He hadn’t even been officially introduced at LSU yet, but Lane Kiffin gave us the perspective we needed in this neighborhood.
While he was trying to control the narrative on his sooner-than-he-wanted exit from Ole Miss on Sunday, the new Tigers’ football coach explained why the Rebels weren’t letting him coach their team any longer.
He told the Ole Miss chancellor and athletic director Saturday night that he was taking the LSU job, but pressed for the opportunity to remain coaching his former team in the upcoming College Football Playoff.
Don’t know if he played the ESPN card, saying listen to Nick Saban and Kirk Herbstreit and pals. They supported his pleas that it was unfair to the players in Oxford to deny them his continued coaching brilliance although he would otherwise be building the 2026 LSU coaching staff and roster.
Do know that chancellor Glenn Boyce and AD Keith Carter said not just no, but hoddy toddy no.
Sounds as if it was a relatively professional conversation, all emotions considered, based on Kiffin’s account that he shared on social media and with his personal ESPN correspondent, Marty Smith.
Kiffin didn’t give up until Sunday morning. The Rebels were moving forward, without him, and they even helped him move out – putting the clothes in his office on a portable rack and rolling it out to the sidewalk, if photos don’t lie.
As he stood on the tarmac at the Oxford airport and recounted to Smith the conversation with his erstwhile best bud Carter, he said the AD explained that even if it was smart to keep Kiffin on the Rebels’ sideline for the playoffs, fans would have none of it. They felt betrayed. They were angry. Ya think?
To justify immediately sending his coach of the last six years on to Baton Rouge, Kiffin said Carter told him, “I’ve gotta live here.” Was not willing and did not care to deal with furious fans.
Kiffin said, “I totally respect Keith’s decision.”
Noble take.
The football coaches at the nine District 1-5A schools around here deserve the same consideration as you contemplate how more than half the players who started on offense, defense or as kicking specialists were included in the all-district team released Monday.
Let’s do the math: 11 starters on both sides, plus kicker, punter and return specialists – that’s 25 frontline players at each school. Times nine schools, total of 225.
Total players placed by coaches on the all-district team: 133 – 41 first team (that’s way more than 25), 45 second team, and 67 more honorable mentions.
Does the phrase “everybody gets a trophy” come to mind?
This is not an approach unique to this all-district team, or this district. Watch east down I-20 when the All-District 2-5A list comes out after the state championships. Ruston, the champ, is at home against south Louisiana interloper Zachary and runner-up Neville hosts the league’s fifth-place team, Ouachita, in the Non-Select Division I semifinals Friday.
There will be many other overstuffed all-district lists popping out all over.
Paraphrasing Lane Kiffin, who was paraphrasing Keith Carter: “I’ve gotta live here.”
The coaches compiling – I hesitate to say picking – the all-district teams all go back to their schools, walk the hallways, eat in the cafeteria. Some teach classes. Some pull bus duty. They all see their players – the seniors, maybe not as much, but many of them are involved with other sports or still around the fieldhouse or dressing room. They like and admire nearly every one.
For the vast majority of those 133 boys on the 1-5A all-district team, it’s the best athletic honor they’ll ever receive.
Presumably they’ll get a certificate suitable for framing, even maybe one that is already matted behind glass. They might get a small plaque or some keepsake. They are eligible to order all-district patches for their letterjackets.
These are different days. Years ago only two teams from every district went to the playoffs, and the rest did not. District championships and even runner-up finishes were treasures. Now a team from Monroe that lost four district games is in the state semis.
There’s not one of the 133 kids on the 1-5A team who isn’t a good football player. Congratulations, fellas.
Beg your pardon, but I can’t get past the idea that it’s too much of a good thing.
Contact Doug at sbjdoug@gmail.com