The Ole Miss Rebels are just two wins away from their first college football national championship in over 60 years after a thrilling Sugar Bowl victory over Georgia. But off the field, a storm is brewing that could derail their historic run.
Former head coach Lane Kiffin, now at LSU, has already taken seven key staff members with him. For the first two rounds of the playoffs, those assistants remained with Ole Miss, but their future is now in doubt as the transfer portal officially opened on January 2.
โก Staff in Limbo
The group includes:
- Charlie Weis Jr. โ Offensive Coordinator & QB Coach
- Joe Cox โ CoโOffensive Coordinator & TE Coach
- George McDonald โ WR Coach
- James Cregg โ OL Assistant
- Billy Glasscock โ General Manager
- Thaddeus Rivers โ Director of Football Ops
- Nick Savage โ Strength & Conditioning Coach
Reports from Yahoo Sportsโ Ross Dellenger suggest that six of these assistants may not stay with Ole Miss through the semifinal against Miami. Many within the program expect them to officially join LSU before the game.
๐ LSUโs Position
According to Matt Moscona of LouisianaSports.net, LSU sources believe the splitโcoaching arrangement is โnot sustainable.โ He added that six assistants left Ole Miss immediately after the Sugar Bowl win and returned to Baton Rouge to work for Kiffin.
Ole Miss is even weighing whether to file an illegal tampering claim against LSU, highlighting the tension between the programs.
๐ What It Means
If Ole Miss is to complete their fairytale run, they may have to do it with a patchwork coaching staff. The uncertainty adds another layer of drama to their semifinal clash with Miami, where the Rebels will try to keep their championship dream alive despite the offโfield chaos.
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