Highlights

Lane Kiffin is assembling his LSU coaching staff before officially announcing his decision, sources say
The move strongly suggests Kiffin is headed to Baton Rouge despite still coaching Ole Miss through Friday’s Egg Bowl win
LSU is ready to make Kiffin college football’s highest-paid coach with an offer north of $13.2 million per year
Florida dropped out of the race Friday, leaving Kiffin choosing between LSU and staying at Ole Miss
The decision could come as soon as Saturday, though Kiffin says he’s still praying over what to do

Lane Kiffin Reportedly Assembling LSU Coaching Staff Ahead of Saturday Decision

Sources say Ole Miss coach is lining up his Baton Rouge staff despite no official announcement, giving the strongest signal yet he’s headed to LSU

BATON ROUGE, La. (KPEL News) — Lane Kiffin is putting together his LSU coaching staff even though he hasn’t officially said he’s taking the job, according to NBC Sports on Friday night.

The development is the clearest sign yet that the Ole Miss coach is planning to leave for Baton Rouge, though Saturday’s expected announcement will make it official.

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What Assembling a Staff Actually Means

When a coach starts lining up assistants for a job he hasn’t officially taken, it’s a telling move. According to NBC Sports sources, that’s exactly what’s happening with Kiffin and LSU.

Here’s why it matters: these conversations spread fast in coaching circles. When someone agrees to join a staff—or turns down the opportunity—word gets around. The fact that Kiffin is having these discussions at all is the strongest signal yet that he’s planning to make the jump to Baton Rouge.

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If Kiffin is seriously thinking about going, he needs to start getting people in place now. And it gives him a chance to build exactly the staff he wants, leaving behind Ole Miss assistants he either doesn’t want to bring along or who want to stay put in Oxford.

The 50-year-old Kiffin told reporters after Friday’s 38-19 win over Mississippi State that he still hasn’t made up his mind. “I feel like I gotta” make a decision by Saturday, he said, acknowledging the pressure from Ole Miss administrators who want an answer before the Rebels enter the College Football Playoff.

But actions speak louder than words. And right now, Kiffin’s actions suggest he’s already made his choice.

Why This Matters for Louisiana

LSU fired Brian Kelly on October 26 after a brutal 49-25 home loss to Texas A&M. Fans chanted “Fire Kelly” throughout Tiger Stadium that night, and the administration listened. Kelly went 34-14 in four seasons but never won an SEC championship, and at LSU, that’s not good enough.

The coaching search has dominated conversations across Louisiana ever since. At restaurants in Lafayette, offices in Baton Rouge, and living rooms across Acadiana, people have been dissecting every rumor about who might lead the Tigers next.

There’s a reason for the obsession. LSU football isn’t just entertainment in Louisiana—it’s part of the state’s identity. The program drives tourism, influences university enrollment, and provides a rare source of statewide unity. When LSU wins, the whole state feels it. When LSU struggles, everyone shares the frustration.

Money talks too. LSU is prepared to pay Kiffin more than Georgia’s Kirby Smart, who currently makes $13.2 million a year as the highest-paid coach in college football. That’s a massive financial commitment, but LSU believes it’s what winning championships costs in 2025.

The Man Leading the Search

Verge Ausberry is running LSU’s coaching search, and his Louisiana roots matter. The New Iberia native played linebacker for the Tigers and has spent more than 30 years at the university, working his way up from a compliance office intern to athletic director.

Ausberry got the job under wild circumstances. Scott Woodward, the previous athletic director, was fired just days after Kelly’s dismissal. Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry had publicly criticized Woodward for his track record of handing out massive contracts that ended in massive buyouts—$53 million to Kelly, $76 million to Jimbo Fisher at Texas A&M before that.

The administrative chaos initially worried people. Would top coaches want to work at a school where the governor was publicly calling the shots? But LSU officials made it clear: Ausberry has full authority to hire the next coach and run the athletic department. The stability matters.

There’s another connection that could help. Ausberry reportedly has a strong relationship with Jimmy Sexton, Kiffin’s agent. And Frank Wilson, currently LSU’s interim head coach, worked with Kiffin at Tennessee back in 2009. These relationships don’t guarantee anything, but they don’t hurt.

Kiffin’s Impossible Choice

Nobody’s ever done what Kiffin might do. Walk away from a College Football Playoff team to take another job? It would be unprecedented.

Ole Miss is 11-1 and headed to the playoff for the first time in program history. Friday’s win over Mississippi State was the Rebels’ third straight Egg Bowl victory—the first time that’s happened since the early 2000s. The team Kiffin built is peaking at exactly the right time.

But here’s the pressure: Ole Miss won’t let him coach the playoff if he’s planning to leave. Athletic director Keith Carter and chancellor Glenn Boyce made that clear. So Kiffin can’t have it both ways. He can’t string Ole Miss along and then bolt after the playoff run. It’s now or never.

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Florida was in the mix for weeks, but they shifted focus to other candidates on Friday. That leaves two options: take the LSU job or sign a new deal to stay at Ole Miss, where they’re prepared to match LSU’s offer and make him one of the highest-paid coaches in the country.

After Friday’s game, Kiffin got emotional talking about missing his dad, Monte Kiffin, the legendary NFL defensive coordinator who died in July. “I really missed him this week,” Kiffin said. “My two calls will be the closest to that for advice, what my dad would say to do on these things. That’ll be Coach Carroll and Coach Saban.”

What Kiffin Would Inherit at LSU

If Kiffin takes the LSU job, he’s walking into a program with championship expectations and the resources to meet them. But the pressure is real. “LSU must be in the playoffs every year in football,” Ausberry said bluntly. There’s no substitute for championship-level performance in Baton Rouge.

The Tigers went 7-4 this season under interim coach Frank Wilson after Kelly’s midseason firing. That’s not acceptable by LSU standards—not even close. The roster has talent, including players who remember the program’s 2019 national championship culture under Ed Orgeron.

Speaking of Orgeron: LSU is open to bringing back the former head coach in a role on Kiffin’s staff. The two worked together at USC years ago, and Orgeron won a national title at LSU before getting fired in 2021. Whether Kiffin would want that remains to be seen, but the door’s open.

What Happens on Saturday

Kiffin said he feels like he “gotta” make a decision by Saturday. That’s not exactly a ringing endorsement of the timeline, but it’s where things stand. Ole Miss wants an answer. LSU wants an answer. And the entire college football world is waiting.

If Kiffin chooses LSU, the Tigers land one of the sport’s best coaches. If he stays at Ole Miss, LSU goes back to Plan B—except Plan B isn’t looking great. Missouri’s Eli Drinkwitz signed a contract extension this week. So did Vanderbilt’s Clark Lea. Tulane’s Jon Sumrall is headed to Auburn.

The backup options are dwindling fast.

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The stakes are high for LSU. The program's last three head coaches—Nick Saban, Les Miles, and Ed Orgeron—all won national championships. That’s the standard in Baton Rouge. Kelly’s 34 wins in four years weren’t enough because he didn’t deliver titles.

Saturday’s announcement will tell us whether LSU’s next coach is Lane Kiffin or someone else entirely. Either way, the expectations won’t change. Championships are what LSU demands. Anything less won’t cut it.