NEW ORLEANS – at number 6 Ole Miss celebrated its historic victory with a score of 39-34 against No. 3 Georgia in Thursday's CFP quarterfinals at the Sugar Bowl, the shadow of former coach Lane Kiffin continued to loom over the program.
Sources told ESPN Thursday night that it remains unclear how many Ole Miss assistants will join Kiffin in LSUwill be allowed to stay with the Rebels when they face No. 10. Miami next Thursday in the CFP semifinals at the Fiesta Bowl in Glendale, Arizona.
Offensive coordinator Charlie Weis Jr., tight ends coach/co-offensive coordinator Joe Cox, wide receivers coach/passing game coordinator George McDonald and running backs coach Kevin Smith have signed contracts to work with Kiffin at LSU.
When the transfer portal opens Friday, sources told ESPN that the Rebels aren't sure they'll have all those assistants when they play the Hurricanes in six days.
Some assistants appear to be resisting leaving an Ole Miss team that is two wins away from winning the national championship, a source said.
“There will be fireworks,” an Ole Miss source told ESPN. “We always knew it was possible.”
Sources told ESPN that after the Rebels' win, Weis was expected to coach at the Fiesta Bowl. But sources also said there is a plan to have other LSU assistants return to Baton Rouge, Louisiana, to help the Tigers prepare to welcome prospects into the transfer portal this weekend.
Kiffin was named LSU coach on November 30. Former defensive coordinator Pete Golding, named Kiffin's replacement just hours after Kiffin's abrupt departure, coached the Rebels in both CFP victories.
“Everything has been very clear and transparent between me and Pete Golding through constant communication, including the plan throughout this historic championship,” Kiffin told ESPN Friday morning. “What an amazing night for all the Ole Miss players, coaches and fans.”
The future LSU coaches returned to Ole Miss to help the Rebels to a 41-10 victory over No. 11 Tulane in a CFP first-round game in Oxford, Mississippi, on Dec. 20. They were also in New Orleans this week as the Rebels prepared to play Georgia.
Senior analyst/passing game specialist Dane Stevens and graduate assistant Sawyer Jordan, who helps with slot receivers, are also leaving for LSU.
Kiffin was considering attending the Sugar Bowl and lobbied to appear on “College GameDay” or another program during ESPN's broadcast of the game. He ended up skipping the Sugar Bowl to attend the LSU women's basketball game on Thursday night.
After considering job offers from Florida, Florida State and LSU for weeks, Kiffin asked Ole Miss chancellor Glenn Boyce and athletic director Keith Carter to let him coach the Rebels in the CFP even if he took another job.
Boyce and Carter made it clear throughout the process that Kiffin would not coach the CFP if he left for another school, sources previously told ESPN.
In a social media post, Kiffin said the Ole Miss administration denied his request “even though the team also asked him to allow me to continue coaching them so they could better maintain their high level of play.” Some Ole Miss players disputed Kiffin's statement on social media.
After the Rebels routed the Bulldogs to win the second CFP game in school history, senior guard Zxavian Harris said Kiffin was once again trying to take attention away from one of the greatest teams in Ole Miss history.
“Yeah, he was just trying to steal our shine,” Harris said. “That's all he's trying to do. All he's trying to do is steal our shine.”
Harris said Kiffin's sudden departure from Ole Miss in the middle of the CFP felt like a “slap in the face.”
“Like a slap and a backhand,” Harris said. “He was trying to be a troll. We're going to troll him. We have something for him.”
