Ole Miss football coach Lane Kiffin was barely able to hold back his emotions when he opened up on how much he misses his dad, Monte Kiffin, in times like these.
The decision between Ole Miss and LSU is one of the most wrenching choices Kiffin has made in his career. Looking at his past, Kiffin has always picked the "other" school over his currrent one.
But Ole Miss is clearly different for him in so many ways. They're a sure-shot first-round home-ground contenders in the College Football Playoff after finishing off an 11-1 season, one of their best in program history.
It took Kiffin 6 years to build a team to reach here, and simply standing up and leaving will be more devastating than traitorous for him.
Lane Kiffin counts on his mentors for advice
That is why the 50-year-old plans to turn to the two people he trusts the most as his mentors in Nick Saban and Pete Carroll.
“I miss my dad,” Kiffin said post-Egg Bowl win. “I really missed him this week."
"My two calls will be the closest to that for advice, what my dad would say to do on these things. That’ll be Coach Carroll and Coach Saban. Kind of wish when you have things to do in life, that your dad was there. But it is what it is.”
Lane Kiffin says he wishes his dad, Monte, was around to help him through this decision and gets emotional when speaking about it. He mentions Nick Saban and Pete Carroll as people he seeks advice from.
— Ross Dellenger (@RossDellenger) November 28, 2025
Interestingly, fans already know what Saban's point of view is regarding Kiffin's precarious situation.
“I try to give him my perspective from my experience,” Saban said earlier this week on The Pat McAfee Show.
“I’ve been in a few situations like this, whether it was when I was the defensive coordinator with the Cleveland Browns going to– I stayed there and finished the season, hired five guys to run the Michigan State program while we finished the last four or five games of the year with the Browns and went to the playoffs."
A simple "follow your heart" is not something that gives anyone any clarity, except Kiffin, because only he knows whether his heart is with Ole Miss or not.
We'll know that shortly as the whole of college football awaits Kiffin's decision.