Lane Kiffin’s version of the events coinciding with his exit from Ole Miss don’t match those of the people he left behind.
Rebels players and Ole Miss athletic director Keith Carter gave differing accounts to Kiffin’s description of his departure from Oxford, Miss., to become LSU’s head coach.
Even with No. 6 Ole Miss a lock to be included in the upcoming College Football Playoff, the Ole Miss administration ousted Kiffin on Saturday as soon as he revealed his intention to take the LSU job.
Kiffin wrote on social media that the Rebels players asked Carter “to allow me to keep coaching them so they could better maintain their high level of performance.”
Referencing Kiffin reportedly telling the Ole Miss players he wanted to stay on for the CFP, Rebels linebacker Suntarine Perkins tweeted, “That was not the message you said in the meeting room. Everybody that was in there can vouch on this.”
Ole Miss offensive lineman Brycen Sanders tweeted, quoting Kiffin’s statement, “‘Despite the team asking me to keep coaching’. I think everyone that was in that room would disagree”
Rebels offensive lineman Paris Wilkins replied to Sanders’ post, writing, “Fax this was not said from anyone!!”
Carter, in a Wednesday interview with SuperTalk Mississippi, added that Kiffin said “a lot of things publicly that I’m not sure are totally accurate.”
Kiffin maintained that he didn’t know he wouldn’t be allowed to coach Ole Miss in the CFP until Sunday. However, Carter said, “It was very clear that coaching in the postseason was not going to be an option for Coach Kiffin several weeks ago.”
Regarding Kiffin’s meeting with his now-former players, Carter said, “I don’t think the way he portrayed that meeting was accurate. There was a lot of pushback to him leaving. … Begging for him to stay is certainly an overstatement, and our players are starting to show what really happened in that meeting.”
The Rebels (11-1, 7-1 Southeastern Conference) set a school record for regular-season victories this year. They have won five in a row since taking their lone loss at then-No. 9 Georgia on Oct. 18.
–Field Level Media
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