Lane Kiffin’s arrival in Baton Rouge came with a twist of irony-and a touch of SEC flair.
As Kiffin’s plane touched down in Louisiana on Sunday night, beginning his next chapter as LSU’s head football coach, he was greeted by a familiar sound over the radio. It wasn’t the classic “Geaux Tigers” chant or a warm Louisiana welcome. Instead, the Baton Rouge air traffic control tower hit him with a “Hotty Toddy”-the rallying cry of the Ole Miss Rebels, the very program Kiffin had just left behind.
You can’t make this stuff up.
The moment, captured in a clip that quickly made the rounds online, was a fittingly surreal welcome for one of college football’s most polarizing and headline-grabbing coaches. Kiffin, who took over at Ole Miss in 2020 and helped elevate the Rebels into a legitimate SEC contender, is now set to lead a Tigers program in transition after parting ways with Brian Kelly midseason.
Kelly’s tenure in Baton Rouge lasted just under four seasons, ending abruptly during a turbulent 2025 campaign. LSU moved quickly to secure Kiffin, a coach known for his offensive innovation, recruiting prowess, and-let’s be honest-his ability to keep things interesting both on and off the field.
The “Hotty Toddy” moment wasn’t just a quirky footnote-it was a reminder of how deeply woven these SEC rivalries are. Even in the control tower, the lines between schools, traditions, and loyalties blur in unexpected ways. For Kiffin, it was likely a moment of reflection: a nod to the success he built in Oxford, even as he begins laying the foundation for something new in Baton Rouge.
And make no mistake-change is already underway. Kiffin is expected to bring several key members of his Ole Miss staff with him to LSU, signaling that he’s not just making a move-he’s transplanting a culture. That’s no small thing for a Tigers program hungry to return to national prominence.
Meanwhile, Ole Miss isn’t slowing down. The Rebels are gearing up for a College Football Playoff appearance, a testament to the roster and infrastructure Kiffin helped build. His departure adds an intriguing wrinkle to their postseason storyline, but the program appears poised to keep pushing forward.
As for LSU, they’re betting big on Kiffin’s ability to do what he’s done before-recruit elite talent, scheme up explosive offenses, and win in the nation’s most competitive conference. And if Sunday night is any indication, the drama is already in midseason form.
Welcome to Baton Rouge, Lane. And yes, apparently, “Hotty Toddy” still follows you-at least for now.