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STACKVILLE, Miss. – Mississippi coach Lane Kiffin shrugged and leaned forward in his chair when asked, after a 38-19 win over Mississippi State, if he still planned to announce his future coaching plans by Saturday, as Ole Miss had promised he would.
“I feel like I have,” Coffin said, adding that making such an announcement “isn’t as fun as people think.”
Kiffin could stay 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 possibly hosting a first-round game.
Asked if he thought Ole Miss had earned a first-round home game in the CFP, Kiffin said, “I would absolutely think so. … You go 11-1 and in the SEC, it should be obvious.”
LSU and Florida have two of the highest-profile coaching vacancies in the nation. During the Egg Bowl on Friday, and especially in the second half, Mississippi State fans chanted the names of both schools during timeouts and other stops.
On Friday, though, Florida looked to turn its attention to Tulane coach Jon Summerall, a virtual admission that the Gators weren’t expected to land the shroud.
“I haven’t made a decision,” said Kiffin, who declined to answer questions during his nearly 20-minute postgame media session, but didn’t expand on the values of any possible picks.
“I’ve got some prayer to figure this thing out,” Coffin said. “I live one day at a time. I know it doesn’t help you, but it helps me.”
Kiffin rushed out of Starkville and headed back to Oxford to watch his son, Knox, the starting quarterback in Friday night’s Mississippi High School Class 7A North Half title game against top-ranked Tupelo.
“Tonight, I’m going to be a father,” Kiffin said. “If (Oxford) can find a way to win, it will be a great day.”
Kiffin did not provide a specific time frame for Saturday’s decision or the timing of the announcement, saying, “It’s a fair question, but I really don’t know. It’s not my call.”
The most emotional moment came when Kafin considered what sources he should seek for final counseling.
“I miss my dad,” he said, before clearing his throat and naming former Southern California coach Pete Carroll and Alabama coach Nick Saban. Coffin served on both coaches’ staffs and often referred to them as his mentors.
Ole Miss athletic director Keith Carter has asked Kiffin to make a decision by Saturday so the Rebels can determine if they need to find a new coach before it’s too late to lure a favorite candidate.
Carter attended Coffin’s postgame media conference, as is his custom, but did not make himself available for comment.
