To be a villain or not?
That’s the question facing Lane Kiffin two days before one of the most important 24 hours in Ole Miss history.
Starting at 11 a.m. Friday, the Rebels can make history with a win against Mississippi State and reach 11 wins for the first time in program history. They’d also punch a ticket to the College Football Playoff and, pending the outcome of Saturday’s Iron Bowl, a trip to the SEC Championship game.
But win or lose, once the Battle for the Golden Egg is over, the attention of the college football world will turn towards Ole Miss coach Lane Kiffin.
We all know why. He has a decision to make: leave Ole Miss for LSU or stay in Oxford. And it’s expected sometime Saturday.
Kiffin’s Dilemma: Option 1
One of those choices instantly turns Kiffin into a villain.
The same villain who had clunky exit from Tennessee almost 20 years ago.
Or the one who had messy exit from the Oakland Raiders (a dysfunctional franchise on its own, so blame is shared).
Or the one who was “relieved of his duties” as Alabama’s offensive coordinator before Alabama lost a national championship game to Clemson.
Kiffin’s Dilemma: Option 2
The other choice won’t make Kiffin an instant hero in Oxford.
But win a home playoff game and all will be forgiven. Even the most die hard “I hate lane Kiffin” Ole Miss fan would forgive the drama of the last month with a win or two in the CFP. (Yes, even you reading this thinking “not me” will forgive Kiffin.)
Or the biggest pipe dream, win a national championship.
Not only does Kiffin achieve hero status, but his family name will start to carry the same weight as another famous family whose jersey numbers dictate speed limits.
Oh, sure, if Kiffin takes the LSU job the folks down in the bayou know how to throw a party to make someone feel like a hero.
Kiffin will be embraced not just by the entire LSU fan base and university, but also likely by the governor and a whole bunch of other important, influential folks. They’ll play Garth Brooks’ Callin’ Baton Rouge and Neck to drown out the noise coming from the Magnolia state.
ICYMI: Should Ole Miss drop in CFP rankings if Kiffin leaves?
He’ll feel the love, but he’ll also feel the hate. It’ll be unavoidable. Kiffin will see it. His social media feeds will be filled with. Every post he makes will open the floodgates and it won’t be limited to Ole Miss fans.
Kiffin will get raked over the coals in national media. Some will take an empathetic approach, but fans won’t have to struggle to find something criticizing Kiffin.
And don’t forget that LSU is one the Rebels’ three annual opponents and the Tigers are slated to come to Oxford next season.
If Kiffin or anyone else thinks his reception in Knoxville was extreme, it’ll be worse at Vaught Hemingway Stadium.
Because he’ll be the coach that said, “thanks for everything, but you’re not good enough for me even though we’re in the playoff.”
Taylor’s Take
If I take off my professional, I-don’t-have-a-favorite-team persona (I really don’t in college sports, but go Texans, Red Wings and Rangers) and tap into my 18-year-old self, I get it.
The big picture is that Ole Miss isn’t on the same level as LSU.
Growing up in Texas, I was a fan of the Longhorns and Notre Dame (long story for another day). I had heard of Ole Miss because of Eli Manning, but that was it.
I probably assumed there was a Mississippi State because it’s a basic university name, but I don’t have any memories of it.
My dreams if I had been born with a lick of athletic ability, involved playing at the biggest name schools around 2007. That’d be Texas, LSU, USC, Florida and schools like that. It was just before Alabama started its most recent dynasty and different era of college football where national championship games were decided by a computer.
When I moved to Mississippi on July 4, 2007 (an even longer story), Ole Miss wasn’t any good. Neither was Mississippi State. You probably remember the Ed Orgeron and Sylvester Croom eras.
So, I get the allure of what LSU represents and why Kiffin would be torn in this decision. There’s a part of me that still holds the previously mentioned schools in high regard.
Final Thoughts
If I was in Kiffin’s position as a head coach and Texas came calling, I’d start trying to decide between an all-white visor with the Longhorns’ logo or a burnt orange one.
But we also live in a different world where traditional blue blood programs aren’t the only ones competing for national championships.
If it can be done at Indiana, it can be done anywhere. Kiffin’s already doing it at Ole Miss, but those old views of programs are hard to shake. And that is what I think makes this decision hard for Kiffin.
However, it doesn’t change the initial question.
Are you OK with being a villain or not?
