The Ole Miss Rebels have been one of the biggest stories of the 2025 college football season. And that story isn’t over just yet, with the Rebels advancing to the semifinals of the VRBO Fiesta Bowl against the Miami Hurricanes on January 8.
Few expected Ole Miss to reach this point, despite finishing the regular season with just one loss — to Georgia. Part of the skepticism stemmed from the program never having won an undisputed national championship, outside of three claimed titles in 1959, 1960 and 1962. Another major factor was Ole Miss losing head coach Lane Kiffin just before the College Football Playoff began.
Kiffin departed for LSU, which prevented him from coaching his former team in the playoff, a decision made by Ole Miss athletic director Keith Carter. However, several Rebels assistants — particularly offensive staff members who were also set to join Kiffin in Baton Rouge — were allowed to remain with the team through the postseason. That group included offensive coordinator Charlie Weis Jr.
Weis played a central role in Ole Miss fielding the nation’s No. 2 total offense this season, averaging 496.2 yards per game, while also ranking 10th nationally in scoring offense at 37.6 points per game.
He has remained a key figure during the Rebels’ playoff run, helping guide wins over Tulane and Georgia — the latter coming in a Sugar Bowl rematch from earlier in the season. As a result, Weis’ name has quickly emerged as one of the hottest among potential future coaching openings. That interest may arrive sooner than expected.
More on Heavy: Ole Miss’ Coaching Situation Could Give Miami an Edge in Fiesta Bowl
Charlie Weis Jr. Drawing NFL Interest
Weis is currently pulling double duty between Ole Miss and LSU, while preparing the Rebels for the upcoming Fiesta Bowl matchup against Miami.
That balancing act has not gone unnoticed, including by those at the NFL level. One team already being linked to Weis is the New York Giants.
“Heard an interesting name as a possibility to work with quarterback Jaxson Dart on the next Giants staff… Charlie Weis Jr. Connection to Dart from Ole Miss. Father was a longtime NFL coach. Would be intriguing option,” ESPN’s Jordan Raanan posted on X.
While this would obviously be a blow to LSU, the interest makes sense. Under Weis in his final season at Ole Miss, Dart threw for 4,279 yards, 29 touchdowns and just six interceptions, completing 69.5% of his passes.
That said, it’s still early in the process. The Giants have not yet hired a head coach, let alone finalized a coaching staff. But one aspect that could make Weis especially appealing to NFL teams is the financial flexibility involved in hiring him.
Charlie Weis Jr.’s Buyout Could Create LSU Problem
Weis has yet to coach a single snap at LSU, yet he is already among the higher-paid assistants in college football. Upon joining the Tigers, he signed a reworked three-year, $7.5 million contract, averaging $2.5 million annually, according to NOLA.com.
If an NFL team wanted to hire Weis away from LSU, the financial implications would be minimal — something Louisiana Sports’ Matt Moscona highlighted.
“His buyout at LSU is 300% his salary ($7.5M) if he leaves LSU before April 1,” Moscona posted on X. “If he gets a HC or NFL job, the liquidated damages provision does not apply. So, no buyout if he takes an NFL job.”
That loophole would be beneficial for Weis, but potentially damaging for Kiffin and LSU should it come to fruition. It would also mark a remarkable series of events for the 32-year-old assistant, who could find himself holding three high-profile positions within a matter of months.
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