Lane Kiffin reflects on the intense dislike he faces from Ole Miss fans, stating it surpasses the animosity he experienced from Tennessee fans after leaving for USC. His controversial history includes a notable incident where he was hit by a golf ball during a game at Tennessee.
Key points
Lane Kiffin faces intense dislike from Ole Miss fans.
Kiffin's history includes a controversial departure from Tennessee.
He was hit by a golf ball during a game at Tennessee.
Security advised Kiffin to wear a bullet-proof vest during his return to Tennessee.
Vols fans loathing for Kiffin after he jilted them for Southern Cal after one season reached such a fever pitch that, when Kiffin returned as Alabama’s offensive coordinator in 2014, Alabama security recommended he wear a bullet-proof vest, according to a story Kiffin once told. (He didn’t wear one.)
Kiffin worked the Big Orange into such a lather in 2021 as Mississippi’s coach that he got hit with a yellow golf ball as Tennessee fans trashed the field at Neyland Stadium with debris during the fourth quarter.
News media arrive before a press conference by LSU's new head coach Lane Kiffin at South Stadium Club at Tiger Stadium in Baton Rouge on Dec. 1, 2025.
Q&A
Why do Ole Miss fans dislike Lane Kiffin?
Ole Miss fans harbor strong feelings against Lane Kiffin, which he claims is at a 'way different level' than the animosity he faced from Tennessee fans.
What incident occurred with Lane Kiffin and Tennessee fans?
During a game in 2021, Lane Kiffin was hit by a yellow golf ball thrown by Tennessee fans who were upset with his return as Ole Miss's coach.
How did Lane Kiffin's departure from Tennessee affect his reputation?
Kiffin's decision to leave Tennessee for USC after just one season led to significant backlash from Vols fans, making him a controversial figure in college football.
What security measures were taken for Lane Kiffin during his return to Tennessee?
When Kiffin returned to Tennessee as Alabama's offensive coordinator in 2014, security recommended he wear a bullet-proof vest due to the hostility he faced.
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In Kiffin’s eyes, the difference stems from the length of time he was at each job.
He coached Tennessee for one season before he jilted the Vols for Southern Cal, what he considered his “dream job.”
He coached Ole Miss for six years and led the Rebels to its best stretch of success since the peak of the Johnny Vaught era in the late 1950s and early 1960s.
Kiffin compared his exit to a marriage ending.
“It’s kind of like if you broke up with somebody. In this case, these are pretty big. They’re more like a divorce,” Kiffin said. “And, you leave by choice, but everything is going good on their end, they love it, and one person just leaves the relationship. There’s a lot of hatred. There’s a lot of villainizing, and that’s OK.”
Left unsaid by Kiffin: The timing of Kiffin’s departure might have something to do with the difference between Tennessee and Ole Miss, too. Also, the megaphone of social media is greater now than in 2010.
Kiffin left Tennessee in January after a 7-6 season. Bad timing for Tennessee, especially with national signing day around the corner.
But, he left Ole Miss — for rival LSU, no less — with the Rebels headed to their first College Football Playoff in program history. Kiffin wanted to accept the LSU job but still coach Ole Miss in the playoff.
The Ole Miss administration made him choose. He chose LSU and left.
Some Ole Miss fans gathered at the Oxford airport to give Kiffin a sendoff filled with expletives and middle fingers. Kiffin admits the blowback got to him.
“It does mess with you,” he said. “I’m human.”
Unlike the Tennessee situation, Kiffin won’t go years before returning to his old stomping grounds.
LSU will play at Ole Miss in Week 3 at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium (capacity 64,038), in what should be the premier spectacle of the entire regular season.
“The only good thing is,” he said, “there’s definitely not near as many (fans) as a lot of stadiums, so it’s not like there will be 100,000, like Tennessee, hating you.”
