The No. 6 Ole Miss Rebels are off this weekend, which comes at a good time as the drama surrounding head coach Lane Kiffin reaches an all-time high regarding his future in Oxford.
Rumors continue to swirl about Kiffin potentially leaving for the Florida or LSU jobs — two of the most prominent openings in college football right now. Kiffin remains a top candidate for both positions, and the LSU vacancy appears to be gaining traction, with several of his family members reportedly spotted in Baton Rouge over the past few days.
Despite the speculation, Kiffin remains focused on Ole Miss and has given no indication that he plans to leave the program, which could be headed to the College Football Playoff if the Rebels can get past Mississippi State in the regular-season finale on Nov. 28.
On Friday, according to On3’s Pete Nakos, Kiffin met with Ole Miss officials to discuss the rumors. Adding to the intrigue, he also posted a puzzling message on social media encouraging recruits to join the Rebels — a curious move if his intentions were to actually leave.
While retweeting a post highlighting Rebels safety Wydett Williams Jr. as the highest-graded player at his position in the SEC, Kiffin added the hashtag: “#CometoTheSip.”
More news: Texas’ Steve Sarkisian Sends Clear Message About Coaching Future
More news: Virginia Tech’s James Franklin Sends Strong Message on NIL, Recruiting
Fans had strong reactions to Kiffin’s message urging recruits to come to Oxford.
“Will you even #StayInTheSip?” A fan said.
Someone else added: “Guess the meeting went well with @KeithCarterOM?”
Another person wrote: “YES AND #StayinTheSip.”
“How about STAY IN THE SIP instead?” one more fan commented.
Kiffin was hired as the Ole Miss head coach in December 2019 and has rebuilt the program into one of the premier teams in the SEC.
That said, the Rebels haven’t reached the College Football Playoff during his tenure—at least for now—nor have they played in an SEC Championship Game. Leaving for a higher-profile opportunity like LSU would be a move many coaches might make, but Kiffin may be different.
More news: Dylan Raiola’s Brother Makes Major Decision on Nebraska Commitment