Lane Kiffin details his decision to leave Ole Miss for LSU | ESPN College Football

Marty Smith interviews Lane Kiffin about his decision to leave Ole Miss and accept the head coaching position with LSU. Kiffin explains why he did not attend a meeting with his now former team and reflects on his six seasons with the Rebels.

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You’ve just left your last meeting with the Old Miss Rebels and you’re getting ready to get on an airplane to Baton Rouge, Louisiana. What is going through your mind right now? Well, first I just watched you do something unbelievable and go off-road around the fire trucks to get here. So, amazing job by you. You know that this was a very challenging, difficult day. you know, we went through a lot last night with Keith Carter trying to figure out a way, you know, to make this playoff, you know, run work and um be able to coach the team and and at the end of the day, that’s his decision and I totally respect that. I understand that decision and um you know, so I I just totally wish the team the best of luck. Wish that I was coaching, but um understand that it was very challenging position for him and the chancellor to be in and totally respect that. So, um you know, just really really hope they play really well and um go win the national championship. What drew this decision out so long? Just it was really difficult. This has been a really special place. Um six years here. Um I I know that there’s a lot of feelings and emotions right now around I hope when they settle down that um there’s an appreciation um about what we were able to do here and having you know the best run that’s ever been done in the history of the school and um and brought some exciting times. So I’m so appreciative to the people of Oxford and the relationships um that that I developed here. And you know when I when I spoke at my dad’s funeral, he moved 17 times. And I and I realized when all the people I got all the letters, calls, people showed up from around all those different spots, NC State, all the different spots he coached and they said he was able to impact them and how much that meant to them. And so I’ve really strived since that day to really try to impact people and help people through life through my journey. So, um, just prayed a lot and made a family decision and, um, you know, hopefully get a chance to go, you know, impact a whole new set of people. I understand you didn’t attend the meeting today. Why not? You know, again, I totally respect Keith’s decision. Um, he So, that was his decision. Yeah. Yeah. He he asked me not to come to the meeting and said I couldn’t come, but which I totally understand. You know, um, I don’t know that I necessarily agree with that. you know, we’re trying to find a way, you know, to make this work and and coach the team and give the team the best chance to win, but I I also, you know, he’s got a job to do and like he said, he has to live here. Um, so like he said, maybe all the national people understand why he should let me coach, but he has to live here and it’s a little different when you’re the AD. So, totally respect that. And Keith has been amazing to us over the six years. Why was LSU the right choice for you? Yeah, just um, you know, there was there was something to This is really hard. My heart was here. Um but I just, you know, I talked to some mentors, Coach Carol, Coach Sabin. Um you know, and um especially when Coach Carol said, “Man, your dad would tell you to go, man, take the shot, you know, take the shot. You’ve accomplished a lot here.” Um you know, I always felt I always hated how we only gave one year to Tennessee and left. I really hated that feeling of that, you know, even though it was exciting year, but, you know, I think that we we gave a lot to this program and to the city and, you know, some of the most historic wins in this stadium um we’ve ever had and and best best regular season in the history of the school. So, um I I feel proud of that part. But it’s it just became time, you know, I talked to God and he told me it’s time to take a new step. It’s a new chapter. Some people will look at this and say, “Okay, it is the best season in the history of the school, the best era in the history of the program, a playoff team with an opportunity to win a national championship.” So, what does LSU offer in your mind that Old Miss doesn’t? I don’t know all that. Um, it just was something that I prayed on and and made a family decision. And maybe it’s right, maybe it’s wrong, but I think a lot of times, you know, you just go prove things right and um that’s what we’re going to do when we get there. Last thing, I I know this has been an emotional time for you. What are the specific emotions that you’ll be watching your team on television playing in the college football playoff? I don’t know that there’s so many emotions today. Um, and it was so rushed. Um, you know, this isn’t a normal job and so I’m not complaining about the job. You know, this is a very abnormal job that you don’t get a chance to just go places, look around, u make decisions. you know, maybe start in four months or something when you relocate. So, um, this is one of those strange jobs that you got to get on a plane and go. So, I hate that part of it. And, um, but it is what it is. One last thing that I meant to ask a moment ago. What role did your desire to bring some offensive staff with you or some staff members with you play in the decision taking a moment? In decision what? To in the decision to be finalized. Oh yeah, there there was no I I guess there’s a narrative um because I had to talk to the players about that that someone pumped a narrative in them that there was an ultimatum to coaches or something like that they had to go that there was nothing. Every coach has their own decision um to make and I would never give them ultimatums like that. And so um you know those are all their own individual decisions. Thank you so much for your time. I really appreciate it, man. All right, see you soon. All right, bud. You want this, you got that right fast while you have a chance.