The reality of that has likely changed since the advent of NIL collectives, an area of expertise that the Rebels have thrived in so far, but that's not always taken into account in these discussions.

And sure, Ole Miss has won 10 or more games twice under Kiffin's leadership, but surely its ceiling isn't as high as Florida's, right? That's the prevailing narrative around the country.

Third (and perhaps most importantly), Kiffin's name drives engagement. His social media presence and power in headlines make him an easy target for speculation. Put all three of these factors together, and you've got a perfect storm to tie him to almost any major college football job.

Now, I'm not saying that Kiffin wouldn't consider the Florida job if it became open and if he was offered. He seems to like deep sea fishing, and Gainesville would give him a closer access point to that than Oxford does, but I firmly believe that his decision to leave would not be a no-brainer like some suggest.

I'll pose this question: what kept Kiffin in Oxford when the Auburn job was on the table in 2022? Family was a big factor, and with his daughter currently enrolled at Ole Miss (and his son Knox set to move to Oxford soon, per ESPN), that variable is still in play.

The Rebels' growth in NIL capabilities was also a big part of the push, and Ole Miss was able to get a deal done with Kiffin that was pleasing from a financial perspective. According to The Clarion Ledger, Kiffin is set to make $8.85 million in 2024 with a retention bonus of $150,000 if he is still the head coach at Ole Miss on Dec. 31.

That base pay number is set to grow to $9 million next year, should he stay.

That's a lot of money, and while Florida could certainly put together a lucrative deal of its own, it's hard to predict what the landscape of college coaches' pay will look like in the coming years with revenue sharing potentially coming down the pipe.

The bottom line is this: would Lane Kiffin leave for Florida if the job became open and the Gators offered? Maybe, but this is all very premature. Napier is still employed in Gainesville (for now), and even if he is axed, there are many variables to consider.

Ole Miss has been down this road with Kiffin before. Maybe this would be the time he jumps ship, but it is far from a guarantee. For now, Rebel fans should be focused on this season and the potential that awaits the program, beginning with a road date at Wake Forest on Saturday.