Lane Kiffin calls for NIL reorganization, comments on rumored contractual deal

Tuesday, Ole Miss coach Lane Kiffin had some interesting comments regarding NIL and the current landscape. Wednesday, he spoke further about it and called for changes on The Paul Finebaum Show.

Kiffin said there needs to be some reorganization of the NIL landscape and added there should be a way to “level” things out. He also addressed a report in The Athletic regarding a multi-million deal between a Class of 2023 recruit and a school’s NIL collective.

Regarding NIL reorganization, Kiffin said he doesn’t have a specific plan in mind, but said someone with a higher ranking in college sports needs to think of one.

“I don’t have that answer, Paul,” Kiffin told Finebaum during Ole Miss’ Pro Day. “It wouldn’t matter if I did. That’s way above me to figure that out. I’m sure at some point, they’re going to have to cap something to figure it out, you would think, to make it somewhat level. But it’s here and like I said yesterday, I’ve just always said this is what’s coming when they started it.

“And I’m happy for the players. I have not complained one time about that part of it. So I just think it’s really naive for anyone to say that doesn’t have to do with why players go somewhere. I mean, adults in the NFL, obviously when they sign with teams, a big part of it’s the contract. So 17- [or] 18-year-old kids, it certainly is and certainly will be moving forward.”

Lane Kiffin addresses agents’ roles in NIL

Finebaum also asked Kiffin about the role agents are playing in NIL legislation in the wake of The Athletic’s report. Stewart Mandel reported a 2023 recruit signed a multi-million contract with a school’s collective, and that sent shockwaves across the college sports landscape.

Kiffin acknowledged agents play a role in the evolving landscape, but said that’s also the nature of the business.

“It is,” Kiffin said. “I hear a lot of that. Our assistant coaches hear a lot of that. I can’t deal with that directly, so I don’t know. But that is the world that we’re in and now they’re basically getting agents and shopping around.

“So like I said before, there’s nothing wrong with that. Adults take jobs all the time. Coaches take jobs and go to places for $100 million contracts, so to say that the players that they signed wouldn’t doesn’t make a whole lot of sense.”