Former LSU football general manager joins major SEC rival

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Ole Miss is hiring former LSU football general manager Austin Thomas to be its next general manager and president of football operations, per 247Sports’ Chase Parham.  

Considering LSU recently hired former Ole Miss head coach Lane Kiffin, some might see this as a sort of spiteful move by Thomas and Ole Miss, but that’s likely not the case. Thomas has experience with the Rebels’ football program, serving as their football chief of staff and sports administrator in 2022 and 2023.

Most of his recent experience has been in Baton Rouge, though, most recently as Senior Associate Athletic Director / Football Administration and de facto general manager.

It was announced at the start of the month that Thomas wouldn’t be retained at LSU, but given his experience at other big schools, including Tennessee, Texas A&M, and Baylor, many believed he might find a landing spot that wouldn’t seem so controversial.

Now, Thomas will take over an Ole Miss program that’s aiming to maintain its momentum after losing Kiffin to LSU. It’s a tall task, as the Rebels’ football program has been inconsistent over the years, but Thomas’s experience with top-notch programs makes him well-suited for the role. 

This article originally appeared on LSU Wire: Former LSU football general manager joins major SEC rival

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