Ole Miss took no chances after Lane Kiffin’s departure for LSU.
According to Walker Jones, the executive director of Ole Miss’ NIL collective, the school even brought in FBI agents to sweep the football office for recording devices after Kiffin left for the SEC rival. Jones made the revelation on the "Assorted Crackers" podcast, and told ESPN’s Mark Schlabach that agents searched the Manning Center for bugs.
"We actually had the FBI come through and walk the building for bugs and for everything," Jones said. "We knew kind of what was in Baton Rouge, and we knew how they operated. I remember getting on my knees and looking underneath the desk, like checking for, 'Is there some sort of bug in my office?'"
Jones said he and other Ole Miss staffers went to extreme lengths to keep Kiffin from taking players with him, even spending nights at the facility.
"Trust me, you don't know this guy (Kiffin) like I do," Jones said.
A few Ole Miss starters did end up transferring to LSU, but the Rebels kept offensive standouts Trinidad Chambliss and Kewan Lacy in the fold.
Kiffin accepted the LSU job after leading Ole Miss to an 11-1 record and the program’s first College Football Playoff appearance last season. Ole Miss responded by promoting defensive coordinator Pete Golding to replace him.
Kiffin also brought several staff members with him to Baton Rouge, including offensive coordinator Charlie Weis Jr., running backs coach Kevin Smith and general manager Billy Glasscock.
The Rebels are set to host Kiffin and the Tigers at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium on Sept. 19.
In Other News...
LSU Just Got A Huge RJ Luis Ruling Before 2026-27
RJ Luis is now cleared for another college season, and the timing matters for LSU as it looks ahead to 2026-27. Judge Ronald Johnson granted the former St. Johns standout a preliminary injunction, allowing him to suit up for the Tigers after Luis challenged the NCAAs decision that had blocked his return to college basketball. The ruling is a notable one for a player who once won Big East Player of the Year honors and briefly signed a professional contract before trying to make his way back into the college game.
For LSU, the decision removes the eligibility barrier that had hovered over one of the most interesting roster possibilities on the horizon. The case drew opposition from the SEC commissioner, but the injunction restores Luis path to compete in Baton Rouge unless something changes down the line. It is a significant development for a program that could use every bit of high-end talent it can secure, even if the final shape of that future still has a ways to go. [Read more 🡒]
Ole Miss Just Got A Wild New Lane Kiffin Exit Story
Before Ole Miss and LSU meet on Sept. 19, the Rebels are dealing with one more Lane Kiffin-era story line that sounds more like a thriller than a routine coaching departure. Walker Jones, the executive director of the Grove Collective, said on a podcast that the FBI came through Ole Miss facilities to sweep for bugs after Kiffin left the program, and he said he even checked his own office for surveillance devices.
Jones also made clear he remains skeptical about how Kiffins exit went down and what it ultimately meant for Ole Miss. It is the kind of behind-the-scenes detail that keeps the old storyline alive long after the coach is gone, and it adds another layer of intrigue as LSU prepares to see the Rebels in a game that already had plenty riding on it. [Read more 🡒]
LSU Now Faces A Difficult Kate Koval Situation Off The Court
Kate Kovals time at LSU is ending for reasons that go far beyond basketball, adding an unexpectedly personal layer to the Tigers offseason roster shuffle. The womens program had signed Russian player Anna Minaeva, and Koval is now leaving the team after what has been described as a difficult decision tied to her family situation, with her father serving in the Ukrainian army during the ongoing conflict with Russia.
Kim Mulkey has acknowledged the circumstances and supported Kovals choice, underscoring how complicated roster-building can become when global politics and personal history intersect. For LSU, the move leaves a notable gap in the frontcourt conversation, but the bigger story is the human one, and the one detail tying this all together is enough to make the situation feel far more fragile than a normal transfer decision. [Read more 🡒]