Lane Kiffin ensured that his reported exit from Ole Miss was as messy as it could get. He did not hesitate in burning down the bridge he built over the past six seasons, with the threat of poaching key offensive pieces of the Rebels' roster.
Per the latest insider reports, several staff members and players have agreed to board the LSU jet to follow Kiffin to Baton Rouge.
The incredible players Kiffin recruited in 2025 via the transfer portal were the primary reason behind their 11-1 record. The Rebels' roster would all but crumble if Kiffin were to poach these four-star players and lure them to Atlanta.
QB Trinidad Chambliss
Of course, QB Trinidad Chambliss has to be on top of Kiffin's list of targets. The Rebels could hardly have reached the level of success they did this season were it not for the stunning performance of Chambliss each night.
The Ferris State transfer finished 7 of the 10 games he started with a score north of 300 passing yards each game, and a total of 18 passing touchdowns this season.
Chambliss has been an outstanding Rebels leader throughout the Kiffin drama, and there is no way he would risk his shot at giving the best in the postseason. Kiffin would still be 100 percent trying to convince Chambliss to stay another year in college football and play for him in the Tigers uniform.
RB Kewan Lacy
The second most obvious choice is star running back Kewan Lacy. The Texas native has pulled Ole Miss through some of their toughest games, and in cases, even won an impossible looking game almost singlehandedly for the Rebels.
There is no doubt that Lacy's consistency will be something Kiffin will want on his shiny new LSU roster, no matter what. Lacy's numbers have been equally amazing, a 100-plus rushing yards in six out of 12 games, and finishing up as high as 224 rushing yards against an opponent like Florida.
Lacy's 20 touchdowns this regular season only decorates his resume further.
WR Deuce Alexander
Kiffin's offensive pieces were his biggest strength in the 2025 season. While the whole of his WR room was packed with equally strong receivers, Deuce Alexander as Kiffin's top target makes most sense.
Although scattered throughout the season, Alexander did make some impressive plays. Mainly, the WR still many more years to go as he redhisrted his sophomore year at Ole Miss this season, after redshirting his freshman year at Wake Forest in 2024.
Once Kiffin has him in the LSU gear, he can further bolster him to make him his best offensive weapon.
QB Austin Simmons
Kiffin would most likely be giving Austin Simmons a call even before he lands in Baton Rouge. In what was supposed to be a season that he starts at QB, Chambliss's talent entierly eclipsed Simmons.
His injury pushed him out of the game, and him losing his form when he got a chance made his comeback even tougher.
If Chambliss is to stay at Ole Miss, chances are Simmons would remain a backup. Kiffin had been keen on giving Simmons a chance at starting QB the whole of the 2025 season, even when he was recovering.
2025 was Garrett Nussmeier's final eligibility season, he'll be off to NFL soon. Amid all this, if Simmons were to transfer to LSU, chances of Kiffin naming him the starting QB are high.
That way, he'll get an experienced QB, one that he has trained before, handling his first season at LSU.
Only time can tell whether any or all of these pledge their loyalty to Ole Miss or Lane Kiffin, or neither.