OLE MISS

Ole Miss coach Lane Kiffin comments on Ed Orgeron news, addresses LSU coaching rumors

Nick Suss
Mississippi Clarion Ledger

OXFORD — Ed Orgeron will not be returning as LSU's football coach after 2021.

Ole Miss coach Lane Kiffin has worked with Orgeron as long as anyone but will have to be the first coach to go against him following Sunday's announcement.

Led by Kiffin, No. 12 Ole Miss (5-1, 2-1 SEC) hosts LSU (4-3, 2-2) in Oxford on Saturday (2:30 p.m., CBS). Kiffin and Orgeron worked together from 2001-04 and 2009-13 at Tennessee and Southern Cal.

In the latter stint, Orgeron worked as an assistant on Kiffin's staffs but ultimately replaced him as the interim head coach at USC when Kiffin was fired midseason.

Kiffin said his history with Orgeron won't be a distraction this week but did compliment Orgeron's accomplishments while talking about how difficult it is to retain a head coaching job in modern college football.

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"It's the profession we've always been in but now more than ever it's so much not just what have you done in the last year but literally what have you done Saturday," Kiffin said. "I just had this conversation with another head coach who's struggling a little bit and trying to motivate him. I just said, 'Hey, every Sunday you're either a good or bad coach based off of that Saturday. It switches.' When I see a thing on SEC Network that I walk by where someone's talking bad about (Nick) Saban after the A&M game as a coach, it just shows you where we're at."

Orgeron and Heisman Trophy winner Joe Burrow led LSU to a national championship by completing a 15-0 season in 2019. Since then, LSU has gone 9-8 and is allowing 32.2 points per game. Orgeron bested Kiffin in their one head-to-head matchup when LSU beat Ole Miss 53-48 in Baton Rouge in December.

As is often the case, Kiffin's name has been connected to the LSU vacancy. SportsBetting.ag gives Kiffin the best odds to replace Orgeron and The Daily Advertiser in Lafayette, Louisiana, lists Kiffin as one of the top candidates for the job. 

Kiffin said he hasn't addressed those rumors with his team but understands why his name is often connected to coaching vacancies.

"I think the team knows how focused we are and how we take it one day at a time so I've never addressed that," Kiffin said. "Maybe I should, but we don't worry about things that we can't control that are on the outside. Obviously in recruiting you're always battling all that. I feel like every coach probably battles that but especially (me) ever since leaving Tennessee. It is what it is and we'll work our way through it."

Orgeron has replaced Kiffin as a head coach before. Kiffin has taken over a job Orgeron previously had as well, albeit years after Orgeron's stint at Ole Miss. Nothing seems to be out of bounds between the two friends.

"We have a really good relationship," Kiffin said. "He's not a big talk-on-the-phone guy, as you can imagine. But he actually texted me after that game Saturday. He's an awesome guy and phenomenal coach."

Contact Nick Suss at 601-408-2674 or nsuss@gannett.com. Follow @nicksuss on Twitter.