Steve Spurrier reacts to Lane Kiffin's split with Ole Miss to take LSU job

Steve Spurrier didn’t hold back when weighing in on Lane Kiffin’s move from Ole Miss to LSU. The SEC legend called the decision both bold and baffling during the latest episode of the Another Dooley Noted Podcast.

The former Florida and South Carolina head coach said LSU was always going to take their swing at one of the sport’s biggest offensive minds, in the same vein the Gators did, as Kiffin remained “the hot-shot” candidate on the market. But even with that understanding, Spurrier admitted the cross-SEC jump raises emotions.

“He was the hot-shot. He was the hot coach. I think we had to make an effort at him to see what’d happen. As it worked out, he’s going to LSU. Lane Kiffin, going from Ole Miss to LSU, Ole Miss is saying, ‘We’re just as good as LSU, why would you go there?’ They’re big rivals.” Spurrier said.

Moreover, Spurrier noted that Ole Miss made a strong push to keep Kiffin, including reportedly matching LSU’s financial offer. In the end though, Kiffin chose Baton Rouge, a decision Spurrier described as his prerogative, but one that will “get messy.”

The college football legend also pushed back on the idea that the move is unquestionably a step up. He pointed out that Kiffin had Ole Miss rolling into a College Football Playoff appearance, but that he won’t be able to see it through.

“It looked like a lateral move for Lane Kiffin to go to LSU. Why did he leave? That’s his prerogative. But it’s a done deal now.” Everyone knows and recognizes that LSU is a blueblood, but Ole Miss under Kiffin had become a legitimate power in its own right as well.

Nevertheless, LSU officially announced Kiffin as the program’s 35th head coach on Sunday, making him the immediate successor to Brian Kelly. He was the clear-cut top target of the Tigers’ administration since Kelly’s firing in late October.

Kiffin leaves Oxford after transforming the Rebels into a national contender. In the process, he delivered electric offenses, winning seasons and a looming playoff berth that elevated the program’s prestige.

His departure sends Ole Miss into an interesting new era led by Pete Golding, while LSU steps into a new adventure under one of college football’s most polarizing and innovative figures. Spurrier’s reaction captured what many are feeling, a realization that this move may reshape the conference moving forward, now and into the future.