Lane Kiffin is officially headed to Baton Rouge, and the ripple effects are already being felt in Oxford. After weeks of speculation, rumors, and message board mayhem, Kiffin has left Ole Miss to take the reins at LSU. And true to form, he didn’t wait long to stir the pot.
Just a day after the announcement, Kiffin fired off a tweet that’s already raising eyebrows-and maybe even a few blood pressures in Oxford. The post was classic Kiffin: cryptic, confident, and potentially calculated. “Exhale, have the best Monday ever, #GodsPlan,” he wrote, adding a Trinidad and Tobago flag emoji alongside a tiger.
Now, that might seem like a harmless motivational message on the surface. But if you’ve followed Kiffin’s social media playbook over the years, you know nothing he posts is ever truly random.
That flag? Ole Miss fans have been waving it all season in support of quarterback Trinidad Chambliss, the breakout star who transferred from Division II Ferris State and lit up the SEC this fall.
And the tiger emoji? Well, that one’s pretty self-explanatory.
So, was Kiffin sending a not-so-subtle signal to Chambliss? In today’s transfer portal era, it wouldn’t be shocking.
Coaches regularly bring players with them when they jump jobs, especially quarterbacks who already know the system. And Chambliss isn’t just any quarterback-he’s the kind of dual-threat playmaker who can change the dynamic of a program overnight.
Chambliss was handpicked by Kiffin in last year’s portal cycle, and he delivered big. With 3,486 total yards and 24 touchdowns, he helped Ole Miss to its first-ever 11-win regular season.
His command of the offense, poise under pressure, and ability to extend plays made him a perfect fit in Kiffin’s up-tempo attack. If Kiffin is looking to hit the ground running at LSU, bringing Chambliss along would be a logical-if controversial-move.
Of course, there’s a major wrinkle: Chambliss isn’t guaranteed to play college football next season. He’s filed a waiver with the NCAA for an extra year of eligibility, citing his limited action in 2022 at Ferris State-just two games-as grounds for a retroactive redshirt.
The issue is complicated by the fact that redshirt rules in Division II weren’t clearly defined until recently. Chambliss redshirted in 2021, saw limited action in 2022 and 2023, and then exploded onto the scene in 2024.
Under standard NCAA rules, he’s at the end of his five-year eligibility window. But if the waiver is granted, he could return for one more season.
Chambliss addressed the situation after Ole Miss’ Egg Bowl win over Mississippi State, saying he hoped to hear from the NCAA soon. “That would be great for me to get another year,” he said.
“Another year in the offense, having the spring and just developing more on this level. That would definitely be huge.”
He didn’t comment on where he might play if granted that extra year, but the timing of Kiffin’s tweet-paired with his long-standing relationship with Chambliss-has fueled speculation. And with the transfer portal set to open soon, the clock is ticking.
Meanwhile, back in Oxford, the Rebels are preparing for the College Football Playoff without the coach who helped get them there. Kiffin told ESPN he wanted to stay on to coach through the postseason, but Ole Miss athletic director Keith Carter made the call to move on. Defensive coordinator Pete Golding has been named interim head coach and will lead the team into the playoff.
“At the end of the day, that’s his decision and I totally respect that,” Kiffin said of Carter’s choice. “I understand that decision.
I just totally wish the team the best of luck, wish that I was coaching, but understand that it was a very challenging position for him and the chancellor to be in. Really hope they play really well and hope they win the national championship.”
Kiffin leaves behind a 55-19 record over six seasons at Ole Miss and a program he helped elevate into the national spotlight. But as the dust settles, all eyes now turn to Chambliss-and whether the quarterback who helped define Kiffin’s final chapter in Oxford might just follow him to Baton Rouge for the next one.