Ole Miss Rebels head coach Lane Kiffin during the game against the Arkansas Razorbacks at Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium. Arkansas won 42-27. Nelson Chenault-USA TODAY Sports

Lane Kiffin pushes back on report that he's leaving Ole Miss for Auburn

By Andrew Kulha | Last updated 11/21/22

Lane Kiffin has reportedly become a top target for the Auburn Tigers as they look to fill their head coaching vacancy. The Tigers will have to pull Kiffin away from his post at Ole Miss, though, and despite reporting...that hasn't happened yet.

The source? Well, it's Kiffin himself.

Mississippi journalist Jon Sokoloff reported on Twitter that Kiffin was planning on stepping down as soon as Friday to join Auburn.

"Lane to Auburn is happening," Sokoloff tweeted...just a sentence after saying that Auburn has not officially offered the job to anyone yet.

That's certainly a great scoop if it's true, but the source of the rumor, Kiffin himself, took to Twitter not long after to discredit the report.

That’s news to me Jon. ‍♂️. Nice sources https://t.co/P8rdpxEk0p
— Lane Kiffin (@Lane_Kiffin) November 22, 2022

Look, this is not to say that Sokoloff's sources are wrong. Which of us who have followed Kiffin over the years would be surprised if he denied this rumor today and on Friday does exactly what it says he will do?

Kiffin could very well still land at Auburn. The Tigers have the money to lure him in as well as the status. Auburn is one of the top programs in the nation after all.

Still, a denial that public would be hard to walk back even for a coach like Kiffin.

Stay tuned. As Sokoloff said...there's a story coming soon.

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