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Lane Kiffin said in his farewell to Ole Miss post that players on the team asked athletic director Keith Carter to let him stay, but that claim is being refuted by a starting Rebel.
Kiffin said in his post that he requested to “complete a historic six season run with this year’s team by leading Ole Miss through the playoffs,” but Carter denied it “despite the team also asking him to allow me to keep coaching.”
Starting center Brycen Sanders called out Kiffin bluntly, quoting his X post.
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Ole Miss Rebels offensive lineman Brycen Sanders during the college football game between the LSU Tigers and Ole Miss Rebels on Sept. 27, 2025, at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium in Oxford, Mississippi. (Andy Altenburger/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
“‘Despite the team asking me to keep coaching;’. I think everyone that was in that room would disagree,” Sanders posted.
It should be noted Sanders misquoted Kiffin, but it’s quite clear how some players feel about Kiffin’s departure and post.
“Let em’ know. Every single person,” fellow offensive lineman Jayden Williams said in response to Sanders’ post.
Linebacker Suntarine Perkins added, “That was not the message you said in the meeting room. Everybody that was in there can vouch on this.”
Kiffin left the Rebels for LSU after weeks of speculation. He was introduced as the team’s head coach on Monday, one day after being booed while boarding a private jet from Oxford.
Ole Miss Rebels head coach Lane Kiffin in the fourth quarter against the Arkansas Razorbacks at Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium on Nov. 2, 2024. (Nelson Chenault/Imagn Images)
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Kiffin’s offensive coordinator, Charlie Weis Jr., left Ole Miss to stay with Kiffin, but he will continue to coach Ole Miss throughout the College Football Playoff.
“We went through a lot last night with [Ole Miss athletic director] Keith Carter trying to figure out a way to make this playoff run work and be able to coach the team. And at the end of the day, that’s his decision and I totally respect that. I understand that decision,” Kiffin told ESPN about Carter’s choice not to let him finish the season as the Rebels’ coach. “I just totally wish the team the best of luck, wish that I was coaching….I just hope they play really well and go win the national championship.”
Kiffin is reportedly set to make $13 million per season with the Tigers, making him the second-highest-paid college coach in the country behind Georgia’s Kirby Smart.
LSU football head coach Lane Kiffin speaks at South Stadium Club at Tiger Stadium on Dec. 1, 2025 in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. (Matthew Hinton/Imagn Images)
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Ole Miss defensive coordinator Pete Golding was named head coach to replace Kiffin in Oxford.
Fox News’ Scott Thompson contributed to this report.
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