When Lane Kiffin made the seismic decision to leave Ole Miss for LSU, the shockwaves hit Oxford hard. Fans quickly drew battle lines.
On one side stood Pete Golding and the defensive staff-loyal holdovers seen as the glue holding the Rebels together. On the other stood Kiffin and much of the offensive staff, now viewed as turncoats for leaving mid-Playoff push.
And as expected in today’s college football landscape, the next front in this war wasn’t going to be on the field-it was going to be in the Transfer Portal.
At first, it looked like Golding had the upper hand. Ole Miss locked down key defensive players with contract extensions, signaling a new era of defensive identity and stability. But just as the Rebels were starting to settle into their new reality, Kiffin flipped the script in a big way.
Princewill Umanmielen Commits to LSU-A Major Blow to Ole Miss
Wednesday morning brought the news Ole Miss fans were dreading: star pass rusher Princewill Umanmielen officially entered the Transfer Portal. The whispers started immediately-accusations of tampering, frustration, disbelief. And then came the hammer: Umanmielen committed to LSU, reuniting with Kiffin in Baton Rouge.
This isn’t just another transfer. Umanmielen is the top EDGE in the portal and ranked No. 5 overall.
At 6’5” and 245 pounds, he racked up 9.0 sacks and 45 tackles in 2025. That kind of production doesn’t grow on trees, especially in the SEC.
Losing a player of that caliber is a gut punch. Losing him to the coach who just left?
That’s a full-on haymaker.
This One Hits Different
When LSU previously picked up Winston Watkins and Louisiana native Devin Harper-both offensive players-Ole Miss fans didn’t flinch too much. Kiffin is, after all, an offensive mind.
But this? This is different.
Umanmielen was a cornerstone of the Ole Miss defense, a unit that was supposed to be the foundation moving forward under Golding’s leadership. He wasn’t just a talented player-he was a symbol of the Rebels’ direction post-Kiffin.
Kiffin didn’t just take a player. He took that player.
The one Ole Miss had prioritized, locked in, and built around. The one who was supposed to be part of a new defensive identity.
That’s not just roster movement-that’s a statement.
Kiffin Sends a Message
Let’s be clear: Lane Kiffin didn’t just raid the portal. He walked straight into Oxford’s house, took one of its biggest stars, and walked out the front door.
It’s not just about the talent-though Umanmielen’s production speaks for itself. It’s about what it represents.
Kiffin is telling the SEC-and especially Ole Miss-that he’s not backing down, not playing nice, and not worried about burning bridges. He’s building something at LSU, and he’s not afraid to poach from familiar territory to do it.
This move pours gasoline on what was already shaping up to be one of the SEC’s most intriguing new rivalries. The next time Ole Miss and LSU square off, it won’t just be about standings or postseason implications-it’ll be personal.
And with this latest move, Lane Kiffin made sure everyone in Oxford knows it.