STAKVILLE, Miss. (AP) — Mississippi coach Lane Kiffin sighed and leaned forward in his chair when asked, after a 38-19 victory over Mississippi State, whether he still planned announce his future coaching plans by Saturday, as Ole Miss had promised he would.
“I feel like I’ve got to,” Kiffin said, adding that making such an announcement is “not as enjoyable as people think.”
Kiffin could remain with No. 6 Mississippi (11-1, 7-1 SEC, No. 7 CFP), which is now a virtual lock for a spot in the College Football Playoff — even likely to host a first-round game.
Asked if he thought Ole Miss had earned a first-round home game in the CFP, Kiffin said, “I would think absolutely. … You go 11-1 and in the SEC, that should be obvious.”
LSU and Florida have two of the highest-profile coaching vacancies in the nation. Throughout the Egg Bowl on Friday, and particularly in the second half, Mississippi State fans chanted the names of both schools during timeouts and other stoppages.
On Friday, however, Florida appeared to be turning it’s attention to Tulane coach Jon Sumrall, a virtual acknowledgment that the Gators did not expect to land Kiffin.
“I haven’t made a decision,” said Kiffin, who did not refuse to answer questions during his approximately 20-minute postgame media session, but did not extol the values of any of the possible choices.
“I’ve got some praying to do to figure this thing out,” Kiffin said. “I’m living one day at a time. I know that doesn’t help you, but it helps me.”
Kiffin hurried out of Starkville and headed back to Oxford to watch his son, Knox, the starting quarterback in Friday’s night’s Mississippi High School Class 7A North Half title game against top-ranked Tupelo.
“Tonight, I’m going to be a dad,” Kiffin said. “If (Oxford) could find a way to win, that would be an awesome day.”
Kiffin did not provide a specific time frame regarding Saturday’s decision or the time of the announcement, “it’s a fair question, but I really don’t know. That’s not my call.”
The most emotional moment came when Kiffin considered which sources he would seek for a final consultation.
“I miss my dad,” he said, before clearing his throat and naming former Southern California coach Pete Carroll and Alabama coach Nick Saban. Kiffin served on the staffs of both coaches and often refers to them as his mentors.
Ole Miss athletic director Keith Carter has asked Kiffin to decide by Saturday so the Rebels would know if they need to look for a new coach before it’s too late to attract a preferred candidate.
Carter attended Kiffin’s postgame media conference, as is his usual custom, but did not make himself available for comment.
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By CHRIS BURROWS
Associated Press
