'Two Goats!' Ole Miss Coach Lane Kiffin Pays Homage to Mentors Nick Saban, Pete Carroll

Ole Miss Rebels head coach Lane Kiffin honored two of his former mentors in the coaching business on Wednesday.

Two of Lane Kiffin's mentors stepped out of the coaching business on Wednesday, and he made sure to pay respects to both of them on social media.

Nick Saban of the Alabama Crimson Tide and Pete Carroll of the Seattle Seahawks both departed coaching on the day, and the Ole Miss Rebels head coach has worked under both men in the past: at Alabama (Saban) and with the USC Trojans (Carroll). You can view Kiffin's post to the two coaches here where he referred to them as "the two goats."

© Petre Thomas-USA TODAY Sports

"So honored and blessed to have learned from them and won national championships with both," Kiffin said. "Thanks for taking a chance on me and being amazing mentor’s to me. Appreciate you both more than you will ever know. ... Greatness we may never see again. Appreciate it fans."

Kiffin's name has often been mentioned in a speculatory sense for when Saban retired from the Tide, but he has also expressed a disinterest in following up someone who has been as successful as the now-former Alabama coach.

“What could you possibly do right if you don’t win the national championship every year?” Kiffin said in 2022. “‘You’re going to follow Nick Saban at Alabama?’ No, that would not be a good decision for anyone.”

Nick Saban to Retire; Lane Kiffin, Ole Miss Impact?

Still, with the success Kiffin has had since he arrived at Ole Miss for the 2020 season, it's understandable that his name would be associated with openings around the country...especially when it's a location vacated by a mentor.