TAMPA, Fla. — Ole Miss fans aren’t fond of Lane Kiffin.
New Rebels head coach Pete Golding used that anger when retaining quarterback Trinidad Chambliss and running back Kewan Lacey over the winter. Both would have been attractive portal prospects to every team in college football including their now former coach.
“Football’s gonna end,” Golding told ESPN’s David Hale. “What are you going to use? You gotta use an alumni base to be able to get you a job. Where are you gonna bring your kids to? What jersey are they wearing? Y’all two created a legacy in one season that’s gonna be hard for anybody to overtake, and for what’s going on now, for Coach Kiffin to leave — go Google Lane Kiffin.”
Golding didn’t just tell his star-studded backfield to Google their former coach. He made them do it on the spot.
“I had them both do it in my office,” Golding said. “Google Lane Kiffin, the dude they’d have built a statue of here three days ago. Google his name right now. They wouldn’t piss on him if he was on fire. They’ll do the same thing to y’all, too [if you leave]. But if you come out and say I’m going to continue to build on the legacy I’ve created, what that’s going to do for you and this fan base and the alumni for the rest of your life. I don’t give a s*** where you go or what they pay you, you’ll never amount to that much.”
Chambliss and Lacey returned, and the school launched their Heisman campaign this week. Both represented the school at SEC Media Days.
Kiffin and LSU, including former Ole Miss linebacker TJ Dottery, take their turn on the microphone on Thursday.
Asked about his relationship with Kiffin, Chambliss displayed very little emotion on Wednesday. And very few words.
“He’s my former head coach.”
