The decision has finally been made, and Lane Kiffin is officially the new head coach of the LSU Tigers — ending what felt like a painfully long, drawn-out process that ESPN’s Marty Smith is probably still recovering from.
Kiffin became the most sought-after coach in college football over the past month, with his name linked to several openings, including LSU, Florida and even the possibility of staying at Ole Miss. Ultimately, he chose Baton Rouge, much to the frustration of fans in Oxford. Those in Gainesville, meanwhile, may be wondering why they were left at the altar.
According to a report from CBS Sports’ John Talty, Florida athletic director Scott Stricklin may have played a major role in that outcome.
Florida looked like an ideal fit for Kiffin and his family. Between personal ties to the state, his long-standing admiration for Steve Spurrier and the possibility of his son Knox attending the same high school his mother once did, the pieces seemed to align. But Kiffin reportedly got a “weird vibe” about the Gators job — and Stricklin was a significant part of it.
Lane Kiffin and Florida AD Scott Stricklin Didn’t See Eye To Eye
Talty reported that when Florida’s job opened in 2021, Stricklin chose Louisiana’s Billy Napier over Kiffin, even though Kiffin was highly interested in the position. Stricklin preferred Napier’s “no-nonsense approach” and was wary of Kiffin’s occasional antics.
Hoping for a different dynamic this time around, Stricklin pursued Kiffin again even before firing Napier six games into the season. Napier had finished his Florida tenure with a 22–23 record. Still, the tension between Stricklin and Kiffin reportedly lingered.
“Still, Kiffin was well aware that he wasn’t Stricklin’s cup of tea, and the feeling was mutual,” Talty wrote. “It was the kind of thing that could have possibly been overcome if there were no other options, but Ole Miss all but allowed him to do whatever he wanted in Oxford and kept giving him more and more resources to push the program forward. ‘He was never told no,’ one source said. Kiffin was concerned about Stricklin meddling and how they would mesh, later telling confidants he had a ‘weird vibe’ about the situation.”
Lane Kiffin Had Disagreement About Florida General Manager Role
One of the biggest friction points came early. Sources told Talty that in one of Kiffin and Stricklin’s first conversations, Kiffin insisted that Florida hire a general manager with NFL experience — and that the GM would not report directly to him. It was described as a major sticking point.
Kiffin believed that Ole Miss general manager Billy Glasscock played a vital role in elevating the program, and he wanted a similar model in place. Florida wasn’t aligned with that vision.
“It got the weeks-long pursuit off to an awkward start from Kiffin’s perspective,” Talty wrote.
Ultimately, Kiffin accepted the LSU job, and Stricklin turned to what appeared to be his next option: Tulane’s Jon Sumrall — another Group of Five hire that probably doesn’t sit well with Florida fans. Adding another wrinkle, the Gators also announced the hiring of former Jacksonville Jaguars general manager Dave Caldwell to fill the same front-office role that had become such a point of contention in discussions with Kiffin.
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