Lane Kiffin repeatedly declines to answer questions about his future

Ole Miss and Lane Kiffin appear to have settled on a strategy to handle the coaching carousel circus surrounding the program at least for the next week. At Monday’s press conference, the Ole Miss coach said he’s only taking questions about the Egg Bowl. “I’m sure you’ve got a lot of other questions but I’m just answering questions focused on the team and this season and our players,” Kiffin said. Reporters asked multiple times about distractions, about his meeting with athletic director Keith Carter on Friday, about whether he’d change anything that might’ve played a role in the outside speculation. And while Kiffin acknowledged the questions, he didn’t answer them. “Like I said in the beginning very fair question but we’re not answering anything that doesn’t have to do with the game, the team or the season, but fair question,” Kiffin said. For better or worse, the approach keeps the week’s focus on Mississippi State. Ole Miss plays their in-state rival on Friday at 12: 00 p. m. ET on ABC. The Rebels are 10-1 and ranked No. 5 in the College Football Playoff rankings. A win would likely secure a playoff berth and potentially a first-round home game, which is where Kiffin wants the focus to stay this week. It’s not just the press conference, either. Kiffin hasn’t posted on X since Friday, which is unusual for one of college football’s most active coaches on social media. There’s a reason reporters keep asking. Kiffin’s family visited both Florida and LSU campuses last week, and Florida reps met with Kiffin’s camp Thursday night, according to On3. Both schools need head coaches, and Kiffin’s been the top target for both jobs. Ole Miss’s AD said Friday there will be an announcement about Kiffin’s future the day after the Egg Bowl, so the speculation has a deadline. Ole Miss is four days from its biggest rivalry game with a playoff berth on the line. Kiffin not engaging with speculation doesn’t eliminate the noise, but it at least prevents him from adding to it. The approach only works if the Rebels can actually focus on Mississippi State instead of what comes after, which is easier said than done when everyone knows a decision is coming Saturday night.
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