The news of Lane Kiffin attending the Sugar Bowl had everyone guessing his next PR move, but it didn't take Ole Miss fans too long to figure out.
Kiffin and LSU governer Jeff Landry might be out in New Orleans trying to reportedly poach Ole Miss players: two, to be precise.
Lane Kiffin after Chambliss and Lacy?
These are the same two players who were his crown jewels during his final regular season at Ole Miss: QB Trinidad Chambliss and RB Kewan Lacy.
"There is a poorly kept secret here: Many around the Ole Miss program contend that tampering is afoot, even from within their own walls," Yahoo Sports' Ross Dellenger wrote.
“It’s unfortunate what has been going on with our players and their former head coach and staff,” says Walker Jones, the school’s NIL collective director, per Dellenger. “Having to deal with the pressure of making future decisions while trying to prepare for a playoff run is not a sustainable model.
“Yes, does a bad calendar and lack of true oversight hurt? Of course. But so does poor character and lack of respect for your former employer and players. That being said, we are prepared and effectively dealing with this first-of-its-kind, complicated situation.”
Chambliss signing a waiver seeking a sixth-year extension, and later revealing "choosing what's best for him," all led Ole Miss fans to silently believe that this could be Chambliss's final year with Ole Miss. He could either be off to LSU (if his waiver gets approved) or to the NFL.
Lacy, who is listed as probable for Sugar Bowl after injuring his shoulder last week, has also been rumored to be in talks with Kiffin. These rumors especially gained traction after RB coach Kevin Smith officially signed with LSU.
The dual motivation would be enough to pull Kiffin to the Big Easy, even with all protocols to avoid any potential tampering in place.