Coaching Carousel

[NoWammies]

1 minute ago, DrownInEtown said:

I expected fans to be emotional but man. It’s 2025 and we still get this upset about a guy making a lateral move? Low Tier SEC team to Blueblood program. Anything less than a thank you is kinda selfish

I think the whole if you don’t let me coach in the playoffs I’m going to poach the coaching staff and players had some to do with it. 

[DrownInEtown]

2 minutes ago, NoWammies said:

I think the whole if you don’t let me coach in the playoffs I’m going to poach the coaching staff and players had some to do with it. 

I’m on the unpopular side of opinions regarding that situation. Ole Miss has a legitimate chance at a title if they let him coach the playoffs. So why not? I’m not familiar with a situation like this so I’m not seeing the downsides in letting him finish out. I doubt he threatened Carter. He’s gonna take his players and coaches regardless of what happens

[NoWammies]

If you broke up with your significant other, would you still let her share half the house while seeing other people? There’s a reason Saban fired him before the national championship. Because he was having to balance two teams during that time. 

[MSTSatchmo]

34 minutes ago, NoWammies said:

If you broke up with your significant other, would you still let her share half the house while seeing other people? There’s a reason Saban fired him before the national championship. Because he was having to balance two teams during that time. 

The difference this time is Kiffin was the HC.   Coaches coach to win a national championship.  I’m sure he would have done all he could to make it happen.  For bimself.  While his new LSU coaches talk to OM player reps.  Lol 

[Bulldogs4]

Karma will come full circle when Kiffin is fired at LSU after 3-4 seasons of winning 8-9 games a year. 
Kiffin’s loyalty is to Kiffin and only himself. Me, Myself and I. 

[Dawg83]

Kiffin handled this atrociously in every way possible and I totally get every OM fan that wants to punch that guy in the face. Once a snake, always a snake.

 

I still don’t think the idea of him coaching the playoff would’ve been insane in a perfect world where you can remove emotion. But emotion is a big part of this. Especially with him going to LSU who is one of OM’s two most hated rivals. It’s certainly a very unique dynamic.

 

I am not an OM fan so I’m certainly not seeing all the angles to this…. But what I do know is this Ole Miss team is really good. As in I don’t think it’s crazy at all to suggest they can make a deep playoff run at full strength. So for me, just handing that opportunity over to a half baked, piecemeal staff at the very least has to be a brutal pill to swallow. 

Edited December 1, 2025 by Dawg83

[rebmus]

4 minutes ago, Bulldogs4 said:

Karma will come full circle when Kiffin is fired at LSU after 3-4 seasons of winning 8-9 games a year. 
Kiffin’s loyalty is to Kiffin and only himself. Me, Myself and I. 

Very well could happen. Last year's 9-3 finish with THAT roster was labeled by many outside of Oxford as a big failure... he wasn't in any discussions to be fired from Ole Miss. Ole Miss fans were a tad disappointed with 9-3 but I didn't hear a peep about anyone wanting him fired. 

LSU would have considered firing him had the same exact thing happened there. 

 

Dan Mullen (among many others) can give good advice on "taking the bigger job" along with how secure that job probably is. 

 

 

[Dawg83]

I’m mixed on how I think Kiffin will do at LSU. He has some self destructive qualities where he can’t get out of his own way. And I’m not sure LSU is going to put up with some of the teenage girl crap that OM fans laughed at and said “lol that’s just Lane!”

 

That said…. I am not sure there is a better offensive mind in the sport over the last decade. The production his OM teams put up yearly was just crazy. He also seemed to understand that you have to at least be decent on defense, which is where a lot of offense first coaches fail. If there's one thing LSU has never lacked, it’s talent, and he will have a lot to work with for sure. So there’s very much a path where this ends up being a home run and he’s the next Kirby Smart of the SEC, too.

 

We will see in about 2-3 years, I guess.

[MSTSatchmo]

Of course I don’t know him personally, but if he stays focused on football there’s no reason he shouldn’t do very well there.  
 

What he did at OM once he got the talent was impressive.  He will get the talent.  He turned a Ferris State QB into what should be a Heisman candidate.  LSU already paid for a DC, so Kiffin should get him some players and stay out of his way.  

[Dawg83]

Thoughts on some of the other hires:

 

Golesh to Auburn - I actually like it quite a bit. Whoever won the Golesh sweepstakes I would’ve considered a big winner in this. I’m not sure he’s a Kiffin level coach that can take Auburn to 10 wins every single year. But  I think he can at worst match what Malzahn was doing, which I think Auburn severely took for granted.

 

Sumrall to Florida - gonna need to see the OC hire but the guy is a straight up winner. I would say this is the one I’m most uncertain on. He is quite different from the two legendary Florida coaches that everyone is trying to replicate. It could be a big hit. But I could also see it not really working. Stricklin’s job is at stake on this one.

 

Silverfield to Arkansas - if I’m wrong I’m wrong…. But I don’t think this one is going to work. Memphis coaches have not fared well after leaving for greener pastures, and he’s been less successful at Memphis than Fuente and Norvell were. Never coached in the SEC, minimal P5 experience…. I don’t really see him as a clear upgrade over Pittman.

Edited December 1, 2025 by Dawg83

[Dawg83]

A late entry to the carousel, Kentucky just fired Mark Stoops.

 

A little late to the party, really…. Curious where this goes.

[Bulldogs4]

47 minutes ago, Dawg83 said:

A late entry to the carousel, Kentucky just fired Mark Stoops.

 

A little late to the party, really…. Curious where this goes.

Shades of Croom getting fired after losing to OM 45-0 in 2008. Losing to your rival 41-0 when said rival was not really that good will get you fired. And this was a KY team that was playing its best football at the end of season. Totally dumbfounded on how they could get beat so badly. 

 

[Dawg83]

Actually don’t at all hate some of the names being tossed around for the UK job. Seems like they are wanting to go the “coordinator at a major school” route, but maybe leaning more toward offense since that’s what sunk Stoops.

[hasbeen67]

Have all the games finished by winter break. Maybe NC by Thanksgiving week. Coaching changes and transfers start then with transfers enrolling by spring semester. 

[maroontide06]

12 hours ago, Dawg83 said:

Actually don’t at all hate some of the names being tossed around for the UK job. Seems like they are wanting to go the “coordinator at a major school” route, but maybe leaning more toward offense since that’s what sunk Stoops.

Does Dowdell enter the portal again?

[pancho]

2 hours ago, maroontide06 said:

Does Dowdell enter the portal again?

probably, he is a highest bidder type of guy.

[MSTSatchmo]

With all the coaching changes, the next portal transfer is going to be crazy. 

[pancho]

anyone in particular?

[Dawg83]

2 hours ago, pancho said:

anyone in particular?

 

Zero inside knowledge on this but I would be floored if Kiffin doesn’t attempt to raid OM’s roster. Guess we will see how much success comes of it.

[Dawg83]

Looking like Bob Chesney of James Madison to UCLA. Like the coach a lot, but that will definitely be a tough job.

 

Rumored to be trending toward Kalani Sitake of BYU to Penn State. I think he’s a really good coach, that would be an interesting fit though. BYU alum, coached out West his whole career, then is the the head coach at the foremost program in Pennsylvania? Hmm. 

[Dawg83]

Will Stein (Oregon OC) is Kentucky’s hire.

 

These things are never a sure thing…. But don’t be shocked in a couple of years if this ends up being one of the better hires from this cycle.

[Bulldogs4]

Can’t help but believe The NY Times were back door poking fun at Kiffin with today’s Wordle word.

It was LEACH. 
 

I can say with confidence that the Pirate would have never pulled an idiotic stunt that Kiffin just did.
Though obviously it is not really surprising. 
Even the Ole Miss guys on this site said as much back in 2020 when he was hired. Great hire but they were going to have to deal with all his idiosyncrasies.  And that has come to fruition.

[NoWammies]

Something that has been bugging me(not on here) is why do folks elsewhere keep saying Kiffin is going to be unstoppable with the 25M NIL LSU is giving him to get players? That was pretty much just our defense last year. 25M really isn’t that much. 

[coastfootballfanman]

1 hour ago, NoWammies said:

Something that has been bugging me(not on here) is why do folks elsewhere keep saying Kiffin is going to be unstoppable with the 25M NIL LSU is giving him to get players? That was pretty much just our defense last year. 25M really isn’t that much. 

Maybe it is a 25 million dollar pledge on top of what they already have in place? A situation where LSU says we currently have 20 million in NIL, we are upping it by 25 million and making it 45?

[Insideradvantage]

Isn't it crazy this is now where we are in the college game? Pretty old hat now, but still baffles me that we reversed course so fast going in the total opposite direction of something we spent decades trying to tamp down.