Lane Kiffin will not be the next head football coach at Texas A&M University. He is not interested in having that conversation. It’s not happening.
Kiffin, who took over at Ole Miss in 2020, led the program to its first-ever 10-win season in his second year. The Rebels then proceeded to begin the year at 8-1 in back-to-back seasons for just the second and third times in program history.
Following the 2022 season, Kiffin’s name was linked to the Auburn job. Rumors swirled for weeks that he was headed to Alabama to coach the Tigers. Even though he never really shut the rumblings down, he eventually signed a contract extension at Ole Miss and dispelled all of the chatter.
Now, one year later, Jimbo Fisher is out at Texas A&M. The Aggies are hoping to make a home-run hire of a coach who will lead them back to national title contention.
Of course, despite the improbability of such a move, Kiffin’s name is already being thrown out as a potential replacement for Fisher. Big boards list him as a “name to watch,” and many fans consider him to be a legitimate option for the job.
He’s not. Lane Kiffin is not going to leave the Rebels.
Lane Kiffin will not be the next head football coach at Texas A&M University.
First and foremost, Kiffin’s daughter Landry is a freshman at Ole Miss. She was a big factor in his decision to turn down the Auburn job last fall. Her father isn’t going anywhere until she graduates.
Secondly, Kiffin and Texas A&M are like water and vinegar. They don’t mesh. The latter said some pretty affronting things about the Aggies during the Fisher era. He doesn’t fit the culture. Boosters in College Station would drive him insane.
Thirdly, and most importantly, Kiffin is building something special in Oxford and getting paid plenty of money to do so. Although Texas A&M could throw oil money in his direction, he is one of the 10 highest-paid coaches in the country with an annual salary of about $9 million. There is no need for him to abandon that money for just a few extra million to start over.
Kiffin also addressed the rumors on Sunday. Although he didn’t outwardly profess his love for Ole Miss, which could be frustrating for Rebels fans, the 48-year-old simply chose to move on. It is not worth his energy or time.
I’m not going there again.
— Lane Kiffin
Enough said. Move on.