Lane Kiffin Recalls Ole Miss Fans' Hostility After LSU Job Acceptance
Lane Kiffin's transition from Ole Miss to LSU has sparked intense reactions from fans, with one incident standing out. While driving with his 16-year-old son, Knox, Kiffin reported that a fan attempted to run them off the road.
During his introductory press conference at LSU on December 1, Kiffin, 50, recounted the unsettling experience. "It was really hard. I’m human," he stated, reflecting on the emotional toll of the situation. "Even though you understand it’s the passion [of the fans], you’re with your son and you’re driving and you got to call a cop that you know so they’ll help you because you… got to turn around and people are screaming at you, trying to run you off the road."
His decision to leave Ole Miss came just as the Rebels were enjoying a successful season, boasting an 11-1 record and fresh off a victory in the Egg Bowl against Mississippi State. The program had seen significant success under Kiffin, who led them to a 55-19 record over six years. Many fans perceived his departure as a betrayal.
Upon arriving at the Oxford airport, Kiffin faced a hostile reception. Fans booed him, shouted obscenities, and displayed their displeasure with gestures. "That airport scene and all the things being said, I understand it," he remarked. "It’s the passion. But they’re saying that about you…you thought you did a really good job for six years for them. That affects you."
Despite the backlash, Kiffin quickly shifted his focus to his new role at LSU. "When I got off that plane and I saw the board there and I saw the [university] leadership and I felt the power of this place," he described. "And then we get in the car and as we’re driving out, and there’s the fans, just all of them out there at the airport and their excitement and their passion…you go by Tiger Stadium and it’s lit up and you’re like, ‘I absolutely made the right decision’ and it all went away."
Kiffin expressed hope for mending fences with Ole Miss fans in the future. "Time heals a lot of things, and having gone through this in this conference before, I sure hope that happens," he said.
However, reconciliation may take time. Kiffin had expressed a desire to coach Ole Miss through the postseason before transitioning to Baton Rouge, but athletic director Keith Carter denied that request. Instead, Carter appointed defensive coordinator Pete Golding as the permanent head coach.
"Coach Kiffin and I met yesterday, and he informed us that he is accepting the head coaching position at another school," Carter stated in a release. "For our program to begin preparing for its future – both the short and long term, he will be stepping away from the team immediately."
