LSU football will soon hire Lane Kiffin as its next head coach, according to multiple reports.
LSU will hold a press conference Monday to formally announce the move, On3 said. Kiffin has not yet signed, but the decision has reportedly been made.
Kiffin was the head coach at Ole Miss for six seasons, where he held a 55-19 overall record. The Rebels have won at least 10 games in four of the past five years, and this year was the program’s first 11-win season in its history.
The contract Kiffin is being offered is reportedly 7 years long, with the compensation anywhere between $85 million to $100 million, according to some reports. Previous reports said LSU also promised $25-30 million would be provided annually for roster building.
Kiffin, considered one of the sport’s premier offensive minds, will leave Ole Miss in the middle of a season where its spot in the College Football Playoff is all but guaranteed and in which the team is firmly in the national championship hunt.
Kiffin has been LSU’s top target throughout the entire coaching search, reports have said, since LSU fired former head coach Brian Kelly on Oct. 26.
Kiffin has also been the head coach for the NFL’s Oakland Raiders, Tennessee, USC — where he was previously an assistant coach under Pete Carroll for many years — and Florida Atlantic. After a disappointing four seasons leading USC, Kiffin was fired and revitalized his career as the offensive coordinator at Alabama under Nick Saban. He helped the Crimson Tide to the 2015 national championship.
No official announcement of Kiffin’s hiring has been made. Ole Miss Athletic Director Keith Carter previously said Kiffin’s decision would be announced on Saturday, but Kiffin’s deliberations went deep into the night. He met with Carter Saturday afternoon for about three hours, Yahoo Sports said.
According to reports, the wait was due to Kiffin’s desire to coach Ole Miss through the College Football Playoff, for which the Rebels will likely be chosen, despite leaving for LSU. It’s unclear whether Ole Miss will allow him to do so.
Kiffin will also be bringing most of Ole Miss’ offensive staff, On3 has reported.
LSU finished its regular season at 7-5 after falling just short of a potential upset over No. 8 Oklahoma Saturday.
