How much does Lane Kiffin's Florida, LSU, Ole Miss decision come down to son Knox Kiffin's football future?
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OXFORD — Ole Miss football coach Lane Kiffin hasn’t been ready to commit to his future.
Kiffin has been connected to job openings at Florida and LSU. As the No. 6 Rebels (10-1, 6-1 SEC) push on in an attempt to reach their first College Football Playoff, Kiffin has denied reports that Ole Miss gave him until the Egg Bowl on Nov. 28 to make a decision.
Kiffin’s family has been thrust in the spotlight of the search. According to multiple reports, some Kiffin family members visited Gainesville, Florida, and Baton Rouge, Louisiana, in the days after Ole Miss beat Florida on Nov. 15.
On3 reported that Kiffin’s son, Knox, and ex-wife Layla met with Buchholz High School football coach Mark Whittemore on Nov. 16. His team is 10-1. Buchholz is in Gainesville, Florida, and it is where Layla went to high school, according to the report.
Layla’s dad, former Florida star and NFL quarterback John Reaves, died in 2017.
Knox, a sophomore, is the starting quarterback for the Oxford Chargers. Oxford is in the Class 7A playoffs and will host Horn Lake on Nov. 21 (7 p.m.) in the second round. Knox is a Class of 2028 prospect with eight offers.
In an SEC teleconference on Nov. 19, Kiffin was asked about his family, and if his children being in high school and college make it harder to move than if they were younger.
“I do think that people with time change and, maybe when they’re younger you make really fast decisions – which I’ve gone on record, said that before – in life, and in situations,” Kiffin said. “And I think as you get older and more mature and look at things different, maybe you take longer to make the proper decision. I would say that, just in general.”
Lane Kiffin, Layla Kiffin on watching Knox play high school football
Lane Kiffin and Layla Kiffin, who moved to Oxford from California this year with Knox, have three children.
Their oldest daughter Landry is a student at Ole Miss. Their middle daughter Presley plays volleyball at USC.
Knox has played the last five games at quarterback for Oxford, taking over when the starter got injured. That included leading comeback wins in the first two games.
“I’m just excited that he gets the opportunity to play,” Lane Kiffin said Nov. 10. “They’ve got such a cool team and they have all these comebacks. It was just awesome to watch. The whole thing is really cool watching him and then Landry my daughter is next to me watching him.”
Layla Kiffin has been to many of Oxford’s games this season.
“I grew up in football,” she said Oct. 30. “My dad played and coached my whole life. My brothers played in college. Obviously, I married to a coach, but when it’s …. your child out there it’s a totally different ball game.”
Lane Kiffin has been at Ole Miss for six seasons. He has been open about enjoying Oxford and being in “the good old days.” It’s a different stage of life from when he set the world on fire in 2010 after taking the USC coaching job after one season at Tennessee.
“Seeing Knox play last night, the good old days that I tell my players, I’m in them right now,” Kiffin said after the Florida game. “For my life. I just think people don’t realize when they are in them.”
Who is recruiting Knox Kiffin?
Knox has earned eight offers according to 247Sports. Ole Miss is not one of them.
Knox has offers from SMU, Arkansas State, Western Kentucky, Sacramento State, Murray State, Georgia State, FIU and East Carolina.
Sam Hutchens covers Ole Miss for the Clarion Ledger. Email him at Shutchens@gannett.com or reach him on X at @Sam_Hutchens_
This article originally appeared on Mississippi Clarion Ledger: Lane Kiffin Florida, LSU, Ole Miss decision depend on Knox Kiffin?
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