Austin Thomas is on the move again - and if you’ve followed his career, you know this isn’t exactly unfamiliar territory.
The 39-year-old personnel guru is expected to be named the new general manager at Ole Miss, marking his second stint with the Rebels and yet another chapter in his long-running connection with Lane Kiffin. Thomas is leaving LSU - for the third time - following a head coaching change, as Kiffin takes over in Baton Rouge and brings much of his Ole Miss staff with him, including former Rebels GM Billy Glasscock.
That move left Thomas without a seat on the LSU train this time around, and now he’s headed back to Oxford. It’s a full-circle moment in a career that’s seen more twists than a Saturday night in the SEC.
Let’s unpack it.
A Familiar Route, A Familiar Face
Thomas has been part of the Kiffin coaching orbit for over a decade. He first linked up with Kiffin at Tennessee in 2009 as a quality control assistant, then followed him to USC as an assistant director of player personnel. That early bond helped shape Thomas' trajectory in college football’s front office world, and he’s since built a reputation as one of the sharper minds in roster building and recruiting strategy.
His time at LSU has been on-again, off-again - three separate stints, in fact. Most recently, he returned to Baton Rouge in 2024 after two seasons with Kiffin at Ole Miss. But when Kiffin took the LSU job on November 30, bringing Glasscock and other key staffers from Oxford with him, Thomas was left out of the transition.
Whether that exclusion was about loyalty, timing, or fit, it left Thomas looking for his next landing spot - and Ole Miss, now in the College Football Playoff and riding high after an 11-1 season, offered a soft (and familiar) place to land.
From No. 1 Portal Class to the Playoff
Thomas exits LSU having played a major role in assembling the Tigers’ 2025 transfer portal class, which ranked No. 1 nationally. That’s no small feat, especially in today’s college football landscape where the portal is a critical piece of team building.
But not everyone in Baton Rouge was sold on the makeup of that class. LSU athletic director Verge Ausberry recently criticized the group for pulling too heavily from programs with losing records - raising concerns about culture fit and locker room dynamics. Whether fair or not, that critique added another wrinkle to Thomas’ exit.
Now, he joins an Ole Miss program that’s arguably never been stronger. The Rebels have posted double-digit wins in three straight seasons and four of the last five.
They’re ranked No. 6 and prepping for a College Football Playoff showdown with No. 11 Tulane this Saturday.
That game kicks off at 2:15 p.m. on TNT, and interestingly, several members of Kiffin’s former Ole Miss offensive staff - including OC Charlie Weis Jr. - will temporarily return to coach the Rebels before fully transitioning to their new roles at LSU.
Meanwhile, LSU is heading to the Texas Bowl - again. The Tigers will face No. 21 Houston on Dec. 27 in Houston, marking their third appearance in that bowl since 2015.
A Career Built on Movement - and Results
Thomas’ resume is a football atlas. After his early years with Kiffin, he first joined LSU in 2013 under Les Miles, working in player personnel before being promoted to general manager in 2016. He was even featured on the cover of Tiger Rag Magazine in 2015 - a nod to his rising profile in the sport.
When Ed Orgeron took over full-time in 2017, Thomas left for Texas A&M, helping build strong recruiting classes there in 2018 and 2019. He then spent a season at Baylor in 2020 with Dave Aranda - another LSU connection - before returning to LSU in 2021 as GM. But when Orgeron was let go, Thomas once again found himself on the move, this time back to Ole Miss with Kiffin.
Through it all, Thomas has consistently been credited with helping land top-tier talent. His fingerprints are on several elite recruiting classes at LSU, Texas A&M, and Ole Miss. He’s not a household name to the average fan, but within the walls of college football programs, his impact is well known.
LSU Departures Continue
Thomas won’t be the only one rejoining Ole Miss after previously committing to LSU. Two recent signees - wide receiver Kervin Johnson (Tioga High) and offensive lineman Jalan Chapman (Warren Easton High) - flipped to Ole Miss earlier this month. Both were once LSU commits, but Kiffin reportedly chose not to honor their scholarships when he took over in Baton Rouge.
Now, they’re heading to Oxford, just like Thomas.
The Road Ahead
In a sport built on movement, Thomas has become something of a nomadic architect - always building, always retooling, always adjusting to the shifting sands of college football. He’s not always the headline, but he’s often behind the scenes helping shape the roster that gets there.
This latest move back to Ole Miss isn’t just another job - it’s a return to a program that’s peaking at the right time, with a head coach who knows exactly what Thomas brings to the table.
And while LSU looks to rebuild under Kiffin and a new staff, Thomas will be trying to help the Rebels take that next step - from playoff contender to national champion.
In the words of the old song, sometimes you’re the windshield, sometimes you’re the bug. But for now, Austin Thomas is back in the driver’s seat.